Please join us on July 23rd, 3-8 PM, at the Jazz Fest at the Promenade — The Raymond Wood Bauer Promenade at 400 North Wood Ave in Linden, NJ. Come out and enjoy some great jazz music from local artists. Take a look at what's happening and hopefully you can join us…
Read moreA Fabulous 5th Annual 24 Hours of Music Jamboree, Sept 25 and 26, 2021 (RECAP)
By Gregory Burrus | Posted Wednesday, December 15, 2021
The South Orange 24 Hours of Music Jamboree started in 2017 as a local live music event, where the musicians performed on multiple local stages, year after year for 3 years in our neighborhood parks, stores, and gazebos. However, in our new pandemic world in 2020, we all had to adjust in many unexpected ways. The COVID-19 pandemic drove many industries to instantly shut down. Borders, race politics, it did not matter.
We were faced with a new world and understanding that to resolve this problem we needed to know that “we were and still are all in this together“. Hence, the 24 Hours of Music Jamboree had no choice but to adapt and evolve with the times. In 2020, we adapted the event to be totally online. And we had a great time.
The great thing we learned is that live music is universal and musicians can play with each other from all over the world. We evolved this year's performance program to meet the lingering needs of a global pandemic, ongoing social distancing, and sporadic worldwide travel restrictions.
Making It All Happen
Additional adjustments were needed this season as we had scheduled a full-day tribute to one of our fallen musicians, bass player Darryl Clark. We kicked off the Darryl Clark Tribute in July, but we ran into some extremely uncooperative weather. Hence, we had to reschedule this event before the end of the Summer Saturdays season. Addressing the above issues of travel restriction, rescheduling, budget restrictions, lingering social distance issues, etc., we turned this year's 24 Hours of Music Jamboree into a hybrid affair of online and offline performances. While not continuous due to pandemic restrictions, we used a single venue flow for all performances, therefore turning the 24 Hours of Music Jamboree into 36 hours of music over the weekend.
Set 1: Saturday, 10 AM - 10 PM
Planning was done in time to enjoy 3 sets of live music performances. The weekend was divided up between 12 hours live on Saturday, 12 hours overnight, and an 11-hour in-person Tribute on Sunday. Now, let's take a walk through a wonderful day of live music, jazz, R&B, and a DJ Dance party.
Baker Street Duo with Alex Desrivieres and Senia Raines
The Baker Street Trio, featuring Ben Collins-Siegel on keys, Ben Schwartz on drums, Alex Desrivieres on Sax, and Sen Raines on Bass kicked off the 5th Annual 24 Hours of Music Jamboree. The music at 10 AM was wonderful and a great way to start the day. You can read more about these youngsters here:
Matt Chertkoff Trio featuring Houston Person, Vince Ector, and Matthew Parish
This was an off-the-chain performance at the 5th Annual 24 Hours of Music Jamboree. Thank you to the phenomenal Matt Chertkoff Trio performance with Houston Person on Sax, Vince Ector on Drums, and Matthew Parrish on Bass. The noon to 2 PM performance was a jazz performance that will be remembered for a long time. Read more about Matt Chertkoff Trio feat. Legendary Saxophonist Houston Person.
Leonieke Scheuble Quartet
Thank you to the fabulous Leonieke Scheuble Quartet for joining us in the 5th Annual 24 Hours of Music Jamboree. The music performed by Nick Scheuble on Drums, Chuggy Carter on Percussion, and Leonieke Scheuble on Keys, with the legendary bassman Bill Crow, was swinging and just beautiful to listen to and the audience loved it all.
Kumiko Tanaka
As you can see, the Kumiko Tanaka Trio’s performance was absolutely wonderful. Loving this performance and knowing that folks in Japan faced a lot of the same pandemic challenges we do in performing live music, I requested some background. I asked Kumiko about how they prepared, how they felt about their performance, and how it was received by their audience in Japan.
Read More: Japan’s Kumiko Tanaka Trio Live in NJ - 5th Annual 24 Hours of Music Jamboree (RECAP).
MPack Music
Thank you to MPack Band for kicking off the dancing Sounds In Spiotta Park for the 5th Annual 24 Hours of Music Jamboree. The band consisted of Kev Moore (Natz) on Drums, Larry Greenberg on Keys, Kenny Robinson on Guitar, with Patricia Walton on Vocals, led by Clarence Conover on Guitar and Vocals. We switched over to R&B, and folks started moving to the beat with their feet as all entered into jamming and dancing part of the weekend. The audience loved it.
MPack is the musical brainchild of bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, drummer, and vocalist Clarence 'Groove Master' Conover. He’s the founder, leader, and vocalist of the Clarence Conover Project, the MPack Band, and the Founder and CEO of M-Pack Music Productions, whose motto is “Life Changing Sounds.” He released his first CD, My Time, in 2014.
New Jersey DJ Services LLC w DJ Jimmy
Thank you to New Jersey DJ Services LLC and their killer sound system for rocking Spiotta Park in the 5th Annual 24 Hours of Music Jamboree. The music played by DJ James Buttros was swinging and got folks up on their feet dancing the rest of the night. It was a perfect way to end 13 hours of live music in South Orange Downtown Summer Saturdays.
Watch: https://www.facebook.com/gregory.burrus/videos/410486934031777/
“New Jersey DJ service is a DJ, entertainment, and party rental services. Party Rental includes bouncy houses, game trailers, etc.. We've been in business for over 25 years and our rates are best in the business.” https://www.facebook.com/newjerseydjservices
Set 2: Saturday, 11 PM to Sunday, 12 PM
Set 2 was reflective of last year, 2020, which was all online. Pre-recorded performances were played throughout the night.
Set 3: Sunday, 10 AM - 10 PM — Darryl Clark Tribute
As mentioned above, thanks to the Town of South Orange and South Orange Downtown, we were able to use the final weekend of the Summer Saturdays Live Music Season. The third part of this hybrid weekend was an in-person 3rd set of all-day music on Sunday 9/26. Here's a short snippet:
You can review and listen to the full Sunday tribute here:
Darryl Clark Tribute in the 5th Annual 24 Hours of Music Jamboree
It’s been a lot of fun every year since the beginning. Hopefully, we see you next year. For now, enjoy some of the good times above and below that went from in-person to totally online, and now back to hybrid events.
Enjoy Past 24 Hours of Music Jamboree Experiences:
Hopefully, you enjoyed this video walk-through. Talk soon.
About the Author
Gregory Burrus books bands and produces, promotes, captures, and records live music events along with various community and private activities.
My mission is to help my customers, which are community groups, live music bands, and local nonprofits, reach their goals and accomplish their missions while enjoying the day-to-day process of life.
Learn more at https://24hoursofmusicjamboree.com and https://gregoryburrusproductions.com
Exciting Rising Pianist Leonieke Scheuble Leads Her "Jazz Across The Generations Trio" for Jazz Appreciation Month 2021
By Gregory Burrus | Posted Saturday, April 17, 2021
Jazz Appreciation Month 2021
April is Jazz Appreciation Month and for 2021 it's about Women’s Impact and Contributions in Jazz. Along with that, the industry has decided to feature on this year’s official 2021 poster pianist, singer, songwriter, storyteller and civil rights activist Nina Simone, who was born in 1933. Nina Simone became enamored with music at the early age of three when she learned to play the piano by ear. Throughout the years Simone received the Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 2000 and was inducted posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. Nina has had a very interesting career and to learn more about Nina Simone, visit ninasimone.com.
The Fox and Falcon Restaurant
As previously mentioned we are honoring Jazz Appreciation Month here in South Orange with a series of events at the Fox and Falcon restaurant. According to NJ Monthly, "The Fox & Falcon is Part Trattoria, Bistro and Pub and Totally Awesome. The South Orange restaurant and bar is worth the trip for its seasonally inspired menu and signature cocktails."
It also has some great live music events and now for jazz lovers, these Jazz Appreciation Month events are being sponsored by Gregory Burrus Productions in recognition of the significant contribution that jazz music has made to our area and also pay tribute to jazz for its historic and cultural significance.
Jazzy Afternoons Interviews
In getting ready for this event, we conducted an interview with moderator and vocalist Lynette Sheard, band leader Leonieke Scheuble and drummer Nick Scheuble. They spoke on many subjects as the Leonieke Scheuble Jazz trio has members that were born across the generations from the 1920s through to the 2000s. Take a listen and you will hear and see how they have performed, in all the decades since the 50's till today. This also means all those jazz influences are ingrained within their performances whenever they perform. Let's learn a little more about the band.
Pianist Leonieke Scheuble
Nina Simone learned to play music by ear, which is not normally accepted, and Nina did not let that hold her back. Our Jazz Across the Generations bandleader is Leonieke Scheuble who did not formally learn to play music. As her dad recounted, Leonieke (phonetically pronounced "lay-o-nee-ka") Scheuble started to play piano after being inspired by "Ray," a movie based on the life of Ray Charles. Without any prior musical training, she began to spend great lengths of time at the piano creating pieces that were rhythmically interesting and compositionally balanced. She was 5 or 6.
As she said within her "No Boundaries” TEDx Talk when she was 13 and Bill Crow was 88, Jazz is her classroom and the learning as you go process is what makes Jazz so special and you learn in the moment. Take a listen. It’s very enlightening, informative and has a wonderful piano performance. The bottom line is Leonieke encourages children and adults alike to think, dream, and achieve without boundaries.
Leonieke was honored to be selected by Carnegie Hall/Weill Music Institute as as alternate musician for their 2018 NYO JAZZ season. She can been seen performing regularly as a featured artist or leading her trio at many of New York and New Jersey's finest Jazz venues.
Drummer, Percussionist Nick Scheuble
In the middle of the Generations of Jazz band is the proud dad and musician, drummer Nick Scheuble. Nick Scheuble (b. 1960s) is a very versatile, progressive, in demand Jazz drummer and Latin percussionist. Like me, Nick was born in the Bronx and his career has enabled him to perform in many noted venues throughout America, and in his earlier years Nick performed extensively in Europe and alternated residence between the US and the Netherlands. And of course, as mentioned in the interview above, we were honored to have him as a performer a number of times in our South Orange Downtown After Sundown live music concert series, as pictured above.
In addition to running his own very successful bands for a number of years and, as bandleader, his bands have earned considerable praise from several noted Jazz critics. Nick has performed and/or recorded with jazz luminaries such as 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.
Legendary Bassist Bill Crow
Bill Crow (b. 1920s) is a funny, affable and storytelling type guy. We are lucky because he distributes history across the generations in a way that makes it real and seeable. In doing research for this article, I came across this Jazz Loft Project's oral history produced by The Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University on legendary bassist Bill Crow. Take a listen.
Crow was the long-term bassist in saxophonist Gerry Mulligan's bands in the 1950s and 1960s. He was in one of the house bands at the Playboy Club in New York and also worked in theater orchestras for Broadway shows where he sometimes played tuba. His career has taken him all over the world, and he has has rubbed elbows with such luminaries as Gerry Mulligan, Marian McPartland, Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Clark Terry, Dave Brubeck, JJ Johnson, Benny Goodman, Milt Jackson, Duke Ellington and many more. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Crow)
Bill has captured his wonderful life, as he has authored two books that he believes you will like called Jazz Anecdotes: Second Time Around (published by Oxford University Press in 1990 and in paperback in 1991) and a second book called From Birdland to Broadway: Scenes from a Jazz Life (published by Oxford University Press in 1992 and in paperback in 1993).
I will be booking Leonieke Scheuble Bands throughout the upcoming outdoor season as we all try to find a new normal in this COVID Pandemic-driven world. There is no doubt that these guys love to play, as throughout the pandemic they held sessions in their backyard where musicians came to play, and as Nick Scheuble said, it turned in to a "hang." Leonieke is just entering Manhattan School of Music, and she has one awesome career in front of her.
You can find more about the Trio at:
http://www.billcrowbass.com/
https://www.nickscheuble.com/
http://www.leoniekescheuble.com/
About the Author
I have been watching, booking and promoting Leonieke Scheuble bands for a number of years. Above was another fabulous concert at Rutgers University Clements Place Jazz location, and it was once again one awesome swinging event. The audience absolutely lived it and some have been following her events all over Essex County after that performance.
Gregory Burrus curates and manages the South Orange Village Center Alliance's Summer Saturdays Live Music Concerts. This SOMA resident arrived in South Orange 23 years 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. Gregory 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.
Jazzy Afternoons South Orange Presents "Jazz Across The Generations" to Honor Jazz Appreciation Month 2021
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.
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
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.
Apr 4th Saxophonist Mike Lee with Billy Drummond on Drums and Mike Karn on bass
Apr 18 Leonieke Scheuble leads a jazz generation s event with Nick Scheuble on drums and Bill Crow on bass.
Read on to learn a little more about the folks that will lead us through Jazz Appreciation Month 2021.
Mike Lee Trio
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
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.
David Massoni, Owner, The Fox & Falcon
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.
South Orange Downtown After Sundown Announces 2019 Live Music Concert Lineup
By Gregory Burrus | Posted Tuesday, May 14, 2019
To curate a fabulous season of music, Gregory Burrus holds an Open Call in March every year using the Downtown After Sundown page on Facebook. Gregory then roams the internet and social media to gauge the popularity of these potential bands in SOMA and the surrounding towns. He then negotiates with these top notched, very talented musicians to come on out and entertain us.
For this upcoming 2019 Downtown After Sundown Live Concert season, Gregory is very happy to bring about a few prestigious sponsorships with the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), the Rutgers University Institute of Jazz Studies and the longstanding New Jersey Jazz Society. These sponsorships will expose our audiences to some brand new highly prestigious talent.
2019 First Look Downtown After Sundown Live Concert Schedule
A few highlights this year:
May 24th. Opening Weekend - Bassist Destiny Diggs-Pinto Trio
A recent West Orange High School graduate is one of the 2019 YoungArts Competition winners, selected from a field of over 7,000 high school musicians nationally. Destiny Diggs-Pinto has performed at the Montclair Jazz Festival for 5 years, the 2018 New Jersey Central Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, NJPAC and the 50 anniversary of the New Jersey Jazz Societies Pee Wee Russell Memorial Stomp. Destiny has also played professionally with artists like Christian McBride and John DeJohnette, amongst others. Destiny has attended the Jazz House Kids program for 5 years under the direction of Christian McBride and Melissa Walker.
June 21st. Lynette Sheard Live with DC Fusion
Lynette Sheard is a gifted and versatile vocalist, actor, producer and director. She is the unseated "West Orange Idol." Her performances have been acknowledged in numerous publications, including NY Times, The Record, The Chronicle and most recently, The Star Ledger, which proclaimed that, "Her voice reaches deep into one's soul and finds a soft spot." She performs Jazz, R&B, Gospel, Soul and Pop music in NY, NJ, PA and Las Vegas. Theatre credits include principal roles in: Smokey Joe's Cafe, Ragtime, Swing, Aida, Outcasts, and Downtown After Sundown Live Concert Series at Jazz On Sloan South Orange Gazebo. Bring a chair and come join us.
June 28th Leonieke Scheuble Trio
17-year-old Leonieke Scheuble at age 5 or 6 started playing piano after being inspired by the movie Ray. Named 2016 “Best Up and Coming Young Artist” by Hothouse NYC and featured in a PBS-filmed TEDx TALK, in 2017 she won the New Jersey Governor’s Award for “Exceptional Promise in Music” and also performed for the New Jersey Jazz Society’s 45th Anniversary Gala. She was also awarded the “Youth in Action Award” from the International Women in Jazz for the 2nd time.
July 26th. NJPAC Weekend - NJPAC Inspired Dance Night
Rev Eyesha K. Marable. A former professional dancer with Footprints Dance Company, Forces of Nature Dance Theatre and Showtime at the Apollo, she has shared the stage with LL Cool J, R. Kelly and gospel artists like Donald Malloy. To see her perform with other liturgical dancers or conduct a dance workshop is in a word, uplifting. She founded the National Liturgical Dance Network, which trains and supports dance ministers, and she is celebrating 29 years of spreading the ministry of dance here and abroad.
July 27th NJPAC Weekend - NJPAC Jazz Jam
Led by a semi-finalist in the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Piano competition is the accomplished pianist and bandleader James Austin Jr.. Currently leading a sold-out jam performance in Newark Clements Place, James has performed alongside an illustrious list of singers and musicians in diverse settings throughout the world, including numerous celebrity functions and televised shows. He recently served as pianist and arranger for two star-studded concerts at Carnegie Hall under the baton of esteemed musical director, Ray Chew. James will lead his band into South Orange, NJ and all vocalists and musicians are welcome to join the inaugural NJPAC DAS Jazz Jam.
Aug 17th. Ricky Persaud, Jr.
Returning favorite and the group that always draws our largest audience, Ricky Persaud Jr. is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and arranger whose music style is Pop infused with Reggae, Rock R&B and Latin. Ricky is Berklee College of Music Class 2021 and is a voting member at The Recording Academy / GRAMMY. He studied voice, guitar, piano and band at Mark Murphy Music in South Orange, NJ. He also studied drums, bass, guitar, piano and music production at the Newark School of The Arts in Newark, NJ. Ricky is an alumni of the New Jersey Performing Art (NJPAC)/Wells Fargo Jazz For Teens Ensemble and NJPAC's George Wein Scholars Ensemble. Ricky was the recipient of the 2016 Governor's Award for Excellence in Music.
Aug 17th. Darryl Clark Fusion and Friends
Join us for this year’s returning performance of the very smooth Darryl Clark Fusion Band. Darryl was inspired by professional basis Kim Clarke resulting in Darryl attending Jazzmobile in Harlem, and he eventually ended up studying under the legendary bassist Earl May of the Cab Calloway, Frank Foster, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Miles Davis era bands. Darryl has spent a musical lifetime living, learning and becoming accomplished in a spectrum of styles; traditional jazz, fusion, funk, gospel, rock and alternative make up an inclusive repertoire playing with jazz artists including Nat Adderley Jr., Tina Fabrique, Peter Lin, Marshall McDonald and Slide Hampton. Because of this, Darry’s Downtown After Sundown performances usually consists of jazz veterans from all over the Greater New York and New Jersey area, and last season’s Nat Adderley appearance made for a very special night. Schedules permitting, 2019’s performance with Nat Adderley and others promises to be another very special night. Also of special note is that this year Darryl will profile a few tunes from his recently released CD’s Sleeve 340 and West Coast Dreamin that was produced to benefit the children's charity LoveHallie.org.
Jazz On Sloan at the South Orange Gazebo
More events and highlights are coming, so tay tuned as we update our events.
https://www.sovillagecenter.org/pub/event/story/2382/
Learn more at:
https://www.facebook.com/Downtown-After-Sundown-107118945991637/
https://www.facebook.com/jazzonsloandas/
https://www.facebook.com/soundsinspiottapark/
These outdoor events are open to all, are cross-generational friendly, very kid-friendly, senior-friendly and more, so just bring your favorite lawn chair and join us.
Gregory Burrus, Live Music Ambassador
Gregory Burrus with the Executive Director of SOVCA Bob Zuckerman. Downtown After Sundown is a program sponsored by the South Orange Village Center Alliance and the Town of South Orange. https://www.sovillagecenter.org/
Gregory Burrus curates the South Orange Village Center Alliance’s Downtown After Sundown Live Music Concerts. This SOMA resident arrived in South Orange 23 years ago and just loves South Orange, NJ. Gregory enjoys all music genres, but his first love jazz began as a boy when his father played jazz on the good old record player at home and took him to clubs all over Manhattan. Greg was an executive in the telecommunications industry and has consulted on telecom, technology and operational business processes systems all over the world. Now he is putting his expertise, gain from his former business environment to work producing music, art and community events across South Orange, Maplewood, Newark and other towns around Northern New Jersey and New York.