FREE 6th ANNUAL MORRISTOWN JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL CELEBRATES BUCKY PIZZARELLI’S 90th BIRTHDAY

SIXTH ANNUAL MORRISTOWN JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL

WHEN: SATURDAY, AUGUST 20, noon – 10 PM (rain or shine)
WHERE: Morristown Green, Morristown
ADMISSION: Admission is free and many local restaurants will be offering specials for festival attendees.
Bring your lawn chairs and blankets.
For more information, visit www.morristownjazzandblues.org.

When jazz legend Bucky Pizzarelli turned 90 in January, he celebrated his birthday in the hospital recovering from a serious illness. So when the Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival organizers started to plan for this year’s free event, they wanted to throw Bucky the party he missed.

As a result, this popular music festival, which takes place on the Morristown Green on Saturday, August 20, will celebrate the 90^th birthday of legendary jazz guitarist who has become a regular fixture at the annual event. In addition, many of the artists will pay tribute to the late Rusty Paul, the bass-playing son of the great Les Paul. Rusty passed away in January after a long illness and had a special relationship with the festival.

Initiated in 2011 by Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty, this year’s festival will be headlined by Robert Randolph & The Family Band. Hailing from New Jersey, Robert has a special relationship with Morristown, although the group tours around the world. Although he was named by Rolling Stone to their list of the 100 greatest guitarists of time, Robert has surrounded himself with top flight musicians and generously shares the stage.

The music begins at noon with the George Gee Swing Orchestra, considered by jazz fans and critics to be one of the best swing bands in the country. Then at 2 o’clock, Bucky Pizzarelli takes the stage along with his long-time partner Ed Laub on guitar, his number two son Martin Pizzarelli on bass and the always popular Aaron Weinstein on violin.

At 4, the Festival presents Louis Prima Jr. and The Witnesses playing a swinging combination of originals as well as classics from the catalog of his incomparable father, including such hits as “Jump Jive an’ Wail,” “Just a Gigolo,” and “Sing Sing Sing,” with a contemporary style all their own.

As evening begins, the music turns the blues with guitar prodigy Quinn Sullivan and his band. Sullivan has been mentored by the legendary Buddy Guy and at the age of 16 is considered one of the best of the new generation of blues artists. He exploded onto the national scene at the age of seven and this summer is touring the United States, Canada and Europe. And then at 8, Robert Randolph concludes the full day of music with a two-hour performance.

Major sponsors for this summer’s Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival include Sherman Wells, Bijou Properties, ConnectOne Bank, Hampshire Real Estate, Inglesino Pearleman, JCP&L, KSA Capital Management, NJTV, Normandy Real Estate Partners, NJTV, Gia Maione Prima Foundation, Riker Danzig, the Rockefeller Group and Transmar Commodity Group.

Additional sponsors include Alaimo Group, Atlantic Health, Delaware Raritan, F.J. Rawding, George and Martha’s Restaurant, Greenbaum Rowe Smith Davis, Lindabury McCormick, Morristown Municipal Airport, the Community Theatre at MPAC, O’Donnell McCord, The Office Tavern Grill, PKF O’Connor Davies, PSEG, Stolar Capital, Toll Brothers, Topology NJ, Vertical Realty Capital, Villa Restaurant Group, Morristown Parking Authority, Trustees of the Morristown Green, Hot House Jazz, Morris Arts, NJ Arts, the New Jersey Jazz Society, the Star-Ledger and WBGO.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL

The annual Montclair Jazz Festival is the biggest single one-day event in Montclair! Come on out and invite your neighbors, friends and family to celebrate the incredible, original American cultural tradition—JAZZ!

No tickets required! Bring folding chairs or a picnic blanket and enjoy a full day of live music!

Hosted by: the extraordinary Mistress of Ceremonies S. Epatha Merkerson,  Emmy- and Golden Globe Award-winning actor, AND Gary Walker, legendary WBGO Jazz 88.3FM announcer, With internationally-celebrated jazz icons:

• DEE DEE BRiDGEWATER Quintet
• A CHRISTIAN McBRiDE Situation with DJ Logic + Bernard Purdie
• GEORGE COLEMAN Organ Quartet
• MICHELE ROSEWOMAN + NEW YOR-UBA
• along with The Jazz House Faculty Collective celebrates Prince + David Bowie
• And featuring LOUIS PRIMA, JR with the Jazz House Big Bands
• plus...More than 150 emerging jazz musicians!

Free parking and courtesy shuttle service

FREE parking and courtesy shuttle service has been arranged in the following Montclair locations for your convenience

Parking locations:

• Orange Road Parking Deck - 41 Orange Road/34 Valley Road
• Hillside Square - 8 Hillside Avenue
• Hillside School - 54 Orange Road
• Montclair Art Museum (short walk to Hillside shuttle stop) - 3 S Mountain Avenue

Shuttle stop locations: The Montclair Jazz Festival shuttle will run on a loop approximately every 20 minutes from 11am - 10pm between the parking areas and festival site.

• Hillside School - Hillside Avenue side
• Nishuane Park - Cedar Avenue side

Additional parking options:

• Nishuane School (32 Cedar Street, across the street from Nishuane Park) will have some spaces available to the public.
• Street parking is available around Nishuane Park. Please be respectful of area residents and do not block driveways.
• Street parking is available around the Hillside School shuttle stop. Please be respectful of area residents and do not block driveways.

If you are coming from NYC:

• Take DeCamp Bus 66 from Port Authority to the festival site at Nishuane Park, at the corner of Harrison Ave. and Cedar Ave. in Montclair.

donate now

If you would like to contribute to the Jazz House Kids mission, make your donation today!

SATURDAY: MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL IN NISHUANE PARK!

MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL

WHEN: Saturday, August 15^th 12 noon-9:00 pm EST
WHERE: Nishuane Park, Montclair, NJ (Cedar Aves. and Nishuane Road)
ADMISSION: NO TICKETS REQUIRED

Estimated attendance: 5,000.

LIVESTREAMED ON www.montclairjazzfestival.org and www.jazztimes.com

Nine-hour free family-friendly jazz festival hosted by actor S. Epatha Merkerson with WBGO’S Gary Walker; headliners include

• José James
• Paquito D’Rivera Quintet
• the Christian McBride Big Band with Melissa Walker
• Radam Schwartz + Organized
• Jazz House Faculty Collective.  Features 160+ students from Jazz House Kids. 

Activities include the

• Macy’s Family Jazz Discovery Zone where musicians read from their favorite jazz storybook and jazz art projects
• a beer tent, food and dry good vendors. 

Produced by Jazz House Kids with presenting sponsor The Bravitas Group/Silver Family Foundation.

More info:  www.montclairjazzfestival.org

MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL 2015 SCHEDULE FOR AUG. 15

MORRISTOWN JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL RETURNS SATURDAY, AUGUST 15th

MORRISTOWN JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL
Free Concert Celebrates 100^th Birthdays for Muddy Waters, Les Paul & Frank Sinatra

WHEN: Saturday, August 15, from noon until 10:00 p.m.
WHERE: on the Morristown Green
ADMISSION: Free

The Fifth Annual Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival returns with a celebration of the centennial birthdays of jazz artists Frank Sinatra and Les Paul plus bluesman Muddy Waters. (Above: The legendary Charlie Musselwhite will appear with his band. Photo Courtesy of Richard Lam.)

The free festival begins at noon with three popular jazz ensembles. The hard driving “little big band” Swingadelic opens at noon followed by the legendary guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli and his friends Frank Vignola, Vinny Raniolo and Ed Laub at two. The extraordinary young trumpet player Bria Skonberg then takes the stage with her group at four.

As the afternoon draws to a close, the music turns to the blues with the award-winning Roomful of Blues, a rocking, swinging horn-driven ensemble that has been a crowd pleaser since their start in the sixties. The festival concludes with the legendary blues harmonica player Charlie Musselwhite and his band. The winner of 27 Blues Music Awards, Musselwhite is in the Blues Hall of Fame, has been nominated for ten Grammy Awards and is one of the most popular blues artists in the world.

Major sponsors for this summer’s Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival include Bijou Properties, Inglesino Webster, JCP&L, Normandy Real Estate Partners, PSEG and Sherman Wells.

Additional sponsors include ConnectOne Bank, Delaware Raritan Engineering, Grasshopper, Headquarters Plaza, Investors Bank, O’Donnell McCord PC, Riker Danzig, Alaimo Associates, Atlantic Health, DiFrancesco Bateman, Greenbaum Rowe, Hampshire Properties, Herrick Group, Iron Bar, Lakeside Consulting, Marchetto Higgins Stieve, McEnerny Brady and Company, MPAC, Morristown Municipal Airport, Porzio Bromberg & Newman, Jeff Rawding AIA, Richards and Robbins Group, Sona Thirteen, Toll Brothers, New Jersey Jazz Society, Hot House Jazz Magazine, NJ Arts Daily, NJ.com and The Star-Ledger.

The Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival takes place on the Morristown Green rain or shine and admission is free. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets. For more information, visit www.MorristownJazzandBlues.org.

JAZZ HOUSE KIDS ANNOUNCES LINE-UP FOR 2015 MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL, AUGUST 15

2015 MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL

WHEN: Saturday, August 15th, noon to 9:00 PM
WHERE: Nishuane Park
ADMISSION: Free. No Tickets Required!

New Jersey’s eclectic arts town of Montclair will once again transform into a destination for thousands of elated music fans as the Montclair Jazz Festival produced by Jazz House Kids kicks off nine hours of world-class jazz. 

This year, Jazz House Kids is proud to announce The Bravitas Group and Silver Family Foundation as the Festival’s new title sponsor. And, for the first time, the Montclair Jazz Festival will be streamed live so that music lovers around the globe don’t miss out on this grand event!

Artistic director Christian McBride and Mistress of Ceremonies, actor S. Epatha Merkerson, lead the stage action for the sixth annual Montclair Jazz Festival. (Right: Jose James)

Headliners this year are dynamic vocalist José James, the Paquito D’Rivera Quintet (right), and the Christian McBride Big Band featuring Melissa Walker. The world-class artists perform on the same stage with more than 150 multi-generational performers including festival favorites Radam Schwartz Organized, the Jazz House Faculty Collective directed by Ed Palermo, and Jazz House Kids award-winning student ensembles and vocal groups. The unique array of musicians and exceptional festival experience all come together under Jazz House Kids’ far-reaching mission to bring America’s original musical art form to the community and use jazz as an exciting teaching tool to mentor and apprentice young, emerging artists. 

A sponsor kick-off mixer hosted by The Bravitas Group and Silver Family Foundation is planned for July 29th. 

In early August, the Montclair Jazz Festival will launch its Mid-day Summer Concert Series, curated by festival artistic director Christian McBride and featuring special jazz guests alongside the Jazz House Kids’ acclaimed faculty.  The special guest artists will also conduct master classes for more than 160 students at the Jazz House Summer Workshop, Jazz House Kids’ nationally recognized summer program. Held at Montclair State University’s outdoor amphitheater, the afternoon concerts are open to the public with No Tickets Required.  (Above: Melissa Walker)

The festival weekend officially begins with the North Coast Brew Master Festival Kickoff on August 13th at Montclair’s Pig & Prince Restaurant, a dinner and an intimate sampling of highly-rated ales. These events, as well as a post-Festival jam session party at Egans & Sons West Orange, lay the groundwork for Jazz House Kids and its community partners to establish an annual destination festival in Montclair.

5TH ANNUAL MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL FREE IN NISHUANE PARK THIS SATURDAY

FREE CONCERT CELEBRATES NJ’S 350TH ANNIVERSARY

4th ANNUAL MORRISTOWN JAZZ AND BLUES FESTIVAL WHEN: SATURDAY, AUGUST 16, noon – 10 PM;  RAIN OR SHINE WHERE: Morristown Green, Morristown, NJ ADMISSION: Free The free concert will celebrate the 350th anniversary of the founding of New Jersey with a roster that features artists with Jersey ties handing off the stage to one of Britain’s top blues guitarists. The festival begins at noon with Trio Da Paz, considered by critics to be one of the top Brazilian jazz groups in the world. Under the leadership of Montclair bassist Nelson Matta, the group includes guitarist Romero Lunbambo and percussionist Duduka da Fonseca. The trio not only delights audiences with its performances of well-known Brazilian hits, they explore new musical territory with dazzling improvisation. At two, legendary guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli headlines Guitar Summit with his pals Frank Vignola, Vinny Raniolo and Ed Laub. The quartet was a huge hit at last year’s Festival and returns to bring new life to popular jazz standards. Following Guitar Summit, the extraordinary drummer Winard Harper takes the stage with Jeli Posse. The group’s first CD hit number one on the jazz charts when it was released and they are riding a wave of international popularity. Their infectious rhythms underpinning the melodic improvisations of top young players captivates audiences around the world. (Photo courtesy of Richard Galosy.) At six o’clock, the music turns to the blues with South Jersey harmonica player Mikey Junior and his band. Mikey Junior is building a reputation for continuing the great blues legacy of Sonny Boy Williamson, Big Walter Horton and Paul Butterfield. His exciting band provides the perfect transition from an afternoon of great jazz to an evening of cooking blues. The full day of music concludes with the sensational British blues guitarist Matt Schofield, picked by Guitar and Blues Magazine as one of the “top 10 British Blues Guitarists of All Time.”  An electrifying performer, Schofield is one of the biggest blues guitarists in Europe and is now building his reputation in the United States. (Photo courtesy of Steve Karas)  “The Festival celebrates New Jersey’s 350th birthday with this popular free event that has become a mid-August tradition for us,” said Mayor Dougherty who initiated the festival in 2011. “With great jazz in the afternoon and hot blues in the evening, there is something for everyone’s tastes and it’s a day to look forward to. We are so grateful to our generous sponsors for making this incredible festival possible. ” Major sponsors for this summer’s Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival include JCP&L, The Metropolitan at 40 Park, PSE&G and Riker Danzig. Additional sponsors include Alaimo, Atlantic Health, Delaware-Raritan Engineering, Fairview Insurance, Genova Burns Giantomasi Webster, Greenbaum Rowe, Hyatt Morristown, Inglesino Pearlman, Investors Bank, Lindabury McCormick, Morristown Municipal Airport, Morristown Parking Authority, O’Donnell McCord PC, McEnerey Brady & Company, Jeff Rawding AIA, Union Center National Bank, David Brady Esq., Villa Enterprises, Trustees of the Morristown Green, Star-Ledger, Hot House Jazz, New Jersey 350 and the New Jersey Jazz Society.   Many local restaurants will be offering specials for festival attendees. Bring your lawn chairs and blankets. For more information

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MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES MUSIC LINEUP, FAMILY ACTIVITIES: 8 HOURS OF FREE MUSIC

5TH ANNUAL MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL
WHEN: August 16^th, 12 noon to 8:00 PM

WHERE: Nishuane Park, Montclair (Directions: http://bit.ly/Q4wiry)
To volunteer, become a vendor, or for more information, visit www.montclairjazzfestival.org, and the Montclair Jazz Festival Facebook page, email info@jazzhousekids.org or call 973.744.2273. For information about Jazz House Kids, visit www.jazzhousekids.org.

Produced by Jazz House Kids with support from lead sponsors City National Bank, North Coast Brewing Co. and Arctic Glacier, this year’s festival is hosted by award-winning actor S. Epatha Merkerson. Featured headliners include Jazz House Kids Artistic Chair Christian McBride with special guest John Scofield; Chuchito Valdés; Melissa Walker; Bruce Williams and More to Go; and The Jazz House Faculty Collective. Jazz House Kids large ensembles, including the award-winning Jazz House Big Band, will perform alongside the professional musicians throughout the day.

The Montclair Jazz Festival is a fun-filled day with entertainment for the entire family. Returning to the festival is the Family Jazz Discovery Zone, a collaboration among Jazz House Kids and partners Montclair Public Library and Montclair Art Museum, which will feature healthy snacks, music-related story books read by festival musicians, and a host of other kid-friendly art activities for wee-boppers and their parents. Also returning to the festival is the popular Beer Garden, sponsored by North Coast Brewing Co.

Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor S. Epatha Merkerson, best known for her 17-season run as Lieutenant Anita Van Buren on NBC's "Law and Order," for which she won three NAACP Image Awards, is the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Mistress of Ceremonies.

Also added are the artistic talents of Andres Chaparro, whose interpretive portrait of Christian McBride will be the face and overall texture of this year’s Montclair Jazz Festival. In addition, the festival will be recorded for distribution on PRX (the Public Radio Exchange) to be broadcast on national stations and the European Broadcasting Union.

The Montclair Jazz Festival is the brainchild of jazz vocalist and recording artist Melissa Walker, with creative direction from her husband, Christian McBride. Walker is the president and founder of Jazz House Kids, a Montclair-based nonprofit that has gained a reputation as one of the nation’s preeminent arts education and performance organizations.

"This year, we celebrate five years of bringing vibrant jazz and culture to music lovers from New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and beyond,” says Walker. “We are thrilled that our festival continues to grow, as this year we expect thousands of fans to join us for a day of great music, food and fun.”

Artist-in-Residence Christian McBride is a GRAMMY Award-winning bassist, composer and arranger. He has been one of the most important and omnipresent figures in the jazz world for more than 20 years. He also serves as Artistic Chair for Jazz House Kids.

 

 

This year, McBride welcomes the master improviser John Scofield, whose guitar work has influenced jazz since the late 70’s and still remains powerfully relevant today. Best known for his groundbreaking work with Miles Davis, Scofield is a legendary jazz musician who performs in a wide array of styles, including post-bop, funk edged jazz, and R & B. Scofield will be one of the many artists at the festival reading jazz-related children’s stories at the Family Jazz Discovery Zone.

 

Also starring on this year’s festival lineup is the incomparable, Chuchito Valdés with “Mambo Revolution – Bebo, Cachao And Me." Valdés, who follows in the footsteps of his famed father Chucho Valdés and grandfather Bebo Valdés, continues the great piano tradition that was born in Cuba and now is celebrated worldwide. With influences of Caribbean rhythms and jazz, he creates an exciting and energetic blend of dance music that brings audiences to their feet. Valdés will read children’s stories at the Jazz Discovery Zone in his native tongue, Spanish.

Lovers of standards will be musically delighted as Melissa Walker sings in tribute to legendary jazz vocalists Nina Simone and Abbey Lincoln. Both women were trailblazers who made immense contributions to the jazz art form. Jazz House Kids faculty member Bruce Williams also will lend his melodic talents to the festival. This powerful jazz saxophonist is one of the premier alto and soprano saxophonists today. Also performing is The Jazz House Faculty Collective, musically directed by Julius Tolentino, the group is comprised of nationally and internationally recognized jazz artists who also serve as faculty members for the Jazz House Summer Workshop.

The future of jazz will be showcased as more than 125 students from the Jazz House Summer Workshop perform throughout the day. WBGO Jazz 88.3 FM’s on-air host Gary Walker will serve as the stage host, providing an “inside scoop” on the many talented performers.