South Orange, NJ October Live Music Fest Takes Over the Sounds In Spiotta Park and Jazz On Sloan Street

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Friday, October 8, 2021

As the 2021 Summer Saturdays season ended, audiences and a number of community members continually asked what's next in terms of live music. After much thought through September, the idea is to continue the music every Saturday and Sunday through the month of October, with a lot of help from a lot of our musician friends and a local live music production group.

This month, the October Live Music Fest is off and running. The newly formed October Live Music Fest aims to continue the Summertime live music weekend excitement and also produce some unique, lively and engaging performances at Sounds In Spiotta Park, Jazz On Sloan, and in South Orange, NJ.

We hope you can come join us every Saturday & Sunday in the month of October, as the following lineup contains some wonderful performers looking to entertain you.

Events - Every Sat. 3- 5 PM & 6:30-9:30 PM; Sun. 3-5 PM & 6:00-9:00 PM.

Sat 10/2 - 3-5 PM Tim Rodner / Bruce Tyler, Swing Jazz, Jazz On Sloan
Sat 10/2 - 6:30 - 9:30 PM Tara Layne Blues & Rock n Roll Band, Spiotta Park

Sun 10/3 - 3-5 PM Michele Fiorindo, Jazz Guitarist, Spiotta Park

Sat 10/9 - 3-5 PM Acute Inflections - Is This Love? Bob Marley Tribute, Spiotta Park
Sat 10/9 - 6:30 - 9:30 PM Andy Lackow & Mess Around, Blues, Rock, Spiotta Park

Sun 10/10 - 3-5 PM Kenita Alani Hopper, Opera In the Park, Spiotta Park
Sun 10/10 - 6:00 - 9:00 PM Jacqueline Harmon Johnson Quartet, Jazz on Sloan

Sat 10/16 - 3-5 PM Tim Rodner / Bruce Tyler, Swing Jazz, Jazz On Sloan
Sat 10/16 - 6:30 - 9:30 PM Los Traficantes del Amor, Latin Tribute, Spiotta Park

Sun 10/17 - 3-5 PM SPK Trio Salt, Pepper, Ketchup, Spiotta Park
Sun 10/17 - 6:00 - 9:00 PM Laredo, The Band, Rock Covers, Spiotta Park

Sat 10/23 - 3-5 PM Hal Keshner, Piano / Vocals, Jazz On Sloan
Sat 10/23 - 6:30 - 9:30 PM BlackWax, Original Funk and Soul, Spiotta Park

Sun 10/24 - 3-5 PM Michele Fiorindo, Jazz Guitarist, Spiotta Park
Sun 10/24 - 6:00 - 9:00 PM Jacqueline Harmon Johnson Quartet, Sing with Jacque, Spiotta Park

Schedule subject to change and updates, check for latest updates at https://gregoryburrusproductio...

We hope you continue to come on out, support the musicians and enjoy the October Live Music Fest while the weather is still nice. Remember, music is life so take it all in and feel the relief in these troubling times. 

Tell a friend, grab a jacket, a lawn chair, a local meal, the kids and come join us. Don't forget to Mark Your Calendars & Save The Dates.

Hosted/supported by South Orange Downtown, South Orange Village and Gregory Burrus Productions.

Sign up for future events at gregoryburrusproductions.com.

Get Ready to Jam with Us During our 2020 Downtown After Sundown Live Music Season

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Sunday, February 2, 2020

A huge highlight of the 2019 South Orange Downtown After Sundown live music season was the addition of many more live music jam sessions. These sessions enabled more musicians and patrons to participate in our events. Here we look back at the bands that performed at some very successful performances during the 2019 season. Flashing back:

R and B Jamming with the MPACK Band

The first jam In May 2019 we had the Clarence Conover R&B band jamming  and conducting an Open Mic. It was swinging as MPack brought an explosive energy to the stage and they rocked the park all night long!

Gene Ghee and Friends Jazz Jam

On a rainy day in May ourDowntown After Sundown Jazz On Sloan program presented a Gene Ghee Jazz Jam.  Gene Ghee plays  saxophone, flute, clarinet and  is a long-time performer and educator. He graduated from NYU with a music education undergrad degree from the Manhattan School of Music with an MA for music performance and from Columbia University Teachers College with a Master of Education degree.

Gene Ghee is a highly in-demand saxophonist and has performed with loads of professionals such as Monguito Santamaria, 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 bplus 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. Other cool recordings / performances with the likes of Evelyn “Champagne” King, The Village People, Candi Staton and T.S.Monk plus many many more national and international performers. A high caliber jazz musician like Gene Ghee is definitely on the list for a return performance in 2020.

Andy Lackow Outdoor Blues Jam

One of our very popular weekends was when Blues Man Andy Lackow ran our First 2019 Outdoor Blues Jam at Spiotta Park. It was truly a blast!!! 

Andy Lackow & Mess Around band is based in Northern New Jersey. While predominantly a blues band they play an eclectic mix that also includes blues-rock, roots-rock, soul, funk, New Orleans R&B and a little country as well.

Andy Lackow & Mess Around features Andy Lackow on guitar & vocals, Curtis Fowlkes on bass and Jim Hart on drums as a trio and as a quartet.  This was a great day, the weather was beautiful and lots of jammers came out and jammed with Andy to the delight of all the Downtown After Sundown attendees.

Al Gold‎ Blues Jam in Spiotta Park

Unfortunately rain canceled our Blues Jam in June that was to be conducted by  Al Gold.

Pianist James Austin, Jr. leads the NJPAC Jazz Jam for Jazz On Sloan Program 

This NJPAC Free Live Concert was held in the Heart of South Orange Village when New Jersey Performing Arts Center – NJPAC in partnership with “South Orange Village Center Alliance” presented a night of Jazz jamming led by Bandleader and pianist James Austin, Jr.

James Austin Jr has led the Rutgers, NJPAC Clements Place Jazz Jam in Newark for at least 5 years.  For at least 4 years at the wildly popular Clements Place Jazz sessions, Austin leads a number of jazz quartets composed of New Jersey musicians, performers affiliated with Wells Fargo Jazz for Teens and also the James Moody Jazz Orchestra which is  the acclaimed jazz program of NJPAC’s Department of Arts Education.

We were happy to have this ongoing very popular series hosted by New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s Department of Community Engagement. This series of performances featured some of New Jersey’s finest jazz musicians.. The sessions are a major hit with most jazz listeners as well as musicians and definitely enhances NJPAC’s role as the state’s principal, year-round presenter of jazz.  We are very happy to have them extend their reach into the South Orange, NJ community.

Carrie Jackson Jazz Jam

Jazz On Sloan Presented one awesome season ending Carrie Jackson Jazz Jam in Sept to close the 2019 Downtown After Sundown season.

Carrie Jackson Jazz Jam and Open Mic at the South Orange Gazebo. Carrie is considered one of the most consistently interesting singers in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area and is one of the top Jazz artists around today performing classical performances of Jazz favorites, soulful sultry Pop, Blues and poignant mellow Gospel. She combines Jazz originals, standards, Pop/Blues tunes and open improvisation in an adventurous, genre-bending style that’s inspirational and original. With a focus on keeping the music alive we are working towards bringing Carrie back in 2020.

A big thank you to all of our 2019 Jam Leaders above and their bands. A big thank you goes out to our wonderful first time supporters like New Jersey Performing Arts Community Engagement - NJPAC, New Jersey Jazz Society- NJJS.org and Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies.

Finally, as you can imagine the goal of this upcoming 2020 live music season season is to bring back as many jam sessions as possible because Downtown After Sundown is is looking forward to jamming once again in 2020 all Around South Orange, NJ.

Gregory Burrus, Live Music Ambassador

Gregory Burrus with South Orange Trustee Bob Zuckerman and former Executive Director of SOVCA.

Downtown After Sundown is a program sponsored by the South Orange Village Center Alliance and the Town of South Orange. https://www.sovillagecenter.org/pub/event/story/2382/

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 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 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.

#downtownaftersundown #jazzonsloan #soundsinspiottapark #sovca #southorange #southorangegazebo #njpac #genegheesax #andylackowguitarists #algoldbluesjam #eyeshsamarablenjpac #jamesaustinpianists #carriejacksonvocalist #gregoryburrusaroundtown #JerseyIndie

Dancing the Night Away During Downtown After Sundown Live Music Concerts

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Sunday, February 2, 2020

Downtown After Sundown invited all to come out dance and dine the night away during the 2019 South Orange live music concerts. It was a great season as attendees reported it was an absolutely entertaining experience. Take a step back and enjoy what happened.

Flamenco Dancing with Toni Messina on Sunday in June

Whether you're a local, new in town, visiting from another town or just passing through all were invited to come on out because we knew our attendees would be sure to love the annual Flamenco dancers in our Downtown After Sundown Music Series.

Folks were invited to come on out and experience the spirit of Andalucia, Spain, the passion, sensuality and the power of flamenco dance, the plaintive cry from the heart of the cante (flamenco song) and the fire of virtuoso flamenco guitar – live on the Downtown After Sundown Spiotta Park stage.

Well our very own Viva Flamenco Leader, Director Antonia (Toni) Messina cooked up a spicy stew of Flamenco song and dance, jazz melodies and improv, along with some 'Flamenco puro' for the purists out there. OLE'!

Folks absolutely came out and join in our favorite Flamenco dancer Toni Messina who is a powerful force of life all by herself.  As this Mother, Lawyer and yes Flamenco Dancer does in all walks of life,  Toni motivates the folks in the audience, all ages,  to get up,  dance and start twirling on the dance floor.  Great event and good time had by all.

80’s DJ Dance Night with New Jersey DJ Services in July

If back in the day, you liked 80's dance music then the 80's was your time? We invited all to come on out to an 80’s Dance Night in Spiotta Park, where New Jersey DJ Services was spinning the popular tunes of the 80's and more.  Downtown After Sundown encouraged folks of all ages to bring their dancing shoes.

https://www.facebook.com/gregory.burrus/videos/10162154995620514/

And New Jersey DJ Services DJ James Buttros did not disappoint as we all got to watch him develop a beautiful soundscape of music, light, smoke and more while we danced the night away. 

Folks danced the night away .

https://www.facebook.com/gregory.burrus/videos/10162156638565514/UzpfSTE5MTg2MjY1MDk3NTA2NToxMjY0NTQ4NDczNzA2NDcy/

What a wonderful night of dancing.

NJPAC Inspirational Dance Night in July

If you wanted to be inspired, we invited the community to come on out and join us at the first ever New Jersey Performing Arts Center - NJPAC to show us how inspirational dance was done. NJPAC Director of Community Engagement energized her team and oh what a wonderful night it was. The NJPAC team bought in volunteers to help out, a DJ Booth and reached out to ten community dance groups to come on out and perform in our Downtown After Sundown music event. And come out they did as the folks descended upon South Orange and the park loaded up with folks from everywhere.  There was definitely a buzz in the air as the audience settled in to watch something special and we all enjoyed some beautiful dancing.

Director Eyesha Marable in a timely manner MC’d the night and moved the various groups on and off the stage all night in a timely manner. Each group performed a beautiful dance and Eyesha a professional dancer herself in some cases joined in the festivities with fellow participants and danced the night away.  They showed us dance then showed you how to do it as her team definitely got folks  up and involved.

Participants and audience alike expressed their sentiments and it was clear the event was a huge hit with all. We thank all involved an Eyesha Marable for her never ending energy in making it happen.

Our host Eyesah is a former professional dancer with Footprints Dance Company, Forces of Nature Dance Theatre and Showtime at the Apollo, NJPAC Community Engagement Director Eyesha K. Marable - has shared the stage with LL Cool J, R. Kelly and gospel artists like Donnie McClurkin, Byron Cage, Donald Lawrence, Donald Malloy, and Helen Baylor. She founded the National Liturgical Dance Network, which trains and supports dance ministers and has spent 29 years of spreading the ministry of dance here and abroad.

Rev. Eyesha toured locally and nationally,  has performed in Central Park’s Midsummer Night Festival, Avery Fisher Hall, Symphony Space, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Symphony Hall, and Lincoln center.  She was a featured McDonald’s Gospel Fest and Apollo Showtime dancer for two seasons and is still seen in La Var Burton’s Mufaro Daughters Reading Rainbow PBS Series.  She attended LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts and worked with notable choreographers like Abdel Salaam, Kevin Jeff, Chuck Davis, Fred Benjamin and George Faison.    

We also thank the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, N.J. which is America's most diverse performing arts center, and the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey.

We had a great 2019 dancing in the park and am looking forward to what’s coming in 2020.

Gregory Burrus, Live Music Ambassador

Gregory Burrus with Eyesha Marable NJPAC

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 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 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, gained 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.

#downtownaftersundown #jazzonsloan #soundsinspiottapark #sovca #southorange #eyeshsamarablenjpac #inspireddance #njpac #gregoryburrusaroundtown #JerseyIndie #southorangenj #80sdj #newjerseydjservices #NewJerseyPerformingArtsCenter

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.