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.

TD James Moody Jazz Festival is Explosive and a Jazz Lovers Delight (Nov. 19-21 at NJPAC)

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Wednesday, November 17, 2021

If you are a true Jazz Fan around here then you know that every year for the last 10 years the magic of Jazz happens in an intense way in Newark, NJ, and this year the intense, vibrant magic returns again as the 10th annual TD James Moody Jazz Festival comes to town.

10th Annual TD James Moody Jazz Festival (Nov. 19-21, NJPAC)

Source: www.njpac.org/series/james-moody-jazz-festival

Started in 2012 as The TD James Moody Democracy of Jazz Festival, it was a weeklong celebration of jazz and the legacy of Newark's own music master, James Moody. This festival was presented by The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), radio station WBGO Jazz 88.3FM 1 and was sponsored by TD Bank. NJPAC president and CEO John Schreiber said at the time, “TD Bank has become synonymous with the top international jazz festivals, and we are proud to be joining the TD jazz family in our inaugural year.” 

Bringing it full circle 10 years later, John Schreiber walked on stage this week and said: “TD Bank is the Best Sponsor Ever”, and so true because in a time where a Pandemic is running havoc with the arts and entertainment industry, all the right supporting forces have come together this week for the 10th year to make a truly spectacular TD James Moody Jazz Festival happen again. 

Saxophonist James Moody

Source: jamesmoody.com/gallery

James Moody, despite being born partially deaf, was an accomplished musician on the tenor and alto saxophones, as well as the flute. In addition to his instrumental prowess, Moody was an engaging entertainer, captivating audiences with his personal charm and wit. He was born in Georgia, raised in Newark, New Jersey and was beloved by all.

Christian McBride

This year, another brilliant musician Bassist, Christian McBride, took over and announced the festival. Always listed in The New York Times “Weekend Roundup: 5 Things to Do This Weekend”, the festival runs Nov. 5 through 21 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. Keeping in line with their mission of keeping great jazz alive and community outreach, the festival hosts, sponsors and presents dozens of free and ticketed events across Newark. Like prior years, this year’s presentation of a stellar musician lineup along with special and signature events was spectacular once again. This year’s lineup included the incomparable Chaka Khan and, if you were there you got to experience one of my favorites, the brilliant trumpeter Chris Botti. 

Following is a walkthrough of a few events that occurred this opening week that I attended, with their details. I hope you enjoy the experience as we did and attend future shows listed at the end. 

Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition 

A very special, signature event is the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition or the Sassy. This is a prestigious talent contest that pays tribute to the titular singer who was born in New Jersey and whose career began when, on a Wednesday night in 1942, she herself won a talent contest at New York’s Apollo Theater. Her win helped launch a career that would transform America's original art form and an icon who elevated the craft of jazz vocal music and garnered the respect and adoration of millions. This contest is open to solo jazz vocalists of all nationalities who are 18 years or older and not currently signed to a major record label. 

It’s an intense competition, as the 2021 finalists were culled from 160 submissions across 25 countries. Once again after a year-long search, the finalists of the Sassy Awards dazzled the audience with their vocal prowess. One of my favorite finalists took 2nd place, April May Webb of the Sounds of A&R. She said, “I truly sang from my soul and it was to date the most powerful performance OF MY LIFE!“ Folks reported there were some masterful performances by all the contestants.

NEA Jazz Master Vocalist Dianne Reeves 

 https://fb.watch/9l5cVfGYKl/

A five-time GRAMMY Award winner, Dianne Reeves is widely recognized as one of the premier vocalists on the worldwide music scene. “Reeves grew up in Denver and was introduced to the music of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and Sarah Vaughan by her uncle, who was a bassist in the Denver Symphony Orchestra” (hancockinstitute.org/meet/dianne-reeves). Dianne Reeves has released almost two dozen albums and been recognized as an NEA Jazz Master. Needless to say, it was a spectacular, powerful performance with Ben Williams on Bass, Terreon Gully on Drums, the Great Brazilian Guitarist Romero Lubambo and Peter Martin on Keys, all led by the powerhouse vocalist Dianne Reeves. I was there and what a really great show!!!

NJPAC Jazz Advisor Christian McBride’s The Movement Revisited

NJPAC Jazz Advisor, bassist, composer and bandleader Christian McBride has played everything from Monk to Funk. The Movement Revisited is a full-length work for jazz orchestra, vocalists and orators, celebrating the great leaders of The Civil Rights Movement — Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Martin Luther King, Jr. and President Barack Obama.

The evening began with a performance by The Last Poets: Abiodun Oyewole, Umar Bin Hassan and Baba Don Babatunde, joined by Newark’s Honorable Mayor Ras J. Baraka. The Last Poets laid the groundwork for the emergence of hip hop.

Also performing in an absolutely wonderful, strong, uplifting presence, the choir from the original recording, Voice of the Flame (VOTF) hit a homerun for sure.

Cyrus Chestnut at Dorthaan’s Place

Another absolutely always sold out event is the very special Dorthaan’s Place Nico’s legendary jazz brunch curated by NEA Jazz Master and Newark’s First Lady of Jazz Dorthaan Kirk. Ms. Kirk is the widow of Rahsaan Roland Kirk, the blind multi-instrumentalist with a reputation for fierce musicianship and daring improvisation.

This year the show featured the piano stylings of Cyrus Chestnut over brunch at the beautifully appointed Dorthaan’s Place. The Cyrus Chestnut trio included Lincoln Center emerging artist and Detroit native, Bassist Endea Owens and the hard-swinging, composer and powerhouse Drummer Chris Beck. Truly a beautiful performance. We were swinging and tapping the whole program.

James Moody Jazz Scholarship Winners

A special treat this year was that in attendance were the winners of the previous high school contest for the James Moody Jazz Scholarship minus Iyonna Herbert and Paul Reinhold. Pictured L-R Andrew Wagner, Jalin Shiver, Rayner Perez, Linda Moody, Birsa Chatterjee, and Caelan Cardello with local live music Producer/Promoter Gregory Burrus. These winners were front and center with the widow of James Moody and TD Moody JazzFestival First Lady Linda Moody enjoying the brunch and the music.

Artemis — All Female Jazz Supergroup

Jazz Journalists Association: Mid-Size Ensemble of the Year called them: 

"A killer line-up of players, composers, and performers who hail from all over the world...they all converge on this extremely cosmopolitan, sleek, rhythm-forward, modern sound."  - NPR MUSIC

The musicians of Artemis are Renee Rosnes, Piano & Musical Director, Anat Cohen, Clarinet & Soprano Saxophone, Ingrid Jensen, Trumpet, Nicole Glover, Tenor Saxophone, Noriko Ueda, Bass and Allison Miller, Drums. This supergroup first assembled as a band for a 13-city European Jazz Festival tour in summer 2017. Named “Artemis” after the Greek goddess who was the daughter of Zeus and Leto, the twin sister of Apollo, the patron and protector of young girls and the goddess of hunting, wild nature, and chastity, they released their debut album for famed Blue Note Records in September 2020. Their performance was absolutely superb. 

More great performances to come...

That's just to start part 2 coming next....

Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra (Friday, Nov. 19th)

Pianist, composer and six-time Grammy-Award winner Arturo O'Farrill presents Arturo O'Farrill & the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra. 

Presented by NJPAC, the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers University-Newark and the Afro Latin Jazz Alliance, this concert is part of the TD James Moody Jazz Festival. Performance on Nov. 19

George Wein and the Newport All-Stars (Saturday, Nov. 20th)

“Pianist and bandleader George Wein, who founded the Newport Jazz Festival in 1954, is universally regarded as the single greatest producer and impresario jazz has ever known. (Music festivals like SxSW and Coachella owe him a great deal as well. Celebrate George, who recently passed at the age of 95. This all-star concert will feature contemporary swing saxophonist and clarinetist Anat Cohen, along with special guests including Christian McBride, Kenny Barron, Johnathan Blake, Randy Brecker, Lew Tabackin, Peter Washington, Duchess and more. This is sure to be one of the most memorable nights in the history of jazz at NJPAC, and a fitting tribute to the life and legacy of George Wein.” —NJPAC. Celebrating George Wein takes place on Nov. 20.

Maria Schneider Orchestra (Sunday, Nov. 21st)

“Composer, bandleader, and NEA Jazz Master Maria Schneider returns to NJPAC with her genre-defying orchestra. Her music has been hailed by critics as “evocative, majestic, magical, heart-stoppingly gorgeous, imaginative, revelatory, riveting, daring and beyond categorization.” Her 2020 album Data Lords was called “her magnum opus, a riveting, remarkably intense double album, as profound as modern-day instrumental music gets” (Minneapolis Star Tribune). Data Lords garnered two GRAMMY® Awards, was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist and won the Grand Prix De l’Académie du Jazz. You’re guaranteed to hear something thought-provoking and new every time Maria Schneider takes the stage.” — NJPAC. Performance Nov. 21.

NJPAC Community Engagement 

Also know that having a great time and meeting up with friends at NJPAC is part of the experience during these COVID Pandemic times. With a motto of engage, connect, and celebrate, NJPAC states “We like to say that we’re more than a venue—we’re a community.” Living the motto in action is Eyesha Marable, Director of NJPAC Community Engagement. She said, “Thursday night of NJPAC's TD Moody Jazz Festival was outstanding. Friday was wonderful too. Tonight, we will enjoy Dianne Reeves. Treat yourself soon family, to some good music. Come home (to NJPAC) when you can.”

Here are some images to entice you to come on out and enjoy the show. Click to see more.

NJPAC states, “We like to say that we’re more than a venue—we’re a community. That’s why we’re one of the few performing arts centers in the country with an entire department dedicated to reaching out, building connections and just plain having fun with our neighbors in their own backyards.” That’s right, finally getting back outside and establishing these new times of togetherness becomes extremely important to help us. “Come home to NJPAC” and enjoy the community of fellow jazz lovers. 

Come join us.

About the Author

Gregory Burrus with Linda Moody at Bethany Baptist Jazz Vespers

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

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

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Sunday, February 2, 2020

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

R and B Jamming with the MPACK Band

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

Gene Ghee and Friends Jazz Jam

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

Gene Ghee is a highly in-demand saxophonist and has performed with loads of professionals such as Monguito Santamaria, Art Blakey Jr., Brother Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, Teddy Pendergrass, Anita Baker, B.T.Express, Arthur Prysock, Little Anthony and The Imperials. Add to that Etta Jones, Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, Benny Powell, Eddie Palmieri, Machito, and Barry Harris bplus the list goes on.  He's a performer on recordings of Stevie Wonder (Do I Do), played tenor saxophone and contracted the horn section for the session which included Frank Wess, Virgil Jones, Ron Tooley, Britt Woodman, Clifton Anderson, Victor Paz and others. Other cool recordings / performances with the likes of Evelyn “Champagne” King, The Village People, Candi Staton and T.S.Monk plus many many more national and international performers. A high caliber jazz musician like Gene Ghee is definitely on the list for a return performance in 2020.

Andy Lackow Outdoor Blues Jam

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

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

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

Al Gold‎ Blues Jam in Spiotta Park

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

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

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

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

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

Carrie Jackson Jazz Jam

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

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

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

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

Gregory Burrus, Live Music Ambassador

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

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

Gregory Burrus curates and manages the South Orange Village Center Alliance's Downtown After Sundown Live Music Concerts. This SOMA resident arrived in South Orange, 23-year ago and just loves South Orange, NJ. Gregory enjoys all music genres but his first love jazz began as a boy when his mother and father played jazz on the good old record player at home and took him to clubs all over Manhattan. Greg was an executive in the telecommunications industry and has consulted on telecom, technology and operational business processes systems all over the world. Now he is putting his expertise, gain from his former business environment to work producing music, art and community events across South Orange, Maplewood, Newark and other towns around Northern New Jersey and New York.

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

Dancing the Night Away During Downtown After Sundown Live Music Concerts

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Sunday, February 2, 2020

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

Flamenco Dancing with Toni Messina on Sunday in June

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Folks danced the night away .

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

What a wonderful night of dancing.

NJPAC Inspirational Dance Night in July

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gregory Burrus, Live Music Ambassador

Gregory Burrus with Eyesha Marable NJPAC

Gregory Burrus curates and manages the South Orange Village Center Alliance's Downtown After Sundown Live Music Concerts. This SOMA resident arrived in South Orange, 23-year ago and just loves South Orange, NJ. Gregory enjoys all music genres but his first love jazz began as a boy when his mother and father played jazz on the good old record player at home and took him to clubs all over Manhattan. Greg was an executive in the telecommunications industry and has consulted on telecom, technology and operational business processes systems all over the world. Now he is putting his expertise, gained from his former business environment to work producing music, art and community events across South Orange, Maplewood, Newark and other towns around Northern New Jersey and New York.

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