Keeping Jazz Alive - Jamming with Noel Sagerman at The Brightside Tavern in Jersey City

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Thursday, January 27, 2022

Looking for someplace nice to go, have a great meal, some affordable drinks, and listen to some wonderful jazz music? Well, while everyone else is sitting at home on a Monday night, you can head on over to Jersey City and check out the Jazz Jam. It's run by drummer Noel Sagerman with a whole host of professional musicians at The Brightside Tavern.

The Brightside Tavern

The Brightside Tavern was opened nine years ago, and the goal was to create an atmosphere similar to that of Cheers. And, as it turned out, Brightside is even more cheerful than Cheers.

The Brightside Tavern, 141 Bright St., Jersey City, NJ 07302. (201) 435-1234

In a recent interview, “Brightside Tavern: Jersey City’s ‘Best-Kept Secret’”, I found this great description of Brightside restaurant:

“I love entertaining people and making them happy,” Tommy [Parisi aka Tommy 2 Scoops as patrons love to call him] told Hoboken Girl. In fact, he seems to have unlimited time and energy for everyone, whether he has known that person for five minutes or fifteen years […] The bar has become the center of gravity of a large community. In fact, it is one of Jersey City’s go-to spots for parties and events as the tavern is set up for large gatherings.”

Well, having chatted with Tommy, it's all true and I believe him when he says, “The tavern is not a gold mine… It’s a soul mine.” And yes, Monday is for jazz, for which more than a dozen local musicians are brought in to perform every week. And yes, I have been there to witness Tommy hopping on stage to render a “What a Wonderful World” to a roaring audience. “I was on National TV. I sang at [the] Apollo theater. The entire Louis Armstrong song. Think about it” said Tommy.

So yes, good times are guaranteed when the venue owner joins in the fun and the jam is jammin’. After all, Tommy has been very supportive and has kept the jam happening throughout the pandemic.

About Your Monday Jazz Jam Hosts

That’s right, at The Brightside Tavern you can jam your cares away with a host of professional musicians. Check them out below. 

Jamming with Noel Sagerman and Friends

 2nd and 4th Mondays

Jam leader Noel Sagerman is a jazz jam drummer from New Jersey and is proficient in all sorts of live music genres and settings from late-night jazz to early morning religious services. Noel Sagerman has been playing drums since elementary school in West Orange, NJ and started playing professionally at the University of Vermont. He then spent a year playing in Japan. Later, he returned to NJ and furthered his studies with teachers Bobby Thomas, Billy Higgins, and Tim Horner. 

Noel Sagerman at Jersey City Jazz Festival

Some of the artists he has worked with include Irene Reid, Pharoah Sanders, "Big" John Patton, David "Fathead" Newman, Oliver Lake, Bruce Williams, Dave Stryker, Pat Tandy, Freddie Hendrix, Brandon McCune, and Pete Rodriguez, along with gospel singer/pianist Joshua Nelson on tour, and at Hopewell Baptist Church. 

A regular in-demand drummer, Noel has played numerous venues and programs around New York and New Jersey such as 125st Showmans, Smalls, Smoke Jazz Club, Shanghai Jazz Restaurant & Bar, Rutgers Clements Place Jazz, Groove on Grove, McGinley Square Pub, Van Gogh's Ear Cafe, Englewood Ideal Lodge, New Brunswick Tavern on George, Jersey City Jazz Festival, Fox and Crow, South Orange Jazz On Sloan and many more. Noel is known as one of the hardest working drummers around and now is leading the killer jam at The Brightside Tavern in Jersey City.  Come join Noel Sagerman and Friends on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the Month.

King James Gibbs lll

3rd Monday 

“King James Gibbs III who currently tours with 8 time Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Joe Thomas was born in Newark, and raised in Irvington, New Jersey. He began playing the trumpet at the age of 14 and began his jazz training at The New Brunswick Jazz Institute, under instructor and legendary organist Radam Schwartz.”

James has performed with many notable musicians and organizations i.e. “the annual WBGO Jazz membership party and Gala at The Five Spot jazz club in New York City, […] studied with Betty [Carter] at Brooklyn Academy of Music and The Kennedy Center,” and in many other venues and festivals.

“James performs in multiple music genres: Jazz, Rock, R&B, Gospel, Latin, Reggae, Classical, Brazilian, and many other ethnic styles.”

James has shared the stage with many greats such as: Duke Ellington’s Orchestra bassist John Lamb, Rufus Reid, Buster Cooper, Mark Whitfield, Sean Jones, John Lee, Kenny Drew Jr, Terrence Blanchard of Spike Lee films, 8 time grammy nominated singer/songwriter Joe Thomas, Broadway actor Jerry Stiller, Eric Roberson (grammy nominated singer/songwriter), Smokin’ Joe Frazier, Roy Hargrove (trumpeter), Wynton Marsalis, Cecil Brooks III, Cyrus Chestnut, TS Monk, amongst many others. (Read more at www.rsberkeley.com/james-gibbs-iii.)

Come join King James Gibbs lll on the 3rd Monday of the Month.

Steve Malski Miles

1st Monday 

According to the bio on his website:

“Steve Malski Niles is a pianist, vocalist, multimedia artist, writer, and educator currently living in New Jersey.

Steve began his musical career at the very early age of five years old with accordion and piano lessons, and had his first professional job at the age of twelve. The home of Steve’s upbringing was constantly filled with music, as his father and sister also played, and all listened to music constantly. He later went on to receive a Bachelor of Fine arts in Jazz Piano and Voice, graduating Summa Cum Laude from Long Island University. “

And, oh yeah, Steve has a book out on art as an alternate healing source. Check out The Power of Art in Healing and Transformation.

Come join Steve Niles on the 1st Monday of the Month.

About the Monday Jazz Jam

There is a house band, but personnel varies. A number of swinging musicians have come through and joined in such as Jordan Piper, who was the house pianist and, more recently, Motoki Mihara as bassist, plus others like William Gorman, Nick Masters, Jonathan Kirschner, Tim Hegarty, Larry Pollack, and of course the house favorite, singer Mary Aiken. 

As you can see, the jams are jumpin’ with something for everyone. You can have a great time every Monday as the jam has been running for 9 years since March 2013. The jams run from 7:30-11:30 pm and the house band plays a set to start, and then the Jam is open to the public. No special invite is needed, all you have to do is show up and have some fun. 

What Can You Do? Support the Cause 

The music will be slamming — a guaranteed good time when you attend. However, as you can imagine, the coronavirus pandemic has brought huge disruption to daily life and to many around the world. Concert halls are closed and many, if not most, Jazz venus have closed and some will never reopen.

According to The Washington Post:

“Jazz venues have been hit particularly hard by the pandemic. They are hoping the worst is over […] jazz clubs were the hardest hit of all types of music venues, according to Audrey Fix Schaefer, the head of communications at the National Independent Venue Association.”

Needless to say, with gatherings being stopped or socially distanced, large sectors of the economy are still paralyzed and many members of the jazz community have still not recovered, so any help will be greatly appreciated. So what can you do to support the cause?

Donate

“KEYED UP! has quickly become NYC's favorite entity for musicians, audiences, and venues alike! Operating simultaneously in over 25 partner venues spanning from Jersey City, NJ to Sag Harbor, Long Island, we are proud to keep hundreds of musicians working and over a thousand hungry jazz listeners happy each week at no extra cost to our partner venues.” — jazzgeneration.org/keyed-up

You can donate to KEYED UP! here.

Attend A Jam

The program time is Monday evenings from 7:30 to 11:00 pm with no cover.  We hope you attend the Jam, cheer, clap and have a great time. 

Stay Up To Date. Contact:  

Noel Sagerman at noelsagerman@hotmail.com with any questions. 

https://www.facebook.com/TheBrightsideTavern
https://www.thebrightsidetavernnj.com 

Show Some Love to the Tip Bucket

Become friendly with the Tip Bucket. Believe me, your support is highly appreciated by the musicians. 

Final Thoughts 

Please Support Jazz Music. I urge you to explore and click the links above. Don’t hesitate to call for more info and make some time in your schedule to visit The Brightside Tavern this year and say hi to everybody.

Don’t forget to let me know how your visit went. Tag @gregoryburrus or message me directly via text or FB msg, and of course enjoy the live jazz entertainment.

About the Author 

Gregory Burrus books bands, produces, promotes, captures, and records live music events along with various other community and private activities.

I love writing about it all. My mission is to help community groups, live music bands, and local nonprofits, reach their goals and accomplish their missions while enjoying the day-to-day process of life. 

https://www.jerseyindie.com/ji-blogger-gregory-burrus 
https://patch.com/users/gregburrus 

Get Featured

So as you can see, these are some pretty cool places with awesome support groups and more importantly, supportive venue owners, all hoping and helping to keep the Jazz Alive for a long, long time. If you want your favorite Jazz venue listed, let me know and I'll get you in on the next scheduled post.

http://gregoryburrusproductions.com/contact 

Hearing the Music In-Between the Synchronized Beats — Winter Jazzfest 2022 Review (Part 2)

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Wednesday, January 26, 2022

In today's Part 2 post about the Winter Jazzfest 2022 virtual marathon, we explore Jazz and the types Jazz within Jazz.

In Part 1 of exploring and sharing Winter Jazzfest 2022, “Winter Jazzfest 2022 – What’s It All About? Something for Everyone from the Comfort of Your Home”, I pointed out how it's really a festival that is a part of Northeast Jersey and a few ways to get there. 

I also demonstrated that pre-pandemic events such as the Winter Jazzfest 2020 contained over 21 stages over 11 nights, in Downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn, featuring over 700 artists and more than 170 groups (it’s impossible to see all in one night, so one usually attends multiple nights) and I reviewed the more traditional jazz performances. 

Well, this year’s pandemic-driven Winter Jazzfest 2022 virtual marathon contained 10 nights of programming across Manhattan, Brooklyn, and dozens of venues from around the globe. It contained over 100 groups and 500 musicians across 12 venues. That is, once again, more than anyone can listen to in 4 or 5 nights.

In this Part 2 Winter Jazzfest 2022 Review, I’ll introduce you to the Founder’s vision and my favorite WBGO Jazz Radio Station on-air personalities who are hosting the nightly sessions. Then, we’ll explore some straight-ahead jazz folks and also more of the avant-garde or free jazz jazz performances.  

The Founder, The Vision

The Winter Jazzfest founder is Brice Rosenbloom, and this visit and listening journey started on his Winter Jazzfest About page. I found statements like:

“… exciting and forward-thinking contemporary jazz music being made today… celebrates the music as a living entity, wherein history collides with the future in every note. Creative improvisation in the digital age continues to stimulate thought and emotion of its listeners… embracing innovation… defying instrumental boundaries and the old cliches of ‘What is Jazz?’”

Clearly, the festival is looking for more than straight-ahead and swing-type jazz, and clearly I need to hone some of my out-of-the-box listening skills. 

The other cool part of this virtual multi-day marathon is it was hosted by some of my favorite WBGO on-air personalities. 

Keanna Faircloth is the Host of WBGO Afternoon Jazz.

According to her bio on WBGO.org,

“She is a graduate of Howard University having majored in Music History with a minor in Classical Piano. Keanna has written for NPR Music, and worked for Radio One as an on-air personality, producer and voice-over talent […] she was recognized by Radio Ink Magazine as a 2019 African American leader in radio. […] Her mission to connect the jazz of yesteryear to the sound of today is what drives her, and she plans to continue to perpetuate the idea of ‘Sankofa’ - to ‘go back and get it.’”

My buddy Sheila Anderson, Host of Weekend Jazz After Hours, Salon Sessions and Sunday Night Music Mix, is the “Queen of Hang.” At the age of six, she fell in love with jazz and has been a member of WBGO for 33 years.

Sheila E. Anderson is a graduate of Baruch College, a (2017) Columbia University Community Scholar, and a inaugural Dan Morgenstern Fellow by the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers-Newark (2020). She is also an author of several books, with her latest book being How to Grow as a Musician: What All Musicians Must Know to Succeed. 

And now, it’s time to listen to some great, unique, and thought-provoking live jazz music performances. Just click the pic to listen, as I bring you this more avant-garde view of the festival.

Samara Joy

Being from the Bronx, I am of course proud of my hometown winner. Only recently celebrating her 21st birthday, Samara Joy is a winner of the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. She has one beautiful voice and is being touted as one of America’s most promising young vocalists. At this young age, Samara has already performed in many of the great jazz venues in NYC, including Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola, The Blue Note, Mezzrow, and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC). She has also been working with jazz greats such as Christian McBride, Pasquale Grasso, Kirk Lightsey, Cyrus Chestnut, and NEA Jazz Master Dr. Barry Harris. Many proclaim she has “a voice as smooth as velvet” and that her “star seems to rise with each performance.” True to form, her first album “announces the arrival of a young artist destined for greatness.” You can learn more by listening to her on her Fox5 News TV appearance. 

Angel Bat Dawid with the Cosmic Mythological Ensemble 

“NYC Winter Jazzfest artist-in-residence composer/multi-instrumentalist Angel Bat Dawid presents Afro-Town Topics: A Mythological Afrofuturist Revue. Inspired by Fats Waller, Dawid presents a new original score using the traditional framework of a musical revue (a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches) as a compositional blueprint with the intention of creating and exploring the production of new Afro sonic realities and futures.” — www.winterjazzfest.com

Nite BJuti with Candice Hoyes, Val Jeanty & Mimi Jones

Jazz Gender Initiative Supporters using improvised electronica, percussion/vox/bass. The artists are  @valjeanty + @candicehoyes + @mimijonesmusic.

I found this extremely entertaining, but my description would not do justice to the performance so I'm glad I found this writeup of Nite BJuti by this Jazz Times writer:

“As I stood in line at the Moxy Hotel to pick up my Winter Jazzfest Marathon press pass, three female musicians set up in a corner across from the baked-good stands captured my attention. I couldn’t leave that spot for a full hour as the trio, Nite Bjuti, slung low bass cadences through Kansas City and New Orleans, visited Africa via electronic percussion and blasted beats, and traveled spaceward with vocals sampled, woven, spun, and finally ejected free to engage the cosmos. Percussionist LP / beat maker Val Jeanty, vocalist/sampler controller Candice Hoyes, and double bassist Mimi Jones were the biggest revelation of WJF (so far), creating dense sound vistas and pure improvisations. Jones’ heavy, funky bass slaps buffeted Jeanty’s turbulent rhythms and Hoyes’ unique vocals, the trio’s spiritual hookup immediate and profound.”

Zoh Amba — Loove Labs, Brooklyn

“Zoh Amba is a saxophonist and composer from Tennessee. While growing up in the mountains, Amba played in the forest and emerged into the sound world. After moving to San Francisco in 2018, she spent two years at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where she played at venues such as the Black Cat and SFJAZZ. Outside of school, she studied under saxophonist Hafez Modirzadeh.” — thelaurelofasheville.com

Amba has recorded and played with great sound painters like William Parker, Vijay Iyer, Matthew Shipp, Eric Harland, Marc Edwards, Cooper-Moore, and Francisco Mela. She just recorded her first record with Mr. William Parker and Francisco Mela, expected to be released in early 2022.

BBC Presents Ishmael Ensemble — Soma Centre

Ishmael Ensemble is a Bristol-based collective led by saxophonist & producer Pete Cunningham, who’s also a DJ and multi-instrumentalist. I found this to be representative of being at the intersection of “defying instrumental boundaries'' and the old cliches of “What is Jazz” as described in the Winterfest description. Lots of traditional instruments and electronic music for sure. They have said that “Ishmael Ensemble stage show is quite a big technical endeavor so it’s not really in our nature to do pop-up or jammed gigs as some bands do.” This performance felt more like rock jazz and next minute I felt like I was in an enchanted forest, but hey, what do I know, I’m just a listener. 

Amir Elsaffar — Hermitage Artist Retreat  

“Composer, trumpeter, santur player, and vocalist Amir ElSaffar has been described as “uniquely poised to reconcile jazz and Arabic music,” (the Wire) and “one of the most promising figures in jazz today” (Chicago Tribune). A recipient of the Doris Duke Performing Artist Award and a 2018 US Artist Fellow, ElSaffar is an expert trumpeter with a classical background, conversant not only in the language of contemporary jazz, but has created techniques to play microtones and ornaments idiomatic to Arabic music that are not typically heard on the trumpet.” — www.amirelsaffar.com

From my world of straight ahead and swing jazz, to the more avant garde performances, there’s nothing like discovering new music through the creativity of live music performance.  So what do you think?

I'm also very happy as this is definitely in line with my mission of KEEPING JAZZ ALIVE. If just one more person discovers one of the above musicians, that's fantastic! 

Let me know your thoughts.

About the Writer

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:  
https://24hoursofmusicjamboree.com 
https://gregoryburrusproductions.com 

Keeping Jazz Alive - Norman Mann at the Cricket Club Entertainment Complex

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Tuesday, January 25, 2022

In continuing this series on the people, venues and programs that are helping keep jazz alive, I was very happy to encounter Mr. Norman Mann who has been on the forefront of keeping jazz alive for a long time. He has been building and promoting jazz performances and jazz jams for many years, and in this series of Keeping Jazz Alive #4 we highlight Norman Mann and his latest venture at the Cricket Club in Irvington, NJ.  

Norman Mann — Bandleader, Percussionist

Norman Mann and Rafiki in Spiotta Park 

Norman Mann plays congas, percussion, and sings. He has appeared with many of the top musicians in our area. Norman and his bands have performed in numerous venues around Northern New Jersey such as Newark's Clements Place Jazz, Taste Restaurant, Priory Jazz Club, Duke’s Southern Kitchen, Montclair’s Trumpets Jazz, City of Orange’s Mr. Jays, South Orange’s Spiotta Park and Jazz On Sloan at The Gazebo program, along with many other venues. And yes, the music is always well received.

Norman Mann is an alumnus and a Weequahic High School Football Hall of Famer and is widely respected within the community. Norman is the CEO of G Mann Productions and is bandleader of the popular band Norman Mann and Rafiki, which you can read more about here: Jazz973 Swinging Hard with Norman Mann and Rafiki at Clements Place Jazz for Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies. He has produced numerous jazz shows in many of the Tri-State area jazz clubs mentioned above. You may remember Norman who, along with Greg Salandis, managed the very popular jazz program at Skippers Plane Street Pub back in November 2007.  Well, he's continuing the mission and his newest venture is producing Friday Night Jazz events at the Cricket Club Entertainment Complex. 

Cricket Club Entertainment Complex

The Legendary Cricket Club Entertainment Complex, 154 Eastern Pkwy, Irvington, NJ, www.cricketclubnj.com, (973) 388-8833

Jazz Program

Someone who recently attended a Friday Night Jazz session at the Cricket Club summed up their experience as this:

"Venturing out on a 10 degree wind chill night in January as a musician for a jam, or just as a fan, lacks the common sense that God gave a goat. But once you arrive and that music hits you, there is nothing better."

— A Jazz Fan

And to me, that's what it's all about, so I say take a quick listen to this December performance. As you can see and hear, the jazz is jumpin’ and the place is poppin’. Norman Mann curates a stellar list of local musicians and they perform some incredible sets of music.

It should be evident from listening that the musicians and the folks in attendance truly enjoy the jazz on any given Friday Night at the Cricket Club. The atmosphere is warm, inviting and laid back. The good part is you can be up close and personal with some really great jazz performances. 

Service — Food — Drinks 

The Cricket Entertainment Complex Service has timely service considering every industry is having issues securing resources. When I was there, the wait staff were very helpful and kept us informed on the progress of our order and our meals arrived in an appropriate time frame. Concerning food presentation, I'm not a fan of styrofoam containers, however I am told that in this world of a COVID pandemic, it is a safer, contactless way to serve food. The good part is the food was prepared well, hot and very tasty, and I would definitely order again. Drink prices were not overinflated and were actually very affordable. 

Environment — Attendees

As you will see when you listen in, depending on the fans of that night’s performers along with the neighborhood regulars in attendance and the type of music, you can have a very engaging talkative crowd enjoying themselves and the music, and/or you may experience a listening crowd. The Cricket Club has both because when the jazz starts swinging and the audience gets involved, everybody starts having fun. 

Parking

The other thing I should mention is that the Cricket Club has an awesome, large, one-level, fenced-in attached outdoor parking lot with plenty of space. 

Summary 

The look of this non-descript multi-story building doesn't do justice to the good time you will have once you settle into your seat. We were in the smaller of the three rooms and we had plenty of room to move around and had a great time. And don’t forget that Norman Mann is keeping jazz alive big time by bringing in world class jazz musicians every time. 

What’s Next and How Can You Support the Cause? 

Jazz Programs 

Attend the weekly Friday Night Jazz program.

Events Calendar 

https://www.facebook.com/norman.mann.33 
https://www.facebook.com/CricketClub411/

Contact

Norman Mann (973) 518-4498

Donate  

When you show up, be nice to the tip bucket. 

Final Thoughts

Don't hesitate to support live music. Make some time in your schedule to visit Norman Mann at the Cricket Club this year for some great jazz.

Say hi to everybody and don't forget to let me know how your visit went. Take some pics, tag me and/or send directly to me via text or FB msg and, of course, enjoy the live jazz entertainment. 

About the Writer — Gregory Burrus

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 
https://gregoryburrusproductions.com

Get Featured

So these Jazz Locations are some pretty cool places, with awesome support groups and, more importantly, supportive venue owners, hoping and helping to keep the Jazz Alive for a long long time. If you want your favorite Jazz venue listed, let me know and I'll get you in on the next scheduled post.  https://gregoryburrusproductions.com/contact/

Keeping Jazz Alive - Richard Pierson Life Story Band at DLV Lounge in Montclair, NJ

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Monday, January 24, 2022

“Let's support and embrace it and the sounds that come from this corner of OUR UNIVERSE.”   
— Richard Pierson

In this corner of the universe is an establishment where the musicians and the owner have teamed up to fight the good fight of keeping jazz alive in Montclair, New Jersey. It's a team effort where the owner George, the drummer Richard Pierson and his very supportive group of fellow musicians are fighting the good fight every week by producing awesome, engaging jazz performances at this very local neighborhood spot called DLV Lounge.

DLV Lounge 

DLV Lounge, 300 Bloomfield Ave, Montclair, NJ. Contact: 973-783-6988 after 6 pm.

According to their Facebook page:

“Established in 1972, the DLV Lounge in Montclair, NJ is a warm, friendly, family-owned neighborhood bar & lounge, with great live entertainment Thursday through Saturday. ‘DLV’ stands for Dutch/Louise/Valerie. Owned and operated by George.”

Intimate, Warm, and Friendly 

As soon as you step inside the doorway of this intimate cozy bar, you will most likely be greeted by the DLV owner George and a few regular patrons. As you settle into your seat, you will then discover an unpretentious place where the drinks are affordable and it has a friendly laid back environment and a relaxed atmosphere where almost everyone knows everybody.  

When I was there, I actually met folks at the bar who stated they were just out for the night and were looking for something to do. As they were passing by they saw the sign in the window that said “Jazz” and they said “Oh Yeah!”  Well, it’s all about the Jazz, and in doing some research I found this revealing 2015 quote by Richard Pierson in an article written by percussionist Bruce Tyler in the Montclair Dispatch titled “Montclair’s Hidden Gem is the DLV Lounge”:

“The DLV is a cultural icon or fast becoming one,” said Pierson. “We have people from all walks of life coming here. I feel like I am in Harlem when I’m here. It’s the best feeling in the world to have people come and know what they are listening to. It’s beautiful!”

Richard Pierson and friends at the DLV Lounge — July 23, 2015

Fast forward to today and you can see Richard is still committed to the cause of keeping Jazz alive at DLV.  Hence, we can say thanks to Richard and a lot of local performing musicians. DLV is definitely a cultural icon in the neighborhood.  

Richard Pierson Life Story House Band

When interviewing Richard, you can hear the energy and love for his Life Story program. He describes the program as:

“Music that brings renowned guest artists from all over to the town of Montclair. Jazz On the Avenue is to become an influential cultural phenomenon in the community. Live Music Experience, Great Drinks, Warm Vibe, complimentary Snacks & CD's, while it lasts = Fun Times @ The DLV Lounge! “

JAZZ ON THE AVENUE with Richard Pierson Life Story Band, featuring the Fabulous Vocalist Jacqueline Harmon Johnson and the Super Dapper, Super Cool Rich Acciavatti.  

The Band

Richard Pierson — Bandleader, Drummer

Richard Pierson is a seasoned, professional drummer who has performed all over the US and has created music with many well-known, heavy hitter musicians young and old. Accomplishments include arranging and producing recording projects, and he is in the process of finishing a current CD. 

I asked Richard how it all works on any given night with the Richard Pierson Life Story Band and the invited musicians. He explained that he has extensive connections from his on-the-road days which helps a lot in securing performers. Add to that, many musicians touch bass with him all the time. However, he makes sure everyone gets a chance to play. He tends to focus on a monthly theme. Last month was saxophone and this month is focused on guitar players. 

Jacqueline Harmon Johnson — Vocalist

Jacqueline Harmon Johnson is originally from Newark and now resides in East Orange, NJ. She started singing while attending college. A tireless advocate for jazz, Jacqueline’s desire to sing jazz and blues is deeply rooted in her belief that exposure to jazz will help educate the younger generation. She has performed in numerous venues around the tri-state area, so you should check her out to experience a bluesy, soulful, sultry, and engaging performance. I should also state that she is the force behind Fly Balloon Designs and has mastered the technique of using balloons to make venues look fabulous by creating balloon designs for any situation or environment. 

Rich Acciavatti — Bass

Rich Acciavatti is a versatile NY Metro bassist, vocalist, and composer/arranger who has been playing over 50 years and worked with many artists over the years including Edgar Winter, Gap Mangione, Julie London, Candido, Steve Kuhn, Al Pierson (Guy Lombardo Orchestra), Jimmy Randolph, Bill Connors, and The Marvelettes. Rich has recorded numerous jingle dates, film scores, and “library” music for Don Sebesky, Teo Macero, and Tony Bongiovi. Aside from his love for playing jazz, Rich also is enthusiastic about world music and American music from the mid-19th century to the present. Come see Rich, he is one of the coolest bass players around.

Invited Musicians 

All this means that you, the audience, will enjoy performances from the professional Jacqueline Harmon Johnson or a young up-and-coming vocalist like Avery Joi. Folks will enjoy seasoned bassist Rich Acciavatti along with the invited heavy hitters such as Dave Braham, Nat Janoff, Bill Saxon, Gene Ghee, Houston Person, King James Gibbs III, Charlie Sigler, Radam Schwartz, James Stewart and many others in between. 

Richard knows them all, going way back. All to say, what could be better than a cool cozy environment for listening to some truly special jazz all surrounded by some very nice folks. 

So What’s Next? You Can Support The Cause

In Segment 3 of Keeping Jazz Alive, we highlighted a venue, a bandleader, and a group of supportive musicians that have been helping out on the scene for a very long time. We hope you enjoyed it, and here's the plan and we hope you can help:

Performances 

Richard said there might be a Montclair Internet Radio Broadcast in the future. He will be seeking support from the Jazz Foundation of America.

Events. Come on out and join in.

Weekly Thursday Nights Sessions. Follow Richard to keep up to date: https://www.facebook.com/richarx.pierson  

Donate  

When you show up, find the tip bucket. If you don't see one, ask for it.

Final Thoughts

Finally, I urge you to explore the venue listed above, click the links, and don't hesitate to call and support live music.  And please make some time in your schedule to visit DLV this year. Say hi to everybody, and don't forget to let me know how your visit went. Tag me or message me directly via text or FB msg and, of course, enjoy the live jazz entertainment. 

About the Writer — Gregory Burrus

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 24hoursofmusicjamboree.com and gregoryburrusproductions.com.

Get Featured

So these are some pretty cool places, with awesome support groups and, more importantly, supportive venue owners, hoping and helping to keep the Jazz Alive for a long, long time. If you want your favorite Jazz venue listed, let me know at gregoryburrusproductions.com/contact and I'll get you in on the next scheduled post.

Keeping Jazz Alive - New Brunswick Jazz Project at Tavern on George

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Sunday, January 23, 2022

Since my mission is keeping live music thriving, I love encountering others that are very focused on that mission. In Segment 2 of Keeping Jazz Alive, we hear from a group of folks who are extremely passionate about keeping Jazz alive. 

“Live performance opportunities dried up everywhere in the country — but NBJP was fortunate enough to be able to continue presenting during most of the ‘dark days.’“  — New Brunswick Jazz Project

In New Brunswick, NJ Jazz is alive and kicking along George Street. One very special place is Tavern on George, a bi-level pub with live jazz & a grand, open-timbered dining room serving burgers & housemade donuts.

Tavern on George, 361 George Street, New Brunswick, NJ, 08901. For reservations, call 732-545-6205.

Jazz Programs

There is live Jazz every Tuesday and Thursday from 7-10 pm. Bringing Great Jazz to Central Jersey. Live, straight-ahead jazz is presented weekly.  

"The New Brunswick Jazz Project is quickly becoming New Jersey's freshest jazz presenters..." —The Star-Ledger

Live Jazz Music 

What's happening here is a very hard-working, very focused group that continues to produce some very serious jazz. As we all hope we are coming out of various versions of this pandemic, live music has suffered and is still suffering, yet there are groups like NBJP that have set themselves up to survive and thrive.  

“The New Brunswick Jazz Project has created a real jazz scene and now regularly draws guests from all over the state, as well as New York and Pennsylvania, to Central Jersey to enjoy this quintessential, uniquely American music.”  —The Star-Ledger

I contacted one of the NBJP founders, Virginia DeBerry, and she supplied some thoughts from the founders of the New Jersey Jazz Project.  Of course, it's about jazz music, and hence, I improvised along the way with some great live music for your listening pleasure. 

New Brunswick Jazz Project founders Jimmy Lenihan, Virginia DeBerry, and Michael Tublin.

VIRGINIA DEBERRY: 2022 marks the 12th year that the New Brunswick Jazz Project has been presenting weekly live jazz performances in New Brunswick, and considering how challenging 2020-2021 was for everyone, we are thrilled to still be around. 

New Brunswick Jazz Project Interview - How New Brunswick Became a Hub for Jazz Music. Take a listen.

We did Facebook live streams from musicians' homes in March and April 2020 — the early days of the pandemic — and by May, the city of New Brunswick and New Brunswick City Center had rallied around the restaurants and downtown businesses and almost everyone moved outside onto streets that were closed to vehicular traffic. Tables were socially distant, masks were required.

Nat Adderley on Tavern on George, Aug. 2020.

We were able not only to present musicians at Tavern on George, our main venue, but at many other places in town. Everyone was looking for a way to "draw" customers, and live jazz was what they offered. As a result, in the midst of the lockdown, we had one of the busiest springs and summers we’ve ever had. When summer passed and the temperature dropped, Tavern on George erected a giant tent right on George Street which remained closed to traffic. 

New Brunswick closes George Street to expand outdoor dining.

They had propane heaters throughout the tent, and we were able to keep the music going all winter long. I dare say, NBJP presented more live jazz than anyone in the tri-state (perhaps the whole country) during that time. Venues in NYC and Philly were closed, musicians were looking to play somewhere outside of their homes, and we were able to offer them an outlet... and an audience.

New Brunswick Jazz Project - Swingadelic at Tavern on George.

During that time, and really always, our audiences were supportive and grateful. We gave people somewhere to go and something safe to do outside of their homes. I can't count the number of thank you’s we received from the audience and from the musicians. 

This week's #jazz performances at Tavern on George are Thursday, Jan. 28 — Jerry Weldon Music, and Sunday, Jan. 31 — Dave Mosko. #newbrunswicknj

A friend of mine said at this time that we are in a period of ‘never again’ and ‘not yet.’ Things will ‘never again’ be the way they were — the pandemic has changed us all. But we are ‘not yet’ at whatever will be our new normal. Going forward, I think the key to managing whatever our new normal turns out to be is to remain flexible, to improvise… it is jazz after all.

— Virginia, Jimmy & Mike

"Jazz is an open-ended music designed for open minds.” — Anonymous

So What’s Next? You Can Support The Cause

Follow the New Brunswick Jazz Project at www.facebook.com/newbrunswickjazzproject.

“New Brunswick has now become a destination for jazz." ~ The New York Times

Event Calendar 

You Can Attend an Event 
https://nbjp.org/events/month

Support The Cause

You Can Donate 
https://nbjp.org/sponsor-us-nbjp-org-npo/ 

Jazz Program Contact

Contact Them and Learn About How You Can Help. 

1. Virginia DeBerry 

2. Jimmy Lenihan, 

3. Michael Tublin

Comment

New Brunswick Jazz Project produces and hosts the annual New Brunswick Festival  

About the Author

Gregory Burrus books bands, produces, promotes, captures, and records live music events along with various other community and private activities.

I love writing about it all.

My mission is to help community groups, live music bands, and local nonprofits, reach their goals and accomplish their missions while enjoying the day-to-day process of life. 

Read more at http://gregoryburrusproductions.com 
https://www.jerseyindie.com/ji-blogger-gregory-burrus
https://patch.com/users/gregburrus

Keeping Jazz Alive - Winard Harper in Jersey City at Moore's Lounge (Bill & Ruth’s)

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Sunday, January 23, 2022

World-class jazz history and more is being made behind this very unassuming doorway of this very local, recently remodeled Jersey City bar and restaurant. This restaurant offers very affordable drinks, special meals on occasion, but also some truly world-class jazz. 

Take a listen.

Moore’s Lounge (originally Bill and Ruth’s) has been a fixture in a working-class section of Jersey City for over 51 years. Mrs. Ruth (Moore), one of the original owners, has made the space much more than a bar, but a community space. Generations of residents congregate over drinks to celebrate the creative talents in their community. Moore’s Lounge in Jersey City has become a place where the most diverse individuals come together.

It's been some challenging times, but Mrs. Ruth has been a bedrock in a fast-changing world. A recent interview stated, “In a challenging area where Moore’s is the only one left of 11 taverns that existed around it when they started out, Moore’s has helped keep a few lights on.”

Winard Harper, Founder of the Jazz Program at Moores Lounge

First, let us meet the quiet, unassuming but powerful drummer known to us as Winard Harper. 

It Starts with the Village

Here’s a short intro to his website bio, which reads like a who’s who of jazz:

“Winard Harper was born in Baltimore, a child prodigy. Although his parents were not musicians, they were full of encouragement as they noticed him beating on cans when he was three or four years old.  At five years old, Winard would sometimes sit in and play his drums in older brother Danny’s rock ‘n roll band after the family moved to Washington, D.C. When Winard’s younger brother Philip took to playing the trumpet, the two of them would busk in the streets of George Town, jam with a few bands, and help out with Danny’s various bands. Listening to Clifford Brown and Max Roach playing “Jordu'' had fascinated Winard so greatly it showed him his direction — jazz. Subsequently, his father took him to all the local jazz scenes to listen and meet the best in the world of jazz.”  

Modern Drummer describes Winard as “a straight-ahead jazz drummer, Harper has perfected the blend of American jazz music with the sounds of African rhythms. Constantly in reverence of his predecessors while remaining innovative in his own right, Harper has been among the celebrated drummers in jazz for many years. He is a virtuoso on the drum set and the balafon, the West African equivalent of the marimba, he is a sought-after collaborator at home and abroad, a bandleader of his quartet, his quintet, and his exciting band the Jeli Posse. He is an events organizer – successfully running the weekly Friday Fish Fry Jazz Jam and the Sunday “Meet the Artist” Series at Moore’s Lounge in Jersey City.”

History, World-Class Jazz, and Diversity 

Challenges, challenges!! The caption for the Moore’s video states:

“With the help of Winard Harper, a legendary jazz drummer, Moore’s has become a destination for jazz musicians, and jazz enthusiasts. Today, the bar functions as a jazz temple for aspiring young jazz musicians and even many professionals. After being a fixture in Jersey City for over 50 years, the future of Moore’s is up in the air. “Moore’s Jazz” looks at what is at stake for a community if it loses one of its cultural pillars to gentrification and to a pandemic.”

Jazz Programs 

Well, Moore’s is surviving and history is still being made in 2022 because Winard soldiers on with his truly fabulous jazz program on Sundays and Fridays.

Sunday “MEET THE ARTIST” Series

As Winard’s page states:

“Every Sunday I be bringing together established, world-renowned and extraordinary artists with young, emerging talents, in a “Jazz Clinic” type of setting, performing for a local audience wishful to learn and exchange knowledge about the context in which Jazz music has emerged and is played today. Artists not only perform, but recount highlights of their career and their own story. I then open the Q&A for questions from the audience and to round up the evening, we invite to the stage for a jam session.”

Winard Harper Jam Session at Moore’s Place with special guest David Kikoski. 12.12.2021.

Winard Harper and Friends at Moore’s Place 12.05.2021 Jersey City with TK Blue

Friday Fish Fry Jam

As Windard’s page states:

“Every Friday aspiring future jazz professionals join our jam session and all enjoy the delicious fish fry made after Ms. Ruth’s legendary recipe.”

Below is a typical jam on Jun. 2, 2014 led by Winard Harper. It has 9,177 views:

Recorded by the awesome photographer @L1stener (Patrick Hilaire).

What Makes Moore’s Lounge So Special?

Musicians

If you get involved as a musician with this program, you are guaranteed to learn and have a support system. One of my favorite jazz musicians that I met for the first time here personifies what happens at Moore’s. Check out my IG post from Sept. 6, 2015:

“Sept 2015 – Drummer Winard Harper – Soon as you enter the lounge, you know there’s a serious drummer playing. Winard Harper is a worldwide renowned Jazz Musician, educator and band leader. Winard stated in a brief conversation, he wants to bring Jazz Jams of high quality back to Jersey City in places like Moore’s Lounge. He’s on a mission so it will happen. More about Winard below. If you haven’t heard him, you need to because he was just great!.…….. Within the host of musicians to play I wanted to give a special shout out to upcoming Tenor Saxophonist Nicole Glover who just recently relocated from Oregon. When she plays you feel it. She wowed the crowd no matter what tune was jamming and she was definitely on point. Nicole said she was influenced by the likes of Lester Young, Wayne Shorter and Stan Getz which is some pretty good company to be influenced by.”  Read the full post here.

In a 2016 post, I gave a shout-out to Nicole Glover, who came in from Oregon to move her career forward. She was on sax that night. In Dec. 2021, I was watching the same Nicole Glover performing in the New Jersey Performing Arts Center for the Annual TD Moody Jazz Festival. That’s history, and there’s many more stories like that. You can also see history being made as some of the longstanding Jazz Greats come through to perform at Moore’s Lounge as well.

Attendees

While the parking may be a challenge, once inside you are absolutely guaranteed some phenomenal jazz performances, as Winard keeps it tight. The musicians come to play. Whether jamming or performing, you need to be serious about what you do.

Venue Owners

Mrs. Ruth is in her 80’s and fought to keep things going despite ongoing gentrification, remodeling challenges, a pandemic, and many other situations. Attendees enjoy great drinks at great prices and get to experience the hospitality of the locals and the warmth of the owners — Mrs. Ruth, her family and friends. It's just a great experience in an all-around great environment.

Events Calendar

Exciting new events are coming to Moore’s, so stay tuned:

https://www.winardharperjazz.com/moore-s-lounge

Support The Cause

Now you know the story. As Moore’s GoFundMe page states:

“We’ve been serving Jersey City since 1968 and after being in business for 51 years we are struggling to remain open. The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted Moore’s Place and your support is needed.”

Please click the image or link below to learn more about how you can help Keep Jazz Alive.

Please Donate at  https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-moores-lounge-stay-in-business

Support the Music

I urge you to explore and click the links above. Don’t hesitate to call for more info, and go support live music. Make some time in your schedule to visit all the venues this year and say hi to everybody.

Don’t forget to let me know how your visit went. Tag @gregoryburrus or message me directly via text or FB msg, and of course enjoy the live jazz entertainment. 

About the Author

Gregory Burrus books bands, produces, promotes, captures, and records live music events along with various other community and private activities.

I love writing about it all.

My mission is to help community groups, live music bands, and local nonprofits, reach their goals and accomplish their missions while enjoying the day-to-day process of life. 

Read more at http://gregoryburrusproductions.com 
https://www.jerseyindie.com/ji-blogger-gregory-burrus
https://patch.com/users/gregburrus

Winter Jazzfest 2022 – What’s It All About? Something For Everyone From the Comfort of Your Home

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Thursday, January 20, 2022

“Winter Jazzfest illustrates just why the City is aptly known as the Jazz capital of the world.”
It’s on now and it’s smoking hot!

Getting from New Jersey to New York is easy. However, getting to enjoy the full scope of the NYC Winter Jazzfest performances is always a challenge for many reasons. So let’s meet the Jazzfest happening right across the water. The New York Times praised the last in-person Winter Jazzfest for growing from its original one-day single-location program, to a 2020 itinerary that spanned 21 stages over eleven nights, in Downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn, featuring over 700 artists, and more than 170 groups. Winter Jazzfest is an unparalleled experience for educated consumers of jazz, experimental sound, and global creative impulses. In 2020, that meant welcoming 17,000 deeply engaged audience members. Yes, Winter Jazzfest is a beacon of the New York City jazz scene, gathering leading musicians from around the world.

Rolling Stone magazine described it this way:

“New York’s annual Winter Jazzfest marathon can be a mad scramble. For two nights in freezing January, dozens of groups in every imaginable style take over various downtown venues. Sets overlap, venues span nearly the whole width of downtown Manhattan from Alphabet City to Soho, crowds can swell to capacity, and if you’re trying to see everything, you might come away vexed.”

Taking the NY Waterways Ferry across the Hudson River to Downtown Manhattan.

Having lived on the waterfront in Jersey City for over 5 years, I can vouch for the fact New York is part of most folks’ lives in this Northern part of New Jersey. These events are just a short 9-minute JerseyNYC Path Train Ride away, a 6-minute NY Waterways Ferry Ride from Hoboken or Jersey City, or a 20-minute NJ Transit ride from Newark. Once in the city, npr.org described Winter Jazzfest visually as:

“Hardy winter folk seek and soak in an exhaustive regeneration over two evenings. Warriors sprint through snow and hop around lower Manhattan for brief encounters. Less ambitious but smarter listeners concentrate in small jewel boxes and take in music as concentrate.”

Hitting the many Winter Jazzfest events in numerous venues all across the lower Manhattan/Brooklyn region is definitely a challenge. I found this awesome guide on All About Jazz produced by Ludovico Granvassu titled “2020 Winter Jazzfest Marathons. A Survival Guide.” It's truly a work of art and provides great insight to the normal depth and breadth of this event. I was so looking forward to future versions, but as you know the pandemic and social distancing changed it all.

2022 Winter Jazzfest

Due to the pandemic shutting venues down again and the fact that this year the Northeast is experiencing freezing cold days of 7-15 (F) degrees, life just got a little easier for attendees. Now, I have to sidetrack and say me being a live music lover, event producer and promoter, in April 2020 when we all were forced to stay inside I had to quickly decide whether to put my much smaller 24 Hours of Music Jamboree Festival on or not. We finally did do it online, and it was no small feat to do it all within 30 days.

Therefore I clearly understand the massive challenge and endless amount of hard work that the Winter Jazzfest founder Brice Rosenbloom and his team went through for this clearly much larger, major event. I watched in disappointment, like many, as his event was canceled on Dec 23, 2021 due to rapidly rising pandemic concerns. I was extremely happy to see his Jan 13, 2022 announcement that said,

“We pivoted, @nycwjf Marathons go virtual starting Friday night Jan 14, and continuing four nights of sets from NYC, Brazil, South Africa, Switzerland, and more. Broadcast at 8pm nightly at WinterJazzfest.com“.

Yes!!!!!!

And now, the Winter Jazzfest website, supported by its partner and my Radio station WBGO, IS live and the 2022 schedule is on the website. To listen to events, check out the Media page which is regularly updated. You can listen live as the festival proceeds right now on the Winter Jazzfest YouTube page. Now, onto a few highlights from some of my favorite artists that I follow, discovered, and listened to this year.

Performances

Click the image and you can see their actual performance within the VIRTUAL MARATHON timeline.

Samurai Hotel Recording Studios – Miki Yamanaka Trio – VIRTUAL MARATHON NIGHT 2. Take a listen.

I saw Miki Yamanaka perform a few years ago at Newark Bethany Baptist Church with Antonio Hart, and she was awesome. She has gotten better and better. 

HighBreedMusic Recording Lounge – Nikara presents Black Wall Street. Take a listen.

Bowery Ballroom – Melanie Charles – VIRTUAL MARATHON NIGHT 1.  Take a listen.

From Switzerland – Camille Thurman with The Darrell Green Trio — VIRTUAL MARATHON NIGHT 1.  Take a listen.

The New York Times said, “For Women in Jazz, a Year of Reckoning and Recognition.” NPR said, “Camille Thurman Is A Rare Jazz Double Threat.”

What can I say, she's fantastic. 

Lakecia Benjamin ‘Pursuance’ — VIRTUAL MARATHON NIGHT 3. Take a listen.

“Charismatic and dynamic saxophonist/bandleader Lakecia Benjamin […] has played with Stevie Wonder, Prince, Alicia Keys, The Roots and Macy Gray.” (Read more here.)    

NYC Winter Jazzfest artist-in-residence composer/multi-instrumentalist Angel Bat Dawid presents Afro-Town Topics: A Mythological Afrofuturist Revue. Inspired by Fats Waller, Dawid presents a new original score using the traditional framework of a musical revue (a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches) as a compositional blueprint with the intention of creating and exploring the production of new Afro sonic realities and futures.

 All I will say is you have to watch it to get it.

Brooklyn HighBreed Recording Studio – Samir LanGus in VIRTUAL MARATHON NIGHT 3. Take a listen.

“Samir LanGus is a Grammy-nominated musician, born and raised in the city of Ait Melloule, Morocco whose passion for music stems from the variety of street sounds of his city.” (Read more here.)

I love the style and energy. Very cool band, and I love the sax player.   

SOME CONCERTS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT WHEN THEY OCCUR here on YouTube.

• Brandee Younger Quintet – Virtual Marathon Night 3

• Terri Lyne Carrington and Social Science

• Helen Sun 48:46 Virtual Marathon Night

Podcasts

Also, if you want to hear some more about what the artists are thinking and where jazz is headed, check out this podcast which is very cool and informative: Make Jazz Trill Again.

When it comes to the artist and what they want from Jazz, here’s an example of the Jazzfest musicians liking the new, addressing gender inequality, but wanting to bring back the best of the past when Jazz was dance music. Take a listen, as I found it enlightening:

“Make Jazz Trill Again Podcast is anti-institutional take on life, music and inspiration hosted by Melanie Charles and Yunie Mojica. Keeping in mind that Jazz and Black Music were birthed in the streets by and for the people, Make Jazz Trill Again Podcast is for the streets, for the people, to dance to. Join hosts, vocalist, flutist, and producer, Melanie Charles and Yunie Mojica, saxophonist, producer and GRAMMY-nominated composer, as they converse with fellow women musicians, creators, movers and shakers.” (Read/watch here.)

Don’t forget to check the full list of events here.

So despite the fact live music revenue streams are still taking a bit hit as venues shut down, I hope this quick introduction to a truly wonderful Jazzfest helps a little. It can be heard online and will provide some relief in today’s stress, or, as the Winter Jazzfest Anteloper Bandleader (VIRTUAL MARATHON NIGHT 2) said, “Music can be like medicine. It makes us feel just a little better.”

About the Winter Jazzfest Founder and Producer: Brice Rosenbloom

“Live music promoter and event producer Brice Rosenbloom is the Co-Artistic Director of Le Poisson Rouge and founder of the NYC Winter Jazzfest. His company, Boom Collective, presents hundreds of concerts a year in venues all over New York City. “ (Read more here.)

“Winter Jazzfest was founded by Brooklyn-based music curator and concert promoter Brice Rosenbloom. Rosenbloom is President of NYC concert promotion and production company Boom Collective, presenting concerts and festivals in NYC and beyond. […] The New York Times calls Winter Jazzfest ‘the city’s most renowned jazz festival.’

In these current times Rosenbloom has pivoted attention to supporting the music community and towards racial justice activism. In April 2020 Rosenbloom helped launch Jazz Coalition, a grass-roots organization committed to unifying the jazz community around efforts that uplift musicians during the pandemic. The Jazz Coalition’s Commission Fund has raised over $100,000 to date and has commissioned over 100 jazz musicians worldwide with grants to create new work. In June Rosenbloom became a steering committee member of The Blacksmiths, an organization committed to fostering racial equity in the arts sector, and to infusing the racial justice movement with art and music.” (Read more here.)

About the Writer

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 24hoursofmusicjamboree.com and gregoryburrusproductions.com 

2021 Gregory Burrus Productions Live Music Year In Review

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Tuesday, January 11, 2022

2021. What a fabulous, poignant, reflective year. In the beginning, we thought about it being a year of restart, recovery and renewal. I think we all lost some family, friends and, in our case, some fabulous musicians. Unfortunately, the losses continued so it was definitely a challenging year, but we found a way to live again. For listeners, a live music concert is a pleasurable social event that is among the most visceral and memorable forms of musical engagement. It's the same for musicians, with the added note that for many it’s not a side business, it’s their lifeblood and the thing that keeps them alive. With that in mind, we soldiered on through the year making music and great memories.

2021 Year In Review

As you can see, we made some great memories. Here are the 2021 lineup highlights:

• In January 2021 we thought we’d start the year off with our Jazz973 program at The Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies, but no such luck as lots of uncertainties were still around, so our favorite Jazz Venue, Clement’s Place Jazz, did not have any programming.

• For February for the Town of South Orange, we had a musical tribute and a South Orange Street renaming to honor our fallen buddy Lee Boz May. It was cold but a wonderful day.

• For March, we celebrated Women's History Month with a wonderful online performance titled WHM2021 “Refresh in Progress” by Ife Basim. We also had a stirring and moving Cello performance by Caylen Bryant as we all Reflected Together For COVID-19 Victims at the lake in Meadowlands Park in South Orange, NJ. We tested the outdoor live music scene as Jazzy Nights, which joined the South Orange Jazz scene right before the pandemic hit us, turned into Jazzy Afternoons at The Fox & Falcon with an outdoor live R&B performance by MPACK. It was a big hit as folks starved for live music came out like crazy. It was really a great thing to experience.

• For April, we honored Jazz Appreciation Month. Other than one rainout, it was a truly swinging set of Sunday afternoon performances which you can read more about here: Jazzy Afternoons South Orange Presents "Jazz Across The Generations" to Honor Jazz Appreciation Month 2021. The weather was great and music/the vibe was truly jumpin’. 

• Over the Months of May, June, July, August and September, we ran a number of concurrent live music performances. Our Summer Saturday South Orange Downtown performances ran every Saturday, 2 performances a day, along with our monthly Sunday Jazz On Sloan program at the South Orange Gazebo. There were about 60 fabulous performances. We rolled through Summer Wednesdays with a jumping Wednesday afternoon R&B-driven City of Orange Farmers Market. From 12-5 pm this program grew from a few attendees to a full house every week. We were also honored to crank up live music for the town of Cranford and had a really great Downtown Cranford Summer Sounds every Thursday evening all summer. Folks also enjoyed some great live music bands we provided to the town of Westfield with the Open Quimby Live Music program.

•  In September, we started with the Maplewood Community Music Maplewood Porchfest which was a nonstop all-day community fest of porch owners, honk paraders, and lemonade stands, and what really made it happen were some awesome local music performers and enthusiastic attendees. After a July weather cancellation, thanks to South Orange Downtown we conducted the 5th Annual 24 Hours of Music Jamboree, adapted for our times. Saturday gave us 12 hours of music, and Overnight gave us online musical performances including a wonderful performance from Japan by the Kumiko Tanaka Trio. On Sunday, we were finally able to host a Tribute to Darryl Clark. It was a glorious 24 Hours Of Music Jamboree headlined by the famous Nat Adderley Jr. Trio and members of Darryl’s former band. It was a sunny Sunday afternoon of beautiful music and great tributes. 

• October finally saw the return of our beloved Clements Place Jazz Venue, and while all the performances through December were great, a few highlights were 87-year-old Houston Person with Matt Chertkoff and 94-year-old Bassist Bill Crow with 19-year-old Leonieke Scheuble performing for our Jazz973 program on Wednesday evenings. This year the October Live Music Fest took over South Orange, NJ Spiotta Park and we had a really good time every weekend (when the weather cooperated). Meanwhile, the town of Cranford, NJ reached 150-years-old and MPACK was there to perform. Also in October, we performed for Pink Out Cranford Events. Finally, we performed a few weekends for the wonderful Cranford’s 14th Annual Scarecrow Stroll which had some amazing scarecrows. 

• November brought us some wonderful live music performance opportunities. Thanks to Linda Moody, wife of famed saxophonist James Moody, we were Making History as Linda Moody Honored the James Moody Scholars at 100 Blanchard Rd. in South Orange, NJ. It was a beautiful elegant night to remember. This was one swinging jamming experience. We then happily covered A Smooth Jazz Explosion Lights Up the Woodland in Maplewood. This event was very cool, as it opened up with an exciting group of young teenage jazz musicians from our town, The Baker Street Trio. Then, we got to experience the fabulous Smooth Jazz performances of Yankee great Bernie Williams and the phenomenal Blood, Sweat & Tears Guitarist Gil Parris and his band. It was definitely a really great performance to remember. 

• December ended with our entertainer Lynette Sheard joining Mr. and Ms. Claus on a Holiday Chorals Walk around Downtown Cranford, NJ. We had a fun time performing with the return of the award-winning South Orange Open-Air Holiday Market. We closed the month out in Maplewood where we enjoyed another great local performance, where Local Resident Jacqueline Lee Opened for 2 Contemporary Jazz Stars, and a fabulous off-the-chain performance at the Woodlands where Marion Meadows and Alex Bugnon delivered an outstanding smooth jazz performance. 

Of course along the way we conducted a number of private events as well.

Venues Around Our Towns

2021 consisted of multiple live music events, sometimes on the same day, conducted across multiple towns like South Orange, Newark, Cranford, Maplewood, the City of Orange, Westfield, West Orange, Montclair and more. You can read more here.

Videography. Livestream

Last year, we continued producing live music events and promoting them on various platforms. We were also happy to say that we continued documenting these events via video and livestreamIng them on multiple platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitch and other websites. You can watch them here:

https://www.youtube.com/gregoryburrus
https://vimeo.com/gregoryburrus  

In The News

In addition, we continued to provide additional artists promotions via articles and blog posts on local news sites, TAPinto, Patch, Newsrecord and across New Jersey via JerseyIndie and JerseyNYC. Read more below: 

https://www.jerseyindie.com/ji-blogger-gregory-burrus 
https://patch.com/users/gregburrus 

Social Media

As we move through another year of unknowns and another “Are we inside or outside?” life, please continue to stay in touch with all our live music events. We are programming events for 2022, so check out the links and signup to know when we will go live again:

https://www.facebook.com/gregory.burrus 
https://www.instagram.com/gregoryburrus
https://twitter.com/gregoryburrus  
https://www.facebook.com/gregoryburruspromotions 

Stay Safe, Stay Healthy and Stay Connected. 

Thank you again for joining us on this live music journey. 

About Gregory Burrus

Photography by Patrick Hilaire @l1stener.

Gregory Burrus spends his time as a Photojournalist, Live Music Producer, Promoter, Videographer, Arts and Entertainment Writer, Blogger, Business Reviewer, and Community Events Reporter. Gregory develops, manages, promotes and documents live music programs in the Greater New Jersey and New York Area. 

http://gregoryburrusproductions.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregburrus
https://24hoursofmusicjamboree.com