Jazzy Nights Kicks Off 2022 Live Music Season

April 22, 2022 Sonia Schnee

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Friday, April 22, 2022

Tapping into the region’s top live music talent, Jazzy Nights hosts live music performances from big-name local artists drawn from all over Northern New Jersey and nearby New York City, Produced by Live Music Ambassador Gregory Burrus of Gregory Burrus Productions.

Jazzy Nights is not just about jazz but all genres of jazzy live music. It's jazz, it's R&B, and it's jazzy. The Jazzy Nights Live mission is focused on keeping the community of summertime live music lovers enjoying live music throughout the Fall, Winter and Spring, whenever possible.

Following is a post about how Jazzy Nights made it to this season. Back in the day, just a few years ago, the South Orange live music season would run June ‘til September and stop. However, so many local folks and attendees from around the various towns wanted more and more. So, we extended the end of the 2019 season by going indoors and kicked off Jazzy Nights Live at The Fox & Falcon restaurant to keep the wonderful vibe going that was established all summer long. Following is a year-by-year recap of previous years up until this year.

2019 November Jazzy Nights at The Fox & Falcon

*2019/11/14 Inaugural Season Kickoff in the Essex Room with DC Fusion Band.*

The 2019 Jazzy Nights Live Music season was led by our buddy and bassman Darryl Clark. We ran monthly live music sessions from November to April with the wonderful DC Fusion instrumental band led by Darryl Clark on Bass, Howard Hall on piano, and Bill Bang (Mauricio de Souza this night) on drums. We augmented each event with special guest singers (Shadiyah and Joy Topping-Mann this night), folks came out strong, and we packed the Essex Room of The Fox & Falcon. We were moving along nicely each month right up ‘til April 2021 and then the COVID Pandemic shut the world down, including our Jazzy Nights.

In tribute to our buddies.

Sadly, this season was also marked by the passing of many musicians including two of our friends from our Live music community. Community champion and jazz lover Lee Boswell May aka Boz passed before the South Orange Summer Season started. After the 2020 Summer season in November, our beloved Jazzy Nights Bandleader and Bassman Darryl Clark passed on. May they both RIP in musical heaven.

Jazzy Nights (Afternoons) 2021 South Orange NJ

*2021 March Season Opener — Outdoor COVID Sessions.*

Enter 2021, and because we were all still under a Pandemic watch from 2020 we started the Summer Season early on a beautiful sunny day in 2021 on March 21st. With a live music community starving for entertainment, we came back out in March of 2021, and due to COVID Pandemic Social Distancing guidelines, the world had moved outside and so did Jazzy Nights as “Jazzy Afternoons.”

Jazzy Nights Presents MPack Band at The Fox & Falcon

Thanks to The Fox & Falcon restaurant owner, Jazzy Nights Live became Jazzy Afternoons Live in the Sloan Street Parking Lot on March 21. We moved from Thursday nights to Sunday Afternoons.

As you can see, lots and lots of people came out with family and friends to enjoy the live music of the MPack Band and the community.

We continued our performances throughout April, which is Jazz Appreciation Month. We planned for live music every weekend. Weather canceled one weekend, but we did produce some very well-attended and swinging live music weekend performances.

You can read all about it: Jazzy Afternoons South Orange Presents "Jazz Across The Generations" to Honor Jazz Appreciation Month 2021

Mike Lee Trio with Billy Drummond and Mike Kane in Jazz Appreciation Month 2021.

Radam Schwartz Trio with Gene Ghee Sax in Jazz Appreciation Month 2021.

The season continued throughout the Summer, we extended it and worked to extend the live music through October.

October Live Music Fest 2021

Also in 2021, after the Summer Live Music Season we produced the October Live Music Fest.

Take a listen to this event. Performances were 2 times a day every Saturday and Sunday throughout the month.

You can read all about it here: South Orange, NJ October Live Music Fest Takes Over the Sounds In Spiotta Park and Jazz On Sloan Street.

We created live music sessions all year from March thru October, so 2021 was a good year.

Jazzy Nights 2022 at South Valley BBQ & Lounge

Enter 2022, and this year we are back and in a new location and already have produced two extremely successful Jazzy Nights events.

*2022 Feb. 18 Jazz Season Opener in the Blue Room.*

South Valley BBQ and Lounge Presents John Lee and Friends

We are starting off the 2022 Jazzy Nights Live Music Scene in a really nice new location, and we started earlier this year with our first event on Feb. 18th in the new South Valley Lounge. In their newly remodeled Blue Room, we kicked off the season with world-renowned bassist John Lee and his awesome friends.

Read all about it: John Lee and Friends Keeping Jazz Alive Since Dizzy Gillespie and More at South Valley BBQ and Lounge

*2022 Apr 9th R&B Season Opener in the Blue Room.*

Jazzy Nights Presents MPack Music Live at South Valley BBQ and Lounge

We started off the Jazzy Nights R&B Live Music Scene in the new South Valley Lounge on April 9th in the newly remodeled Blue Room. We kicked off the season with the extremely popular R&B Band MPack.

Our first Jazzy Nights R&B performance was literally off the chain!!! Folks came to dine and dance and had fun all night long.

Jazzy Nights — Next Steps

For 2021, all of these veteran professionals came to perform and they delivered big time. So, a great start over 3 years through a pandemic, and we are continuing on throughout 2022.

At Gregory Burrus Productions, we always have something going on to get you, your family and your friends involved, so take a look at our events calendar and come join in the live music party.

Check Out Our Upcoming Events Calendar! We'll See You Soon.

https://gregoryburrusproductions.com/events/

About the Writer Gregory Burrus

Gregory Burrus is a local live music ambassador, event planner, live music ambassador and community partner that curates, manages and promotes live music events in the local Northern NJ and New York Area.

Gregory Burrus sits on a number of local boards and committees and is currently serving as a Board Member of Maplewood Community Music and is a Board Member of Harlem World Magazine Advisory Board.

Year-round Gregory Burrus also curates, books and produces: the Jazz973 live music jazz series at Clements Place Jazz for the Rutgers University Institute of Jazz Studies, the Jazzy Nights Live Music performances, and Cranford NJ Summer Sounds.

In addition to producing events, Gregory Burrus Productions also showcases, photographs, videotapes events annually such as the annual NYC John Jay College Friends of Myrna Bain Scholarship Fundraiser, the Orange NJ Farmers Market, numerous local bands at various local venues. Gregory Burrus has a passion for making live music happen anywhere and everywhere he can whether locally around town or around the world while living life every day to the fullest. Learn more at: Gregory Burrus - Gregory Burrus Live Music Ambassador

Jazz973 Hosts Mike Lee Family Band and Friends introducing Violinist Jacquie Lee (Wed., Oct. 20, 7PM)

October 19, 2021 Sonia Schnee

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Tuesday, October 19, 2021

One of the things I love about live music is the ability to create, and the creation takes place over years and truly over generations. Jazz across the generations is a process that I love to read about in a historical sense. It was the 1920's that saw the emergence of many famous women musicians including African-American blues singer Bessie Smith (1894–1937), who inspired singers from later eras, Billie Holiday (1915–1959) and Janis Joplin (1943–1970).

In our last Jazz973 event, we explored generations of Jazz as we went from a 19-year-old woman pianist leading a band that was anchored by a 94-year-old male bassist. Truly a night of Jazz Across the Generations, and what a swinging night of Jazz it was, which will be recapped in an upcoming article.

Next up at Jazz973 at Clements Place Jazz for the Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies we present Generations Of Jazz in the making. It is a true family affair with help from a few friends when Jazz973 Presents “Mike Lee Family Band Introducing Violinist Jacquie Lee.” The result will be future musicians creating beautiful jazz music for many more generations. As history in the making, here' s a background of these wonderful stellar musicians making their mark on the jazz scene.

Jacquie Lee, Violin

Jazz973 at Clements Place Presents Mike Lee Family Band Introducing Jacquie Lee at Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies.

Jacquie Lee is being introduced to the jazz scene in a big way. The Jazz973 program at Clement’s Place is proud to present the Mike Lee Family Band as they introduce Jacquie Lee at the Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies. In 2019 at Garfield Middle school Jacquie, who has been playing Violin for 11 years, received Jazz Soloist Downbeat Student Music Award for an Outstanding Performance. Jacquie has also been a member of Jazz House Kids and is a member of a family of musicians which has truly helped her honed her musicianship. The following stellar list of musicians will perform in this wonderful event featuring Jacquie Lee on Violin.

Julian Lee, Sax

Julian Lee is quickly establishing himself as one of the most sought after and versatile saxophonists of his generation. He is the recipient of the 2017 Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award from Jazz At Lincoln Center, and has performed both internationally and nationally with a wide array of critically acclaimed artists, including Wynton Marsalis, Christian McBride, The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, and Jon Batiste.

Julian hosted the late night jam session at Dizzy’s Club in Jazz at Lincoln Center from 2015 until 2019, playing with countless of the finest musicians on the New York scene. In addition to headlining his own projects at Dizzy’s, he has played at the Blue Note, Jazz Standard, Birdland, Newport Jazz Festival, and Monterey Jazz Festival.

Julian handles the Alto, Tenor, and Soprano saxophones with equal prowess, along with doubling on clarinet and flute. This unique skill set, along with his sight-reading abilities, has allowed him to play in the world’s finest big bands. Along with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Julian has performed with the Christian McBride Big Band, Mingus Big Band, and the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band. Julian is a member of Mwenso and The Shakes, a multinational collective led by singer, dancer, composer and entertainer, Michael Mwenso.

Julian completed his undergraduate studies at the Juilliard School, where he had the honor of studying with a master saxophonist.

Matthew Lee, Drums

In 2015, Matthew Lee was a member of one of the premier young bands in the nation, the award-winning Jazz House Big Band directed by Julius Tolentino. The Big Band is composed of top high school jazz musicians from across New Jersey who are selected through competitive auditions. The pinnacle of Jazz House Kids ensemble programs, the Big Band participates in a number of high-profile performances, festivals, competitions and recording sessions throughout the year and most recently backed up the Christian McBride Trio and percussionist Sheila E.

In addition to performing at this event at the widely renown Blue Note Jazz Club, Matt at his young high school age has performed in the Giants of Jazz after party in the South Orange Performing Arts Center and during his budding career played alongside seasoned professional musicians such as Roy Hatgrove, Freddie Hendrix, John Lee and many more.

Rebecca Harris-Lee, Violin

Rebecca Harris-Lee has been a mainstay in the New York musical scene for several years. She has performed with orchestras and chamber ensembles across the region, ranging from the NJ Festival Orchestra, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, and the Brooklyn Philharmonic, to appearances on Broadway.

Ms. Harris-Lee began her studies with Linda Cerone at the Cleveland Institute of Music as a recipient of the Margaret Randall scholarship. She received degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory and the Cleveland Institute, studying under Stephen Clapp and Donald Weilerstein.

An active chamber musician throughout her career, Ms. Harris-Lee has appeared with members of the Cavani Quartet, Eunice Podis, as well as numerous performances with her father, cellist Alan Harris. She was principal second violin of the Ohio Chamber Orchestra and an active freelance performer in Cleveland prior to moving to the New York area.

In addition to her performance career, she maintains an active teaching studio in Montclair. Also an avid runner, Rebecca has participated in several marathons, including New York and Boston. She has three wonderful children with her husband, saxophonist Mike Lee.

Mike Lee, Sax

Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, saxophonist Mike Lee has established himself in the New York City/Northern New Jersey area for many years. He balances a thriving performing career with a distinguished teaching resume. He performs regularly in New York City as a member of a wide array of jazz ensembles. His recent associations include The Jimmy Heath Orchestra, The Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra, Wallace Roney’s Universe Orchestra, The Oliver Lake Big Band, The Loston Harris Trio, The Nat Adderley Jr. Quartet, Josh Evans Big Band, Dave Stryker, Frank Lacy, TS Monk, and The Roy Hargrove Big Band. He performs regularly at venues such as The Bluenote, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Smalls, The Jazz Gallery, Fat Cat, and Bemelman’s Bar at the Carlyle Hotel.

Recent tours have taken him up and down the East Coast, to Italy, France, California and Beijing, China. Mike Lee is Professor of Jazz Saxophone at The John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University. In 2009, Lee helped found and develop Jazz House Kid’s in-house jazz education program. As the instructor of the first class (2009) at the Jazz House and Director of the JHK Summer Workshop (2010-2012) he oversaw the growth of the program from one class to a thriving jazz school. Mike’s private students have also excelled winning national awards from the Grammy Band, Next Generation Jazz Orchestra, Downbeat Magazine, and Young Arts. He has had several students go on to attend The Juilliard School, Berklee College of Music, Manhattan School of Music, William Paterson, Rutgers, Miami University, and Northwestern University. Lee has presented clinics and workshops throughout the country. Mr. Lee is endorsed by Conn-Selmer saxophones and Vandoren mouthpieces/reeds.

Lee’s musical accomplishments are shared and enjoyed by his musical family. Along with his wife, Violinist Rebecca Harris-Lee, they are raising three active young musicians. Their oldest son, saxophonist Julian, a graduate of The Juilliard School, has a thriving career in and around New York City having performed with ensembles including the Mingus Big Band, Wynton Marsalis Quintet, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

Liany Mateo, Bass

Liany Mateo, a 19-year-old jazz bassist from Jersey City, NJ, has already studied and performed with some of the country’s top names in jazz. While in high school, she studied under renowned bassist Ben Wolfe. Through her involvement with the New Jersey Performing Arts “Jazz for Teens” program, she has been able to work with vocalist Jazzmeia Horn, saxophonists Mark Gross and Wayne Escoffery, and drummer Alvester Garnett. Liany has received numerous honors as an aspiring jazz musician.

In 2016, she had the honor of performing with an all-star band that included drummer Jerome Jennings and pianist Benito Gonzalez in Newark, NJ, Sarah Vaughan’s hometown, during the U.S. Postal Service’s ceremony unveiling of the Sarah Vaughan Commemorative Stamp. Notably, in 2015, she received the New Jersey Governor’s Award in Arts Education and was awarded the First Place title in Hudson County, New Jersey’s Solo Strings Competition. Liany Mateo studied with the legendary bassist, Rodney Whitaker at Michigan State University where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies.

Nat Adderley Jr., Keys

Music arranger and pianist Nat Adderley, Jr. was born on May 23, 1955 to Nat Adderley, Sr. and Ann James in Quincy, Florida. Adderley attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in Manhattan, New York. In high school, he performed and wrote music for his father’s group, the Cannonball Adderley Quintet. Adderley also worked as a keyboardist for R&B singer Valerie Simpson. Adderley earned his B.A. degree in African American studies from Yale University in 1977.

In 1981, Adderley became the music director for Luther Vandross. Adderley arranged the music for Vandross’ 1981 album, Never Too Much on the songs “Never Too Much” and “Sugar and Spice (I Found Me a Girl).” He then co-wrote the song “Better Love” for Vandross’ 1982 album, Forever, for Always, for Love. In 1984, Adderley arranged “Superstar,” as well as “If Only for One Night” and “Creepin’” for Vandross’ album, The Night I Fell In Love. He co-wrote Vandross’ first top twenty hit, “Stop to Love” and arranged the songs “So Amazing” and “Give Me The Reason” from the album, Give Me The Reason. In 1988, Adderley arranged the songs “I Wonder” and “Love Won’t Let Me Wait” for Vandross’ album, Any Love. The album was nominated for a 1989 Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. Adderley also played keyboard for Vandross’ 1991 Grammy award winning album, Power of Love. He produced Vandross’ albums Your Secret Love, Luther Vandross, and the Grammy award winning album, Dance with My Father. Adderley arranged Vandross’ 2003 Grammy award-winning duet with Beyonce Knowles, “The Closer I Get to You,” which won for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. He then produced the live album, Luther’s Live 2003 at Radio City Music Hall.

In addition to his work with Vandross, Adderley has worked with several other musicians. He arranged the songs for Aretha Franklin’s 1983 album, Jump To It, the string section for Doc Powell’s Grammy nominated song “What’s Going On” and Natalie Cole’s song “When I Fall in Love.” Recordings of Adderley playing piano were used by playwright August Wilson for his play The Piano Lesson in 1990. Adderley later formed the Nat Adderley, Jr. Trio.

Wed. October 20, 2021 Please join us in this unique event as another generation of jazz musicians are coming out and making a serious impact on the jazz scene.

Tickets for Set 1, 7-8PM: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jazz973-presents-mike-lee-family-band-introducing-jacquie-lee-set-1-tickets-192955935397

Tickets for Set 2, 8:20-9:20PM: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jazz973-presents-mike-lee-family-band-introducing-jacquie-lee-set-2-tickets-192957750827

This event will be live and also live streamed for Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies and Gregory Burrus Productions.

Jazzy Afternoons South Orange Presents "Jazz Across The Generations" to Honor Jazz Appreciation Month 2021

April 3, 2021 Sonia Schnee

00 1 Jazzy Afternoons GregoryBurrusProductions (2).jpg

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Saturday, April 3, 2021

Jazz music is considered to be a cultural icon in American history. As Jazz was invented more than 100 years ago, before the turn of the 20th century. The first jazz recording was made in 1917, but the musical form had existed for years before. The 1920s are commonly known as the Jazz Age, which encompassed more than just a love of the music. The up and coming jazz musicians of the time included Bix Beiderbecke, Jelly Roll Morton, and Duke Ellington and a fella born into that 1920’s era William Orval Crow who will be performing for us.

99 Jazz Appreciation Month Flyer the Fox and Falcon by Gregory Burrus Productions.jpg

As Jazz Appreciation Month aims to encourage people to learn about the long, intricate history of this music genre, we have an exciting Jazzy Afternoons’ jazz lineup planned for you outdoors live at The Fox & Falcon Restaurant in South Orange, NJ. We will honor Jazz history with some fabulous swinging hardcore Jazz performances and a few musicians from back in the day. Events will include many of your jazz regulars, young rising stars and a few jazz cats with a long history of performing and moving the legacy of jazz forward.

Jazzy Afternoons at The Fox & Falcon Restaurant

MPACK Band jamming on a Jazzy Afternoon Sunday — *MPACK Band* *jamming on a Jazzy Afternoon Sunday*

Well due to the pandemic, it looks like Jazzy Nights which joined the South Orange Jazz scene last year, right before the pandemic hit us, has now turned into Jazzy Afternoons for the time being at The Fox & Falcon. Like last month we plan to be outdoors every Sunday April 4, 11, 18 and 25, weather permitting. Socially distanced outdoors under the sun and hopefully not need the heaters between 3 PM and 5 PM.

For this April’s 2021 Jazz Appreciation Month we will feature the following performances.

Read on to learn a little more about the folks that will lead us through Jazz Appreciation Month 2021.

Mike Lee Trio

99 Jazz Appreciation Month Flyer the Mike Lee Fox and Falcon by Gregory Burrus.jpg

April 4, 2021 - Mike Lee Mike kicks off our Jazzy Afternoons’ Jazz Appreciation Month with a ferocious roaring start with some very hardcore seasoned jazz professionals.

Mike Lee locally has run some very successful and widely popular Jazz jams. - from Cecils to the Montclair Social Club and a few popular places in between. As a performing musician his recent associations include The Jimmy Heath Orchestra, The Dizzy Gillespie Orchestra, Wallace Roney’s Universe Orchestra, The Oliver Lake Big Band, The Loston Harris Trio, The Nat Adderley Jr. Quartet, etc, He performs regularly at venues such as The Bluenote, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Smalls, The Jazz Gallery, Fat Cat, and Bemelmans Bar at NYC Carlyle Hotel.

Joining Mike will be the thrilling and powerful drummer Billy Drumnond widely acknowledged as one of today’s most versatile drummers. Mentored in the bands of jazz legends Horace Silver, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, J J Johnson and Sonny Rollins, Drummond has gone on to record over 350 albums as a sideman with a veritable who’s who of jazz greats such as Horace Silver, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, Buster Williams, Sonny Rollins, Nat Adderley, Eddie Henderson, James Moody, and Ron Carter t name a few of the many.

And Mike Karn who was a part of the vibrant New York jazz scene that developed in the’ 80s and from NYU he went right to the road with Ray Charles. However as Jazz Times reported Mike Karn is a former tenor saxophonist that made the transition to [being an extremely successful] first-call bassist and is always in demand. Mike has performed with Julius Tolentino, Harry Connick, Jr., Jerry Weldon and one of my favorites Charles Earland amongst many others.

All of these musicians have performed throughout the world with some of the jazz world’s biggest names and at the largest jazz venues and festivals.

Alex Desriveres and Friends

April 11, 2021 - An emerging Summer Saturdays South Orange favorite Alexandre Desrivieres aka AlleyCatSax is an up and coming saxophonist, composer, and woodwind doubler. He has worked as a performer on Norwegian Cruise Lines, at Dutch Wonderland amusement park, and in 2015 and 2016 was featured as a “Rising Star” at the COTA Jazz Festival.

For Jazz Appreciation Month, Alex brings to The Fox & Falcon Jazzy Afternoons the next generation of jazz with his North Jersey Jazz Ensemble. Josh November on Bass, Jerry Ulichny on Guitar and Ken O’Rourke on Drums and they will help us all swing into spring.

Pianist Leonieke Scheuble

99 Jazz Appreciation Month Flyer theLeonieke Scheuble Fox and Falcon by Gregory Burrus.jpg

April 18, 2021 - We will highlight Jazz Across the Generations with professionals that have performed from the 1950s till today.

Leading this session will be one of our very popular favorites, the young 18 year old rising Jazz Pianist Leonieke Scheuble (b. 2000s). In the summer of 2012, Jazz great Dr. Lonnie Smith gave a 10 yr. old Leonieke a Hammond organ after hearing her play on youtube. A year later, Rudy Van Gelder recorded her with Jimmy Cobb, Miles Davis’ star drumm. In 2015 HotHouse magazine awarded Leonieke "Best Up and Coming Young Artist". She will lead her seasoned trio of veteran professionals into The Fox & Falcon Jazzy Afternoons.

This special session with bassist Bill Crow (b.1920s) who has rubbed elbows with such luminaries as Gerry Mulligan, Marian McPartland, Stan Getz, and Duke Ellington. Bill has authored the book From Birdland to Broadway which is an enthralling insider's account of four decades of a life in jazz.

Rounding out the trio is the very versatile and progressive, Jazz drummer and Latin percussionist Nick Scheuble (b.1960s). Having played in many noted venues throughout America and Europe, Nick has performed and/or recorded with, among others, Wynton Marsalis, Ray Barretto, Dave Valentin, Chico Mendoza, Peter Bernstein, Bill Crow, Vince Giordano, Mike LeDonne, Wycliffe Gordon, Don Braden and Eric Alexander to name a few. In earlier years Nick performed extensively in Europe and alternated residence between the Netherlands.

Radam Schwart and Friends

April 25, 2021 - We close out Jazz Appreciation Month Jazzy Afternoons at The Fox & Falcon with a few more very seasoned professionals.

The prolific Radam Schwartz, who is a Hammond B3 Organist and Jazz pianist that has built his career playing with such great musicians as Arthur and Red Prysock, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Al Hibler, David Fathead Newman, Russell Malone and Cecil Brooks III. He has been featured on over 40 albums as a sideman and has recorded 9 albums as a leader. Radam’s is also known for hosting a long standing Jam Session from 1986 to 20016 at the famous Peppermint Lounge in Orange, New Jersey and then in Crossroads in Garwood, where he played every Tuesday for 19 years, making this the longest running session in New Jersey history.

Gene Ghee is a highly in-demand saxophonist and has performed with numerous professionals such as Art Blakey Jr., Brother Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Teddy Pendergrass, Anita Baker, B.T.Express, Arthur Prysock, Little Anthony and The Imperials. Add to that Etta Jones, Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, Benny Powell, Eddie Palmieri, Machito, and Barry Harris plus the list goes on. He's a performer on recordings of Stevie Wonder (Do I Do), played tenor saxophone and contracted the horn section for the session which included Frank Wess, Virgil Jones, Ron Tooley, Britt Woodman, Clifton Anderson, Victor Paz and others. Recordings / performances with the likes of Evelyn “Champagne” King, The Village People, Candi Staton. T.S.Monk plus many more national and international performers.

About The Fox & Falcon

*The Fox & Falcon, 19 Valley Street, South Orange, NJ (973) 419-6773*

Jazzy Afternoons at The Fox & Falcon is located in the heart of downtown South Orange, it is a culinary destination for the emerging food scene of Essex County, in which renowned restaurateur David Massoni has found a home. Embodying the diversity and uniqueness of SOMA (South Orange/Maplewood), The Fox & Falcon delivers to all guests a warm and inviting environment in which to gather.

With more than twenty years of restaurant experience the restaurant is led by a very passionate customer focused owner David W Massoni with a staff that’s clearly focused on ensuring your health and service are optimal experiences. They are following all CDC guidelines so their policy is that “all guests must wear masks while inside while not eating or drinking. The maximum number of guests at one table if available) is eight (8). All guests must practice social distancing by standing 6 feet apart. If you have a fever or symptoms of COVID 19, please stay home.”

The Fox & Falcon is ready, so join us outdoors under the tented space in a socially distanced full service outdoor dining area where the Jazz will be jumpin. Come listen, grab a drink, some food and have some fun.

About Gregory Burrus

Gregory Burrus with Restaurateur David Massoni, The Fox & Falcon

Gregory Burrus curates and manages the South Orange Village Center Alliance's Downtown After Sundown Live Music Concerts. This SOMA resident arrived in South Orange, 23-year ago and just loves South Orange, NJ. Gregory enjoys all music genres but his first love of jazz began as a boy when his mother and father played jazz on the good old record player at home and took him to clubs all over Manhattan. Greg is putting his expertise and knowledge gained from his former business environment to work producing music, art and community events across South Orange, Maplewood, Newark and other towns around the JerseyNYC area.