Here at NJJazzList things will be changing. We're looking at new ways of promoting live jazz and look forward to supporting more jazz artists and venues.
Thank you to all our supports over the years. I've enjoyed every minute of creating and maintaining this site in it's various forms and l am looking forward to doing more for this great American artform. Stay tuned...
-Andy McDonough
New Brunswick Jazz Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to presenting world class jazz performances in downtown New Brunswick & other Central Jersey venues. Since its inception in 2010 NBJP has gone from presenting two jazz performances a month, to offering FREE year around shows, four nights every week. The Jazz Project has successfully fostered a supportive environment for regular live jazz performance in New Brunswick and has presented more than 700 events featuring over 1000 acclaimed national and international jazz leaders, sidemen and special guests, including among many others: Arturo O’Farrill, John Lee, Ed Cherry, Dave Stryker, Akiko Tsuruga, Roseanna Vitro, Mimi Jones, Jerry Weldon, Rudy Royston, Virginia Mayhew, Luis Perdomo, Dezron Douglas, Joe Magnarelli, Ralph Peterson, Steve Williams, Kenny Davis, Tia Fuller, Orrin Evans, Jared Gold, Tim Ries, Victor Lewis, Conrad Herwig, and Ravi Coltrane.
NBJP also regularly partners with the New Brunswick Public Schools and the Hub Teen Center to provide after-school enrichment programming in the form of jazz performances with student participation and talk backs.
The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) celebrated the 25th Anniversary of its iconic Giants of Jazz event by honoring Grammy Award-winning drummer and master band leader Lewis Nash on the Mainstage Saturday, November 30. Known as “Jazz’s MVP” (Modern Drummer), Nash has created a staggering career across four decades that includes Grammy wins, countless nominations, academic contributions, and collaborations with such icons as Betty Carter, Nancy Wilson, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins, Tommy Flanagan, Clark Terry, Stan Getz, Gerry Mulligan, Hank Jones, Horace Silver, McCoy Tyner, Ray Brown, Milt Jackson, Jimmy Heath, Ron Carter, Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Dee Dee Bridgewater, and many more.
Curated by Grammy Award-winning bassist and producer — and South Orange resident — John Lee, Giants of Jazz unites audiences of every generation around Bebop, Bossa, Blues, and many more sounds that uplift and evolve a storied music tradition. Lee launched Giants of Jazz to serve the greater South Orange-Maplewood community in 1999, then began presenting the event at SOPAC in 2011. November’s event features appearances from an incredible lineup of musicians who bring their mastery to the stage in celebration of Nash. Past honorees have included Jackie McLean, Jimmy Heath, Clark Terry, Marian McPartland, Randy Weston, George Coleman, McCoy Tyner, Kenny Barron, and other legends and luminaries.
This year’s lineup features jazz greats Eric Alexander, Don Braden, Tommy Campbell, Cyrus Chestnut, Steve Davis, John DiMartino, Dezron Douglas, Roberta Gambarini, Winard Harper, Freddie Hendrix, Mike LeDonne, Rufus Reid, Evan Sherman, Buster Williams, and more incredible artists announcing soon. SOPAC encourages patrons to reserve tickets in advance.
New Jersey’s Jazz Clubs You Should Know
The Free Jazz Collective- Juno3's Proxemics VThis week's Sunday Video is 'Proxemics V' from Juno 3 (the trio Han-earl on guitar, Lara Jones on saxophone and electronics and Pat Thomas - not on piano but on electronics.) The track buzzes and crackles, exuding a mysterious nervous energy and can be found on their new release Proxemics (BAF, 2025). Subscribe
JazzWax- Glenn, Johnny and Antonio January 18, 2025In The Wall Street Journal this week, I interviewed actress Glenn Close for my House Call column in the Mansion section (go here). Glenn is an Emmy- and Tony-winning actress best known for her roles in the films “Fatal Attraction,”...Click the icon below to listen. Related StoriesJulia, Royce and ConteInterview: Artie Shaw Takes the Gloves […]
All About Jazz- The Jazz Men: How Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong and Count Basie Transformed AmericaThe Jazzmen: How Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, and Count Basie Transformed America Larry Tye 416 pages ISBN: 035838043X Mariner Books 2024 In 1986, a guy walked into a Post Office in South Texas--no, this is not the opening line of a joke. He lined up to buy some stamps. Big deal, right? But there was […]
- Massimiliano Cignitti, Marianne Solivan, Tim Berne, Martin TétreaultDuring this week's two-hour program of Jazz and improvised music, selections from new releases by bassist Massimiliano Cignitti, spoken word poet Don Paul, vocalist Marianne Solivan, saxophonist Tim Berne, free improvisation musician and visual artist Martin Tétreault, and pianist and composer Steve Sandberg... [ read more ]
Jazz Guitar Education- Relative Major And Minor Pentatonic Scales For Guitar - 4 Exercises - Lesson For BeginnersWhen exploring improvisation over a major 7 chord on guitar, pentatonic scales offer versatile and melodic options. This approach allows you to expand your phrasing and musical expression over a single chord using the relative major and minor pentatonic scales.
- Diatonic Seventh Arpeggios And Extensions For Guitar - PDF & Short VideoIn this guitar lesson with PDF and Youtube Short, you'll learn how to extend diatonic seventh arpeggios with the 9th, 11th and 13th. Check this link to get the PDF transcription.
This ensemble embraces a broad stylistic swath of jazz, Latin and Brazilian idioms and experiments with intimate to large groups.
Bill O’Connell – piano and Fender Rhodes, Lincoln Goines – bass, Robby Ameen – drums with special guests Randy Brecker – flugelhorn, Craig Handy – alto sax, Conrad Herwig – trombone, Andrea Brachfeld – flute, and Dan Carillo – guitar.
This is bassist, Steve LaSpina’s 12th album as a leader, and explores some of his old tunes, as well as new works. It gives the listener a rare opportunity to experience how original compositions in jazz develop after decades of live performance. PERSONNEL: Steve LaSpina - bass, Joel Frahm - tenor & soprano saxophone, Luis Perdomo - piano, and Eric McPherson - drums.
Drummer, Reggie Quinerly, offers his latest album as a fond good-bye as he relocates to Los Angeles. The quintet of trumpeter Antoniene Drye, tenor saxophonist John Ellis, pianist John Chin, and bassist Sean Conly, recorded their seven tracks together in one room, old school.
Veteran alto man Andy Fusco has appeared on many sessions over the years including his work with the Buddy Rich big band and sideman duties with the likes of Walt Weiskopf and drummer Steve Smith. Bravo to Steeplechase Records who have given him the opportunity to record an album a year with this being his fifth release.
Previously Unreleased Live Tenor Sax Giant George Coleman from The Ballroom in Baltimore,1971
Know of a jazz player in need, a benefit or a good cause related to jazz? Please reach out.
In the meantime, click on the link to learn more about Philadelphia's JazzBridge organization.
