Making History: Linda Moody Honors James Moody Scholars at 100 Blanchard Rd in South Orange, NJ (RECAP)

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Wednesday, November 24, 2021

Every year, the spectacular TD James Moody Jazz Festival comes to Newark, NJ — an absolutely fabulous jazz festival, in its 10th year, that is still sponsored by TD Bank. The TD James Moody Jazz Festival presents dozens of free and ticketed events at the beautiful New Jersey Performing Arts Center and selected locations around Downtown Newark. This year, the Godmother of the Festival, as NJPAC President John Schreiber referred to her, Linda Moody, widow of James Moody (RIP), came into town from San Diego and hosted a number of TD James Moody Jazz Festival events.

“I am honored and excited to come to the TD James Moody Jazz Festival every year.  I have life long friends here and it feels like home. I know that my husband would be thrilled at this being the 10th anniversary of the festival. He would love the diversity of it because there is something for everyone. I especially love meeting with the James Moody Scholars from Purchase College and New Jersey.  I thank Jazz House Kids for their hard work facilitating The James Moody Jazz Scholarship for New Jersey. Having the Scholars play together for the first time was heartwarming. I live in a constant state of gratitude and  sometimes I just have to pinch myself.”

— Linda Moody

Our Host, Linda Moody represents the spirit of James Moody very well. She is very engaging and ensures everyone feels happy that they came out. 

This year was special for us, as Linda Moody wanted to honor the James Moody Scholarship Scholars with a live music concert during her time here. There has been a recipient of the scholarship each year and now there are enough of them to have a band with a rhythm section. 

Now for me, a person with a Jazz loving dad and mom, we grew up listening to the famous saxophonist James Moody. Then fast forward to the 1970s, when New York City radio DJ Frankie Crocker played the King Pleasure recording of “Moody's Mood for Love” every night at the end of his show on WBLS-FM. And, as one listener stated, “Frankie Crocker had the ENTIRE tri-state singing this song - word for word - every night at 8pm - genius.” To say I was ecstatic to find a location and host an event for the James Moody Scholars is an understatement. I was truly blown away and honored.

The James Moody Scholars

With band members coming from as far away as Trenton, NJ to perform, the James Moody Scholars Septet did James Moody proud, big time. Each band member came from a different year to play together for the first time. Bandleader Birsa Chatterjee (2015) Tenor Saxophone, Iyonna Herbert (2016) Drums, Andrew Wagner  (2017) Trumpet, Caelan Cardello (2018) Piano, Jalin Shiver (2019) Alto  Saxophone, Rayner Perez (2020) Trombone, and unable to attend was Paul Reinhold (2021). That night, Gervin Myles was on Bass, all under the direction of Saxophonist Birsa Chatterjee.

The James Moody Scholars Performances

Set 1:

The night opened with me, Gregory Burrus, being very happy to introduce the host, Linda Moody. Linda discussed the past scholarships, the meaning behind them and then introduced the band one by one. We proceeded to listen to the band swing and play on. 

Set 2:

The power of jazz and improvisation was evident all night long as they also performed with the singers who came up to perform. The band continued swinging hard, playing the standards and continued playing beautiful and strong all night long. They were definitely in sync. 

The Invited Vocalists

In addition, we wanted the night to be reflective of the real world, so selected local vocalists were invited to join in the fun. In attendance were: local entrepreneur, Blues and Jazz vocalist, East Orange’s Jacqueline Harmon Johnson; actor, producer, director and the unseated “West Orange Idol” Lynette Sheard, and the award-winning writer, playwright, and actor with the beautiful voice, Hillsdale’s Joy Topping-Mann.

I also should note that we had a wonderful introduction to freelance documentary filmmaker, pianist, singer, and songwriter Dara Tucker. Dara is the winner of the Nashville Industry Music Awards 2017 and 2020 Best Jazz Album and 2016 and 2017 Best Jazz Vocalist of the year. 

Needless to say, all the vocal performances backed by the James Moody Scholars were simply fabulous.

The Jazz Supporters

A number of notable jazz supporters and special guests came out in support of the scholars. We were very honored to have the daughter of James Moody — Michelle Bagdanove — in attendance. That was just awesome. Also, special guests were: NEA Jazz Master Dorthaan Kirk and, as The New York Times, said “Dorthaan Kirk Is Newark's First Lady of Jazz”; Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies & Newark Archives Executive Director Wayne Winborne; Grammy award-winning record producer and audio engineer John Lee; SOMAtv Station Manager and Genealogist, Dustin Dumas, along with our local WBGO’s Jazz After Hours OnAir Personality Greg Bryant.

Also, thank you to New Jersey Jazz Society (NJJS) President Cydney Halpin, who commented, “I just wanted to thank you again for inviting me to last night's Moody Scholarship event. Those cats were wonderful!!  And that house... heavenly!! Congratulations on a wonderful event!!” 

The Historic Venue — 100 Blanchard Rd. 

100 Blanchard Rd. is a gorgeous historic house in South Orange, NJ. Known as the "Blanchard Estate," this Georgian brick mansion has over 13,000 square feet of space and sits on 2 acres of private, stunning property with NYC skyline views. Built in 1924, this stately residence was designed in the style of the Gilded Age Mansions of Newport, well designed for entertaining friends with a grand foyer leading to the custom wood appointed ballroom with stylish coffered ceilings. It was a perfect location.

The Event Volunteers

None of this could have happened without support from our team of supporters and volunteers. A big thank you to: 

GBP Volunteers that made the night run smoothly: James Pansulla, @DJ Roc M South Orange; Teresa Ware; Mary Collins and Donald; Barbara White; CC Minton; and we inducted Rayner Perez who helped us big time with the chairs. 

Official Event Photographer All these creative folks documented the nights events with some truly beautiful photos: Albert Clarke, Allison V Brown and Patrick Hilaire. 

Live Streamed Videographer We live streamed to Facebook, Youtube and TwitchTV, so thanks to our onsite Livestream and videographer Yardbird Entertainment - Peter Lin and our remote Livestreamer G2BProductions. 

Also, Millie Austin’s Catering and Roxanne Burrus for supplies and delivery of light refreshments. A big huge thanks to our audience attendees who are helping keep live music alive. We thank you big time. 

Patterson Foundation / Blanchard Conservatory — Our hats off to our venue host, Yvonne Patterson, for helping us make the night a huge success.

Final Words

Linda Moody, Nov 1, 2021:

"I am in complete awe of the James Moody Scholars and soooo proud of them!

All of the musicians, because they loved James Moody, were more than willing to help each year so that we could build a corpus large enough to award scholarships of $5,000 per year to each eligible student. Without the incredible musicians, none of this would be possible. But, one can't accomplish something of this magnitude alone. Jazz House Kids is the fabulous facilitator of this scholarship. I am forever grateful to all who have stepped up to help the James Moody Scholarship thrive. Honey and I wanted to create something that would continue long after we are gone and we have done just that. Keeping the music alive and helping young musicians grow is a dream come true. The love I feel for these kids grows with each meeting. It gave me a sense of pride and purpose watching them play together for the first time at Blanchard House.

Yvonne and John Patterson and Gregory Burrus Wow!

If anyone wishes to make a contribution please visit https://bit.ly/31i8bRT."

Gregory Burrus Productions

Gregory Burrus is a Live Music Events Producer, Promoter, Curator and Community Partner. Gregory Burrus is writing about his first love: the creative people, towns, events involved in the arts and entertainment scene that is happening all around South Orange, Maplewood and the overall JerseyNYC area.

Japan’s Kumiko Tanaka Trio Live in NJ - 5th Annual 24 Hours of Music Jamboree (RECAP)

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Monday, November 15, 2021

While I always thought of our 24 Hours Of Music Jamboree as a local event, live music is universal and musicians that have performed locally actually come from everywhere.

One of the performers that performed in person in the 2019 3rd Annual 24 Hours of Music Jamboree was Kumiko Tanaka during the Jazz Jam session. This was pre-pandemic, all live in-person events, and we didn't record a lot as we were in person. Then, the COVID Pandemic hit us all.

5th Annual 24 Hours Of Music Jamboree

For 2021, we had to be cognizant of the pandemic that still exists while still addressing international travel band restrictions.

“Seasons” performed by Kumiko Tanaka Trio in the 5th Annual 24 Hours Of Music Jamboree.

Our 5th Annual 24 Hours Of Music Jamboree (2021) ended up being a hybrid affair of live in-person performances in South Orange, NJ and a series of online performances on our 24 Hours Of Music Jamboree channel. One online broadcast was the Kumiko Tanaka Trio.

Kumiko Tanaka Trio Performance

The Kumiko Tanaka band members performing are:

• Kumiko Tanaka

• Yuma Kimura

• Hironori Sato

As you can see, 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 about how they prepared, how they felt about their performance and how it was received by their audience in Japan. The following are a few observations by Kumiko Tanaka.

Question & Answer with Kumiko Tanaka

Describe the Planning / Preparation Process.

Scheduling

KT: When we decided to participate in the 2021 24 Hours Of Music Jamboree, our first decision was to schedule a performance date and it was June 12th. The venue contained very few customers due to the limited number of people because of social distancing. So I decided to call this year's session, Love, Peace & Soul, which we had a connection with as last year's session host. We also decided on this venue because Hironori wanted to play the drums.

Venue Selection

The state of (COVID Pandemic) emergency, which was originally supposed to be over by May 31st was postponed for two weeks. The live music venue which had been operated per the government's request, had to postpone our scheduled event. After careful examination and various adjustments, we decided on July 10th, but then the state of emergency was announced again from July 12th to the end of August. Now there was a possibility that it would not happen at all, but this time we were lucky.

Video Recording Software

For shooting this event, we used three cameras. There were two fixed angles that Yuma brought in and set up. The handheld camera was managed by my friend. When I told him that I would perform a live music performance and it would be delivered for the 24 Hours of Music Jamboree event in America, he offered to help with the videography. I was so happy with this unexpected help.

Video Editing

Since I had never produced a multi-angle video, it took a lot of time to learn how to use the application software. I'm the type who doesn't read the manual properly, so I asked Yuma to help me with learning how to use the software and camera. Now it became fun to think of camera placement and when to change capture angles while recording the session. The handheld camera captured the player's hands and facial expressions. My friend with handheld camera humbly states that he “only took video,” but he is "shadow actors" or "Behind-the-scenes supporter."

Video Recording Equipment

The equipment used was:
Front camera: Canon HF M52
Stage Left camera: Sony ZV-1
Handy camera: Sony α7III
Recorder: Roland R-26 created with DaVinci Resolve 16, Ableton Live Software.
These Japanese cameras performed very well.

Video Mixing and Editing

I edited the footage from the three cameras and Yuma mixed the sound of the camera and the recorder. As a result, I'm happy that it became an interesting video with movement and scene changes.

Describe the event and some thoughts about the performance.

Band Prep & Song Selection

Yuma and I chose selected songs so that the songs playing the melody would be halved. I wanted to stick to the arrangement, so I searched for various versions on Youtube and used what I found as a reference. I made a musical score and gave it to Yuma. However our drummer, Hironori, is totally blind so I explained it all during the rehearsal and he recorded it and remembered it. I think he had a hard time, but in the end all the songs were played according to the song's original score. I have to say, and I think you will agree, that our drummer, Hironori, is absolutely amazing.

July 10th Event Playlist

1st Set

1. Ribbon In The Sky

2. Street Life

3. Let's Stay Together

4. Creepin'

5. Armando's Rhumba

2nd Set

1. Kool

2. Lost Stars

3. Bright Size Life

4. Happy

5. Virtual Insanity

6. What You Won't Do For Love

Encore

• Sunny

As background, the “Happy” (by Pharrell Williams) song was selected because when I went to NY in 2014, I was very impressed by the listeners at a jam in Robin's Nest in NJ who were singing the song "Happy." So I decided to play “Happy” and asked for audience participation with clapping and singing. The song “Happy” pleased our customers tremendously.

In developing this event for 24 Hours Of Music Jamboree, I am glad I asked about the beautiful blue garment Kumiko wore while performing.

On the Yukata

The blue kimono is a traditional Japanese garment worn in the summer and is called a "yukata.” Many people wear it at festivals such as summer fireworks festivals, but I rarely wear it, so I practiced how to wear it properly. Since the hem is long, I needed a place with a clean floor which took about 15 minutes to get ready, so I wore it at home and went to the live music venue. Even though it's summer clothes, it's not as cool as it looks, but much hotter than regular clothes, hence I was sweating all the time, and because it's squeezing my abdomen with strings and obi, it's much more painful than usual. There are many sacrifices made for the beauty of our appearances. I respect the ancestors who wore it every day.

Audience Response

During the actual live performance of “Ribbon in the Sky”, which was the first song we played, I read the lyrics in English and then translated them into Japanese. It's a very beautiful and moody song. However, when the performance of the song was over, it quietened down and no one applauded. We were shocked.

When I asked a listener later, she thought that they had to listen quietly like a classical concert. It was a phenomenon that clearly showed the politeness, quietness, and respect for the music by our Japanese people.

References

Kumiko Tanaka

• YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/koominko/videos

• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/kumiko.tanaka.3572

Yuma Kimura

• Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/yumaguitar

• Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/yuma.guitar

Hironori Sato

• Website https://hironorisato.com/

• Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hironori.sato.5

Just like in person, nothing beats a live performance, and when it's a live performance, anything can happen and Kumiko should be applauded for the preparation issues and challenges the band faces to make these live performances happen. The adrenaline of a live performance is unlike anything else and, as musicians say, the real test of a musician is a live performance on stage. Kumiko’s 24 Hours Of Music Jamboree performances are always well-received by our listeners and it's good to know they are liked at home, also. We thank Kumiko Tanaka, Yuma Kimura and Hironori Sato for performing and delivering a wonderful performance each year.

About Gregory Burrus

Gregory Burrus, Founder of 24 Hours of Music Jamboree, is a local live music ambassador, event planner and community partner that develops, manages, promotes and documents local community events in the Greater New Jersey and New York Area. Gregory Burrus loves helping people succeed by producing and promoting live music events all around our towns. For more information, visit gregoryburrusproductions.com.

Celebrating Black Lives Matter via Art and Live Music at BLM Artist Reception (RECAP)

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Thursday, November 11, 2021

Unfortunately, in today’s world we have to tell people that life matters. Hence, the Black Lives Matter  Movement which is a decentralized political and social movement protesting against incidents of police brutality and all racially motivated violence against black people.

Being a Mahatma Gandhi fan, I share his quote, “The future depends on what we do in the present.” In recapping the Juneteenth celebration during the Artist Reception of “Black Lives Matter: For Justice, For Equality, For Liberty!”, it was wonderful to see and hear this very creative West Orange Art Council (WOAC) exhibition. To me, this exhibition was a celebration of life via two life-changing mediums — art and live music.

“Black Lives Matter: For Justice, For Equality, For Liberty!”

The Curators

Designed to address the issues of today, the artists were encouraged to express their feelings about this subject in their art. As part of West Orange, NJ’s celebration and commemoration of Juneteenth, artists Maria Luis Estrela and Carol T. Jenkins of the West Orange Arts Council (WOAC) curated this exhibition. It was clear from meeting early on with Maria that she had a personal connection to this exhibition.

“I purposely utilize my skills to help Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) artists, who are underrepresented in the arts scene,” Maria Estrela said. “I feel it’s important to raise awareness of the issues faced in their own communities including racism, discrimination, inequality and injustice.” (See For These Artists, BLM Exhibit In West Orange Has Special Meaning.)

Maria’s passion was also reflected in the article How Maria Estrela’s Passion for Arts and Travel Shapes RBNY Homegrown Player, Bento Estrela, where Maria clearly feels a close connection to singer/songwriter Nina Simone. “Nina Simone, she was an activist and through her music, she raised awareness about what was happening in America against Black people. So she was a very powerful woman, she used her music to say what was happening in America,” said Estrela. “So that inspired me to create first because she was a great musician and artist, and second because she was an activist, and she was fighting for equality and justice.”  

The Artists

The exhibit debuted in person on June 5th and was open for in-person visits at the West Orange Arts Center (551 Valley Road) through July 31. As stated on the WOAC’s website:

“Over 40 artists, photographers and poets are participating in this art for social change. The participating artists are: Sarah Bass Aspe, Josephine Barreiro, Yuri Bisono, Carol Black-Lemon, Wendy Born, Syreeta Brooks, Marina Carreira, Patricia Croft, Antoinette Ellis-Williams, Maria Estrela, Mary Fordham, Karen Goldberg, Dino Gravato, Patricia Hutchinson, Queen Mother Imakhu, Carol T. Jenkins, Lizette Louis, Cathleen McCoy Bristol, Barbara Motley, Frank Niccoletti, Amelia Panico, Davynte “Red” Pannell, Sundra Parker, John Piccoli, Dayana Poulard, Ron Powell, Martryce Roach, Gale Sasson, Ameerah Shabazz, Ella Silivanch, Timothy Simmons, Elaine Tassy, Sheila R. Thompson, Denise Toney and Kelly D. Villalba.”

To see WOAC’s “Black Lives Matter: For Justice, For Equality, For Liberty!”exhibition online, click here.

In addition, it was great to see that Estrela and Jenkins received support from Rey Arvelo, Carol Black-Lemon, Deneise Smith and Patricia Mitrano and also collaborated with the West Orange Human Relations Commission, NAACP Oranges Maplewood Branch, West Orange Public Library, West Orange Youth Caucus, Bloomfield College and the Office of the West Orange Mayor & Township Administration.

The Music

The Artist Reception featured art and a live music performance.

As Gregory Burrus Productions, I was very happy to be the curator of the live music for this reception. I selected the jazz genre, considering the fact that “Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. (See Wikipedia.)

UNPA. UN stamps commemorating International Jazz Day. Source: https://news.un.org/en/story/2014/04/467252-world-day-un-celebrates-historic-influence-jazz-connect-people-ignite-social

How does jazz connect to social change? According to this United Nations article:

“Jazz reinforces the role youth play for social change; Jazz encourages artistic innovation, improvisation, new forms of expression, and inclusion of traditional music forms into new ones; Jazz stimulates intercultural dialogue and empowers young people from marginalized societies.”   

Jazz is about improvisation, a blend of different cultures and, like America, Jazz states that we all belong here, have value here and can get along here. So what better way to celebrate a Juneteenth Black Lives Matter event than with this “uniquely American” form of music. It takes from West African culture, the work songs and spirituals of black slaves in America, and European instruments like the piano and the trumpet.

Performing at this BLM Reception in the West Orange Art Center, located adjacent to Luna Stage, was a trio of heavy hitter professional jazz musicians

The artists performing were: Lynette Sheard – Vocals, Brandon McCune – Piano and Marshall McDonald – Saxophone. They performed a medley of jazz tunes from the Great American Songbook that make you smile and tap your feet while you celebrated and enjoyed America’s original art form called Jazz.

A little background on the musicians.

Lynette Sheard – Vocalist

Lynette is a multi-talented and versatile vocalist with a five octave range and perfect pitch. She acts, produces, directs and is a vocal coach. Performances have been acknowledged in numerous publications including, The NY Times, Broadway World, The Record, Hot House, The Patch and The Chronicle. The Star-Ledger proclaimed that “Her voice reaches deep into one’s soul and finds a soft spot.” Lynette is also a director of the Mental Health Association of New Jersey. (See https://www.lynetteentertainment.com)

Brandon McCune – Pianist

This Chicago native makes his home in Newark, NJ. His musical studies began at age three, when his parents enrolled him in the Suzuki Method of Classical Piano. Brandon McCune is an experienced Professional Musician (pianist, organist, drummer, trumpeter, bassist, vocalist, and choir director). Brandon was selected through a national audition as a 1998-1999 U.S. Jazz Ambassador to Africa, where he traveled abroad representing the United States performing public and private concerts, master classes and workshops. (See https://www.facebook.com/brandon.mccune)

Marshall McDonald – Saxophonist

Marshall McDonald was lead alto for 18 years with Count Basie Orchestra, played sax on Paquito D’Rivera’s Latin Grammy-winning album, sax with Abdullah Ibrahim, and clarinet with Duke Ellington Orchestra. This Pittsburgh native’s career had a 10-year stint with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra, and he performed at Carnegie Hall with Nancy Wilson, Tokyo Blue Note, Nice Jazz Festival, and with Illinois Jacquet, Tony Bennett, Bobby Caldwell, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Tony Bennett, Milt Jackson, Nina Simone, Rosemary Clooney and Aretha Franklin amongst others.  (See https://marshallmcdonald.com)

Looking Back – Going Forward

Combining the normal in-person experience along with an online component was — and is — extremely important during these COVID times, especially since there was a tremendous amount of work put into this exhibition. It’s great to see and know that the results of these curators, Maria and Carol, will have an impact for some time to come. It’s great to know this legacy of art and music will last far into the future.

WOAC Reception: June 29, 2021

Please enjoy the following shots and subsequent press from this exhibit.

Photos Rich Silivanch, Gregory Burrus

New 12 New Jersey

I’m excited to share that Della Crews of News 12 New Jersey gave a shout out to the artists and poets in the West Orange Arts Council’s “Black Lives Matter: For Justice, For Equality, For Liberty!” exhibit and shared some of the photos taken by Rich Silivanch at the #Juneteenth artist’s reception last weekend in West Orange, NJ.

Additional coverage links and sources:

NJ.com – Black Lives Matter: For Justice, For Equality, For Liberty

WO Patch – For These Artists, BLM Exhibit In West Orange Has Special Meaning

Essex News Daily – West Orange Arts Center presents hybrid ‘Black Lives Matter’ art experience

Facebook WOAC – Black Lives Matter: For Justice, For Equality, For Liberty!

TAPinto/West Orange – 22 Days Left to Visit West Orange Arts Council’s Black Lives Matter Exhibit

A truly beautiful event, gorgeous and inspiring artwork with some wonderful people. Read more here: https://essexnewsdaily.com/arts/98515

About Gregory Burrus Productions

Gregory Burrus Productions produces and promotes local live music events and is also a social media manager, event developer and community partner that documents local community events in the Greater New Jersey and New York Area. Gregory Burrus reports and blogs about the local arts and entertainment scene, showcasing, photographing, and videotaping events and happenings as they occur all around the towns.

RECAP: Juneteenth Celebrations Plus More Produced and Curated by Gregory Burrus Productions

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Wednesday, August 4, 2021

In producing and promoting live music for Saturday, June 19th this year, there were street closings, art gallery receptions and, of course, the newly mandated holiday for Juneteenth. For many parts of this weekend, it turned into a Holiday Celebration. 

Juneteenth is Now a Federal Holiday

This past week, establishing a new federal holiday — effective immediately — caused some scrambling at courts, government agencies and businesses. As it was literally signed into law days before June 19th, 2021 to be a Federal Holiday, many did not know what it meant or that it was a holiday (see “Juneteenth is now a federal holiday, as Biden signs bill”). 

US President Joe Biden laughs with Vice President Kamala Harris and members of Congress as he signs the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act into law in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, June 17, 2021 [Carlos Barria/Reuters]

What is Juneteenth?

Juneteenth is the holiday commemorating the end of slavery by marking the day enslaved people in Texas learned they were free. Now, it's a federal holiday (read more here: “So You Want to Learn About Juneteenth”, New York Times). The move comes after growing support nationwide for observing the day of celebration and reflection. 

Local Celebrations of Live Music and More

For many of us, we celebrated by reflecting on the greatness of the day and celebrating, but not forgetting some of the recent injustices that still occur today. And for most people, they reflected back on years of struggle, from Angela Davis, Huey Newton and the Black Panthers. The creativity of all types of celebrations helps bring awareness to all that has and is happening. Here’s a look around my town.

Recap: Photography and Art

East Orange: Black Panther | Juneteenth Photoshoot

The Black Panther | Juneteenth Photoshoot held in East Orange, New Jersey!! Happy Juneteenth!! Photographer: @theseredmoments; Production: @talent.sunsetmodels

West Orange Arts Council — BLM Exhibit 

BLM Exhibit curated by Maria Estrella and Carol Jenkins.

Maria Estrela and Carol Jenkins, both female artists of color from Essex County, have a personal connection to a new exhibit in West Orange. For Estrela, she said:

"I purposely utilize my skills to help Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) artists, who are underrepresented in the arts scene […] I feel it's important to raise awareness of the issues faced in their own communities including racism, discrimination, inequality and injustice."

Read more of what they said and all about the exhibit, here:  “For These Artists, BLM Exhibit In West Orange Has Special Meaning”

RECAP: Live Music Bands Around the Towns 

Live Music Summary 

Here’s a quick recap of the June 19th live music weekend festivities.

Victor Jones Trio

We started off in Spiotta Park with world renown drummer Victor Jones with the Victor Jones Trio featuring Robera Piket & Shin Sakeino. The event was produced in association with the South Orange Village Center Alliance. The trio was just amazing to listen to and — an added bonus — it became a mini drummer reunion as drummers rule when Tim Horner, Tommy Campbell, Dorian McGee and many other Victor Jones friends from long ago came out to catch up and enjoy the music.  

Destiny Autumn — Music History

Another highlight was Destiny Autumn Tucker who came out and sang beautifully a song with Victor Jones. Then, Destiny Autumn educated us for the Juneteenth Celebration. She walked us through the history of Black Music and demonstrated various methods of communicating and clapping with us. We all enjoyed it tremendously.

Drum Circle

Drum Circle by Alison V. Brown and Friends for Juneteenth Celebration in Spiotta Park, South Orange, NJ .

Aliison Brown orchestrated one awesome and very well attended Drum Circle with Yahya Kamate and Richard Reiter. As one drum master stated, “This was great, we didn't have to pull people out to play, folks just kept coming and participating."  Yes! The roar of the drums was intoxicating. We have to do it again.  

Cafe Word Bookstore 

Cafe Word Bookstore reported a wonderful celebration with Nia and Steve and Dance Master Susan Pope.

Harmonic Convergence Band

Shout out the Harmonic Convergence band. We tried to go on with another Summer Saturday live music event featuring Harmonic Convergence at the Grid Iron Waffle Stage, but the rain won out. This event will be rescheduled.

Lynette Sheard Entertainment

Lynette Sheard Trio with Brandon McCune and Marshall McDonald. BLM Art Exhibition in Juneteenth Celebration at the West Orange Arts Council located in West Orange, NJ.

Food, Brews & Jazz with Jacque Harmon Johnson Quartet 

Food Brews and Jazz with Chef Jesse Jones and Jacque Harmon Quartet, with Rich Acciavatti, Gary Mancinelli, Richard Pierson, Ben Frank and vocalist Jacque Harmon Johnson in a Juneteenth Celebration at the Montclair Brewery in Montclair, NJ.

Food for the Soul, Tasteful Brews & Swinging Jazz at the Montclair Brewery with Chef Jesse Live - POW!!  What better way to celebrate Junteenth than enjoying Chef Jesse's modern approach to southern cuisine and his delicious delectable cooking. While sampling these soulful delights, folks explored some fabulous Brews of the Black Owned Montclair Brewery and of course listened to the original American music art form - jazz from the great American SongBook performed by the Jacque Harmon Johnson Quartet. Food, Brews and Jazz. A great way to spend an evening.

ZooS Band

ZooS Band with BJ Hermann, Pegaso Cris, Peter McClard at the Eastman Street Summertime Street Closing in Cranford, NJ. Produced by the Downtown Cranford Organization.

South Orange Juneteenth Celebration

We outlasted the rain with poetry, spoken word and, of course, live music — all Emceed by South Orange Trustee Bobby Brown. It was very nice to see our younger folks keeping the cause and flame alive for true freedom.

Tonia Ray All Stars

Tonia Ray All Stars with Nicole Inocent, Norman Stevenson, Kenny Robinson performed at the Juneteenth Celebration on Flood’s Hill in the Township of South Orange Village, NJ.  Listen to a taste: 

MPACK Band 

MPACK Band with Clarence Conover, Patricia Walton, Glenn Merrit, Brett Calder, Kev Nazt Moore and Larry Greenberg performed at the South Orange Juneteenth Celebration at Flood’s Hill in the Township of South Orange Village, NJ.

It was  great to see, hear and enjoy the night's live music performances under the musical direction of Clarence Conover.  It was just fabulous as folks were dancing, jumping, singing and the camaraderie amongst everyone was just fantastic.  

The Fireworks in Flood’s Hill

The fireworks were a very, very cool unexpected touch, and they played out over the music, which was truly spectacular. It actually moved some folks in very touching ways. 

About the Artists

You can learn more about the artists who performed here: Celebrate Juneteenth with Us and Live Music Events In and Around South Orange, NJ .

Since my mission is supporting and exposing the talents of these artists, we hope you take the time to check them out and support them when you can. 

The events were produced in conjunction with:

• South Orange Village Center Alliance, South Orange NJ.

• Gregory Burrus Productions

• Township of South Orange Village, South Orange NJ.

• West Orange Arts Council, West Orange NJ

• Montclair Brewery, Montclair NJ

• Downtown Cranford, Cranford NJ

Gregory Burrus Productions

Gregory Burrus Productions was extremely happy to capture the day and also provide live music at various towns and venues around North Jersey. 

Gregory Burrus is a Photojournalist, Live Music Ambassador, Arts and Entertainment Writer, Blogger, Business Reviewer, and Community Events Reporter. He is a supporter of local businesses and community events, with a passion for live music. Gregory reviews and writes about local live music programs while booking, promoting and curating many regional live music events around the greater New York/New Jersey area. Having fun, living life, while helping others. https://gregoryburrusproductions.com

Celebrate Juneteenth with Us and Live Music Events In and Around South Orange, NJ

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Saturday, June 19, 2021

Come celebrate with Gregory Burrus Productions, South Orange Village Center Alliance, the Town of South Orange and West Orange Arts Council as they pay homage and tribute to Freedom Day on June 19th, 2021. 

There will be a number of live music events starting at Noon in and around South Orange, West Orange and more, all the way to 10 PM. Take a look, plan your visits, and have fun with these free events. 

Noon - 2 PM Victor Jones Orchestration in Spiotta Park

Photo credit: Albert Clarke, https://www.instagram.com/alclarke_photography/

Victor Jones Orchestration -  Jazz is America's One True Original art form.

Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Jazz can express many different emotions, from pain to sheer joy. In jazz, you may hear the sounds of freedom — for the music has also been a powerful voice for people suffering unfair treatment because of the color of their skin or more. Jazz has spread from the United States to many parts of the world, and today jazz musicians — and jazz festivals — can be found in dozens of nations. Jazz is one of the United States's greatest exports to the world.

Victor Jones is world renown drummer and has performed and toured with such luminaries as Stan Getz, James Moody, Michel Petrucciani, Joe, Olivia, Stanley Clarke, Phyllis Hyman, Dizzy Gillespie and Chaka Khan as well as others. As George Benson said, ”Whether playing funk, rock or jazz, Victor Jones is one cat that gets it right.” 

We invite you to come listen to the Victor Jones Orchestration as we kick off Juneteenth with this world renown visionary performing the music that has survived through the ages. 

2-2:45 PM Destiny Autumn Music In Spiotta Park

Destiny Autumn "...and it's all thanks to Black Musicians"  

Did you know almost all music we listen to today originated from black artists and musicians of yesterday?  Local musician, Destiny Autumn, will break down the history of black music stemming from Hymns of the South to the Pop hits from the North and everything in between dating from the past until present day! You don't want to miss this fun and educational presentation this Juneteenth! Singing, dancing and having fun are a must. All ages, kids to adults, are welcome to participate. 

Destiny Autumn is an up-and-coming professional musician, songwriter and performer based in the New York metropolitan area, who writes and sings from the heart to the hearts and souls of the people. She began her musical journey studying classical piano and voice, and then expanded her palette to various other genres. She studied Jazz and obtained her degree from Indiana University: Jacob School of Music. Destiny has had the opportunity to perform on stage with world renowned artists such as Darmon Meader, Roseanne Vitro, Nadine Herman, Tierney Sutton, Bobby McFerrin, John Raymond, Jeremy Fox and many more.

2:45-4:45 Invigorating Drum Circle In Spiotta Park

We are having a Drum Circle and You are invited

Group rhythm-making evolved from the earliest times of man or woman. When we couldn't communicate verbally, we grunted or banged something as a form of shared expression. That is a Drum Circle! It's when we join together in UNITY to express ourselves through another voice. 

Come on out and express yourself through rhythm with our local resident drummer Allison Brown. Special Guest Richard Reiter, Saxophonist/Jazz Master/Spiritual Drumming Circle Leader, will be joining us with a few friends. Bring your Drum and Chair, or we have some for you. All ages, kids to adults, are welcome to participate.

Lynette Sheard Trio Live at BLM Exhibit at the West Orange Arts Council 

Maria Estrela and Carol Jenkins, both female artists of color from Essex County, have a personal connection to a new exhibit in West Orange.

Participating Artists: Sarah Bass Aspe, Josephine Barreiro, Yuri Bisono, Carol Black-Lemon, Wendy Born, Syreeta Brooks, Marina Carreira, Patricia Croft, Antoinette Ellis-Williams, Maria Estrela, Mary Fordham, Karen Goldberg, Dino Gravato, Patricia Hutchinson, Queen Mother Imakhu, Carol T. Jenkins, Lizette Louis, Cathleen McCoy Bristol, Barbara Motley, Frank Niccoletti, Amelia Panico, Davynte “Red” Pannell, Sundra Parker, John Piccoli, Dayana Poulard, Ron Powell, Martryce Roach, Gale Sasson, Ameerah Shabazz, Ella Silivanch, Timothy Simmons, Elaine Tassy, Sheila R. Thompson, Denise Toney and Kelly D. Villalba.

Learn more at  https://tinyurl.com/yumbkryp

You can read more right here: For These Artists, BLM Exhibit In West Orange Has Special Meaning

The gallery show will be open for in-person visits at 551 Valley Road, West Orange, NJ through July 31. A reception will be held on Saturday, June 19 from 4 to 7 p.m.

4:30 - 5:30 PM Juneteenth BLM Live Music Experience 

Performing at this BLM Reception on June 19th will be a trio of heavy hitter jazz musicians performing outside the West Orange Arts Gallery at 551 Valley Road in West Orange, NJ starting at 4:30-5:30 PM. Adjacent to the Lunar Theater, they will deliver a medley of jazzy tunes guaranteed to make you smile and help you celebrate America's original Art form.

Lynette Sheard - Vocalist

Lynette is a multi-talented and versatile vocalist with a five octave range and perfect pitch. She acts, produces, directs and is a vocal coach. Her performances have been acknowledged in numerous publications including, The NY Times, Broadway World, The Record, Hot House, The Patch and The Chronicle. The Star-Ledger proclaimed that, “Her voice reaches deep into one’s soul and finds a soft spot.” Lynette is also a director of the Mental Health Association of New Jersey. https://www.lynetteentertainment.com/

Brandon McCune - Pianist 

This Chicago native makes his home in Newark, NJ. His musical studies began at age three, when his parents enrolled him in the Suzuki Method of Classical Piano. Brandon McCune is an experienced Professional Musician (pianist, organist, drummer, trumpeter, bassist, vocalist, and choir director) serving as a principal music instructor, composer, counselor, arranger, and performer with a special concentration in the jazz, classical, and gospel genres. Brandon was selected through a national audition as a 1998-1999 U.S. Jazz Ambassador to Africa, where he traveled abroad representing the United States performing public and private concerts, master classes and workshops.  https://www.facebook.com/brandon.mccune

Marshall McDonald - Saxophonist

Marshall McDonald played Lead Alto for 18 years with The Count Basie Orchestra, played Baritone sax on Paquito D'Rivera’s Latin Grammy-winning album Tropicana Nights, played baritone sax with Abdullah Ibrahim and also played clarinet with The Duke Ellington Orchestra. This Pittsburgh native’s career also includes a 10-year stint with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra. Other career highlights include performances at Carnegie Hall with Nancy Wilson, The Tokyo Blue Note, The Nice Jazz Festival, Illinois Jacquet, Charli Persip, Frank Foster, Tony Bennett, Bobby Caldwell, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Tony Bennett, Milt Jackson, Nina Simone, Rosemary Clooney and Aretha Franklin, amongst others. https://marshallmcdonald.com 

Tonia Ray All Stars and MPack Band on Flood's Hill, South Orange, NJ

Tonia Ray and Clarence Conover have been making music in the New Jersey scene for a long time and these two bands, Tonia Ray All Stars and MPACK, will delight the crowd with a series of jumping and popping R&B tunes. 

6:30 - 7:30 PM Tonia Ray All Stars

Tonia Ray brings down the house with her events, whether on the big stage, the club or a nursing home. Known to sing a variety of genres, she brings listeners to their feet, dancing and making sure everyone is having fun. She sings classics from Whitney Houston, The Marvelettes, Diana Ross to Dolly Parton, Bette Midler, and much, much more. She’s guaranteed to give an audience a performance they will not stop talking about. 

8:00 - 9:00 PM MPack Band

MPack is a band, a brand, and a musical production enterprise, consisting of multiple elements in an ever-evolving flow. It is the musical brainchild of bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, drummer and vocalist Clarence ‘Groove Master’ Conover. He’s the founder and CEO of M-Pack Music productions, whose motto is “Life Changing Sounds.” MPack brings an explosive energy to the stage, guaranteed to rock the house all night long!

They will take us back, and bring us back to today. Good times, dancing and shaking in your seat guaranteed.

You are invited to celebrate Freedom Day on Flood's Hill and enjoy these FREE live music performances. Bring your own picnic, or purchase BBQ and beer from the Gaslight Beer Garden.

About Gregory Burrus Productions

Gregory Burrus Productions produces/promotes local live music events and is also a social media manager, event developer and community partner that documents local community events in the Greater New Jersey and New York Area. Gregory Burrus reports and blogs about the local arts and entertainment scene, showcasing, photographing, videotaping events and happenings as they occur all around the towns. 

Welcome to Downtown Cranford 2021 Summer Sounds Live Music Series!

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Saturday, June 19, 2021

Exciting Vibrant Cranford, NJ

With outstanding shopping, restaurants, services and entertainment & events, not to mention our beautiful parks and waterways, Cranford offers authentic experiences for everyone.

According to Wikipedia, Cranford, NJ has a nickname of "The Venice of New Jersey'' and a motto "Friendship and Progress." This small town has shaped up to be one highly desirable place to be and live in. In both 2018 and 2019, The Star-Ledger named Cranford the best downtown in New Jersey after an online vote, calling it "adorable [and] snowglobe-like.” New Jersey Monthly magazine ranked Cranford as its 34th best place to live in its 2010 rankings of the "Best Places To Live.” Cranford is part of the New York City metropolitan area.

Cranford is home to more than 24,000 people who enjoy its many parks, recreational facilities, shopping areas and outstanding schools. Strategically located in the heart of Union County, the Township is served by the NJ Transit bus and Raritan Valley train line, making it desirable for outbound and inbound commuters. Established in 1871, Cranford is 4.8 square miles of wonderful neighborhoods and historic homes along the Rahway River, some dating back to the late 1800s. Township residents and visitors, young and old, can enjoy the many programs at the Community Center, Public Library, parks, tennis courts, indoor and outdoor pools or canoeing on the river. These are just some of the reasons Cranford is routinely rated in the Top 50 Best Places to Live in NJ and to raise a family.

Keeping Downtown Alive - Downtown Cranford

https://downtowncranford.org/

The town has a strong commercial base. Downtown Cranford is well known for its many restaurants, unique specialty shops and has seen tremendous investment and growth in recent years with several Transit-Oriented Development projects. Smaller neighborhood shopping areas, like Centennial Village, are also revitalized with new restaurants and businesses. The Cranford Business Park, with easy access to the Garden State Parkway, major roads and Newark Airport, is home to several well-known national corporations.

https://downtowncranford.org/

Also, the Downtown Cranford Special Improvement District (SID) led by Executive Director Caren Demyan is dedicated to ensuring a vibrant downtown. Downtown Cranford is a Township department whose objective is to promote, brand, beautify, maintain, attract, and grow business. The Office of Downtown Business & Economic Development is part of the Township government and represents all properties, businesses and residents within the SID regardless of size, location or use and is the official advocate for property and business owners. You can learn more about Downtown Cranford and how they can support your objectives right here.  

Downtown Cranford Making Live Music Happen 2021

Alex Desrivieres / Harmonic Convergence 2020

2021 Downtown Cranford  Lineup Schedule

The Downtown Cranford office announced that there is music at Eastman Plaza throughout the summer 2021! Starting in June, there will be music performances at Eastman Plaza on Thursdays from 6-8pm by a number of local musicians. 

2021 Summer Sounds Performers

As you can see, we have an extensive and diverse list of music genres and performers for everyone's listening pleasure, with some returning favorites and some brand new first-timers. We have crossed the spectrum with pop, rock, R&B, jazz, country, Latin, cabaret and, of course, some blues to make you tap your feet, shake your head and dance in your seat. Just come on out and have a good time enjoying the sounds of Downtown Cranford live music. 

Experience the Summer Sounds and Views

All are invited to come on out and enjoy this wonderful live music location, to enjoy Downtown Cranford stores and restaurants and the Downtown Cranford Summer Sounds Series. Here's a few landmarks to pique your curiosity, and hopefully you will stop in and enjoy this wonderful environment.  

At this very busy traffic intersection right off the NJ Transit train station there is this idyllic park in the middle of the hustle and bustle:

Inside it is this wonderful grassy location, along with some natural seating, what's known locally as the Eastman Clock location.

And what's really cool is there is a built-in amphitheater-type seating all the way around and out to the grass and the adjacent stores. This is a very cool place to be where you are able to sit, relax and enjoy the summer sounds of live music. 

About the Writer

Gregory Burrus is a Photojournalist, Live Music Ambassador, Arts and Entertainment Writer, Blogger, Business Reviewer, and Community Events Reporter. He is a supporter of local businesses and community events, with a passion for live music. Gregory reviews and writes about local live music programs while booking, promoting and curating many regional live music events around the greater New York/New Jersey area. Greg promotes events through social media marketing, writing articles, blogging and photojournalism. Having fun, living life, while helping others. https://gregoryburrusproductions.com

Interview with Andrew Gialanella of Shore Points Records, Asbury Park

By Sonia Schnee | Posted Wednesday, February 10, 2021

On January 29th, Shore Points Records, a new independent record label based in Asbury Park (housed at Lakehouse Recording Studios), released a compilation called “Shore Points Records: Locals Only Vol. 1” which features 10 NJ-based artists and bands - Sonic Blume, Lance Ambrose, 8dayzstr8, Drew the Recluse, stillhungry, Rick Barry, Jackson Pines, Phoneboy, Shoobies, and Georgia Owen.

Check out our interview with Andrew Gialanella, Manager, A&R of Shore Points Records, below, to learn about the label’s mission, how you can get a hold of their new compilation, and words of advice for aspiring artists.

What inspired the formation of Shore Point Records? What's your mission?

Shore Points was founded by Jon Leidersdorff (Lakehouse Music owner) and Rich Christina (SVP of A&R at Warner/Chappell Music). Jon, Rich, and I are all proud NJ residents, and we strongly believe in the musical talent here. The label's mission is to elevate local talent, and help up and coming artists of all types to grow and achieve their goals professionally and creatively.

Congratulations on the release of your “Locals Only Vol. 1" compilation! Where can people listen to it?

Thank you! You can listen to the compilation on all streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, etc. There is also limited vinyl pressed.

How did you find the bands that are on it?

We found these artists through our personal networks, word of mouth recommendations from music professionals in our community, and through A&R research focused on NJ talent.

Do you plan on releasing more compilations in the future?

We plan to do more projects like this in the future, as well as put out new music from some of the great artists we've discovered since the label's formation.

What are you looking forward to in 2021?

I'm definitely looking forward to continuing to discover and meet more artists from the area, and hopefully continue to bring the NJ music community together.

What words of advice would you give to someone who wants to start their own record label?

My advice to anyone planning to start a record label would be to really gain a broad understanding of today's recorded music industry. Take a look at other independent artists and labels that are succeeding. How are they connecting with their listeners? And what is it about their release strategies that seem to be working? And most importantly, be patient and form relationships with great artists. As a brand new label, you have to invest a tremendous amount of time and effort into a select few artists who are just starting out.

What words of advice would you give to artists who are trying to survive and grow in NJ?

To any artists who are working to make a career out of music, just remember that you have more power today than you ever would have in the past. With digital distribution and streaming, the playing field is actually more level than it ever was. And you have more freedom to take risks, release more music, and connect with fans more directly. Take advantage of it! And of course, strive to make great music every day. Finding someone who will give you honest feedback on your work is invaluable (as uncomfortable as it might make you feel at first).

Finally, how can people connect with you?

People can follow us on Instagram, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and stream our compilation "Shore Points Records: Locals Only Vol. 1" on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, and more.