On Stage

Dirty Dozen Brass Band WP Jazzroom Series

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Celebrating over 45 years since their founding in 1977, New Orleans-based Dirty Dozen Brass Band has taken the traditional foundation of brass band music and incorporated it into a blend of genres including Bebop Jazz, Funk and R&B/Soul. This unique sound, described by the band as a ‘musical gumbo,’ has allowed the Dirty Dozen to tour across 5 continents and more than 30 countries, record 12 studio albums and collaborate with a range of artists from Modest Mouse to Widespread Panic to Norah Jones. Forty-five-plus years later, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band is a world-famous music machine whose name is synonymous with genre with their bending romps and high-octane performances. Members include: Roger Lewis - Baritone Sax/Vocals Kevin Harris - Tenor Sax/Vocals Gregory Davis - Trumpet/Vocals Kirk Joseph - Sousaphone TJ Norris - Trombone/Vocals Julian Addison - Drums Takeshi Shimmura - Guitar

For the performance on March 25, 2023 at 8:00 PM: Reserved Seating: Gold Circle $45 • Orchestra/Front Loge $40 • Rear Loge $35• Senior and WP Community a 10% discount is available, please visit the box office. Advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended. There is an additional $5 charge PER TICKET if purchased at the box office on the evening of the show.

spotlight

New Jersey's Jazz Radio

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WBGO is the global leader in jazz radio based in Newark, NJ. Filling the airways with jazz music, personalities, and news, WBGO broadcasts is the radio station of the NY-NJ-Philadelphia tri-state area, the jazz capital of the world.

Founded in 1979, WBGO is a publicly-supported cultural institution that preserves and elevates America’s music: jazz and blues. WBGO reaches a weekly audience of close to 300,000 in the New York/New Jersey metro area via 88.3FM. Through programs such as Jazz Night in America, produced in partnership with NPR and Jazz at Lincoln Center, and WBGO's position as content provider to NPR, its reach extends to millions more across the country. From its home base of Newark, New Jersey, Public Radio station WBGO has long been an anchor institution in community engagement through its partnerships, concerts, education and news programming.

WBGO seeks to educate, entertain and inspire the public by providing access and opportunity to engage with the highest quality, curated jazz and blues programming produced in the jazz capital of the world. We believe that jazz in all its forms represents America’s cultural gift to the world, and we are committed to connecting the vibrancy of our local community’s past, present and future in the music to a global audience.

WBGO/Newark Public Radiois operated as a non-profit, 501(C)3 organization in the public trust and is funded mostly by listener donations, memberships, and grants.

Spotight

Clement's Place

Jam Sessions

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Join us at our monthly Jazz Jam Sessions, featuring top-flight NJ musicians directed by pianist and bandleader, James Austin, Jr. This 10-month series of great music through June 2023 is co-presented by NJPAC’s Jazz Advisory Committee and Rutgers RU_N’s Institute for Jazz Studies. Immerse yourself in the relaxing sounds of jazz music that stimulate the player’s and listeners’ minds.

All novice and seasoned jazz musicians and singers are welcomed to jam and improv with the professional band throughout the night. Co-Producers: Wayne Winborne, Executive Director, IFJS and Eyesha Marable, AVP, Comm Engagement, NJPAC. This event will be held at Clement’s Place 15 Washington Street Newark, NJ.

More to come at NJPAC!

Spotight

Happening In New York

Smoke - Premier New York Jazz Club Returns!
One of New York City’s premier live music venues, Smoke Jazz Club, recently announced its long-awaited reopening. After two years spent reorienting to the pandemic with modified operations including livestreams, sidewalk concerts, and outdoor dining, Smoke Jazz Club has made a momentous return as a world-renowned destination for the best in classic and modern jazz. Acclaimed for its essential music programming and inspired setting, this revered institution has undertaken an impressive expansion and renovation that readies the venerable club for the post-pandemic 21st century. Despite being closed to indoor performances and dining for over two years, Smoke has survived with a renewed sense of mission and now with a spectacularly renovated, newly expanded space. Smoke’s return brings much-needed hope and rejuvenation to the city and the music community. “Smoke Jazz Club has so much history,” says husband and wife co- owners Paul Stache and Molly Sparrow Johnson. “Despite the struggles of the last few years, we just knew that the music couldn’t stop here. The past couple of years have not been easy for anyone, but having live music back in the club with everyone together, musicians and listeners, seems like a turning point. We are very excited to take this next step.”

Guided by their initial attempts to operate under mandated occupancy restrictions, social distancing regulations, and safety protocols for the staff, musicians, and patrons, Smoke’s expansion achieves all of those goals while still retaining its vibrant atmosphere. “We had already agreed, in principle, with our landlord to take on the two adjacent storefronts before the pandemic,” recounts Johnson, “but it quickly became obvious that combining the new spaces with the jazz club was not only a priority but really a necessity to operate safely.” -more- “We feel very fortunate that our landlord has been so supportive these last two years.” The addition of these smaller combined spaces serves as an attached lounge featuring the relocated, historic, full-length bar providing more space for audiences and a larger stage for performers in the main listening room– all while preserving the club’s familiar warm ambiance.

About SMOKE - Located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side at the junction of Broadway and 106th Street (aka Duke Ellington Boulevard), Smoke Jazz Club is one of New York City’s premier live music venues. Renowned for offering top-notch programming of accessible, timeless jazz featuring legendary performers, modern masters and rising stars, Smoke stands apart with its candlelit dining room, stellar acoustics, and classic American cuisine. Founded in 1999, SMOKE also boasts a GRAMMY-nominated label, Smoke Sessions Records, and a celebrated streaming concert series, Smoke Screens. For everything else, visit SMOKEjazz.com.

Jazz Currents & Education

Global Jazz

The Free Jazz Collective

Ken Vandermark/Matthias Muche/Thomas Lehn/Martin Blume - Soundbridges (Jazzwerkstatt, 2022)
By Martin Schray Imagine the following scenario: A highly likeable German soccer club, whose team inspires mainly (but not only) by its playing style (but not only), augments themselves for one season with an outstanding international superstar (e.g. Cristiano Ronaldo or Erling Haaland). This is what it looks like when three top musicians of the […]

JazzWax

Wes Montgomery Live in Europe, 1965 November 30, 2022
Fortunately for us, guitarist Wes Montgomery went over to Europe in the spring of 1965 and toured. We're lucky, because Montgomery wound up on European TV shows during many of his stops, resulting in lots of video clips. Yesterday, I...

Jazz at Lincoln Center

Playlist: Father's Day Tunes from the JLCO
In recognition of Father's Day, we invited the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra to share some of their favorite tunes on the theme of fatherhood.
March New Releases: Cécile McLorin Salvant, Brad Mehldau, Jeremy Pelt, and more!
Check out March's most exciting new jazz releases, featuring albums from Cécile McLorin Salvant, Brad Mehldau, Jeremy Pelt, and more!

Education

Jazz Guitar Education

Difference Between Diminished 7 And Half-Diminished - Guitar Lesson With Formula Chart And Neck Diagrams
This blog article dedicated to guitarists answers the question that many beginner musicians ask themeselves : What is the difference between half-diminished and diminished 7 ?
LAVA Guitar ME 3 Review - All-new Finish: Golden Hour
Guest post by Lava Music LAVA MUSIC Pushed out LAVA ME 3 in an All-new Finish: Golden Hour Just Before The Season On November 22, 2022, LAVA MUSIC introduced an all-new finish, Golden Hour, to their most revolutionary guitar LAVA ME 3, taking the product’s color options to seven.

Reviews & CD Picks

The Jim Ridl Trio - Standards Live

Released 2022, this is a live recording of standards and originals with Jim Ridl piano, Tim Lekan bass, Bob Shomo drums.

Bill O'Connell Latin Jazz

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.

Steve LaSpina - A Change in the Weather

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.

Reggie Quinerly New York Nowhere

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.

Arturo O'Farrill - Four Questions

Four Questions is a 2020 album by Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. It won the 2021 Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Album. Label: Zoho Music

Andy Fusco - Remembrance

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.

George Coleman in Baltimore

Previously Unreleased Live Tenor Sax Giant George Coleman from The Ballroom in Baltimore,1971

Matt Aronoff

Morning Song
Composer: Matt Aronoff (b. 1980)
Label: Adhyâropa Records
Performers: Matt Aronoff (bass), Jason Rigby (tenor sax), Yago Vazquez (Frender Rhodes), Henry Cole (drums)

Helping Hands

Ken Peplowski Needs Our Help

Downbeat Magazine called Ken Peplowski "brilliantly entertaining" and his fans around the world agree. Ken is as at home on the concert stage as he is an intimate jazz club. Wherever you have seen him, he has given each of us tremendous pleasure with his masterful clarinet and saxophone playing and his warm, funny personality.

A dear friend and renowned jazz guitarist, Frank Vignola, has created a Go Fund Me Campaign, to help Ken get through his arduous, exhausting treatment for cancer, and we hope you will give him your generous support at the link below.

Go Fund Me for Ken Peplowski