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.
Click on image above to learn more about local events.
An iconic Prescott double bass constructed in the early 1800s, once owned by jazz great Scott LaFaro, has been loaned to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) by the International Society of Bassists, marking a significant moment in the preservation and celebration of jazz history.
LaFaro (1936-1961) was a native son of Newark, New Jersey. This rare instrument was central to LaFaro’s groundbreaking work with the Bill Evans Trio in the early 1960s. NJPAC will give audiences a rare opportunity to hear this instrument when today’s leading bassists perform on it as part of the 2025 TD James Moody Jazz Festival: Ben Williams with Stanley Clarke (Nov 9), Max Gerl with Arturo Sandoval (Nov 13), and Christian McBride with his Big Band (Nov 22) - with more to be announced.
This rare instrument was central to LaFaro’s groundbreaking work with the Bill Evans Trio in the early 1960s. NJPAC will give audiences a rare opportunity to hear this instrument when today’s leading bassists perform on it as part of the 2025 TD James Moody Jazz Festival: Ben Williams with Stanley Clarke (Nov 9), Max Gerl with Arturo Sandoval (Nov 13), and Christian McBride with his Big Band (Nov 22) - with more to be announced. The Prescott bass, restored and carefully maintained, stands as both a historical artifact and a testament to LaFaro’s enduring influence on the art of jazz. “For bassists everywhere, Scott LaFaro’s unique sound and incredible musicianship have been a deep source of inspiration. It’s both humbling and exhilarating to be in direct contact with his instrument,” says Christian McBride, multi-Grammy Award-winning bassist and NJPAC’s Jazz Advisor.
The TD James Moody Jazz Festival at NJPAC runs from November 8–23, 2025. The festival will feature a variety of performances, including sets by the George Cables Trio, Omar Sosa Quarteto Americanos, Arturo Sandoval, and the Christian McBride Big Band. Click on the image at the top for current event information.
New Jersey’s Jazz Clubs You Should Know
The Free Jazz Collective- Kai Fagaschinski - Aerodynamics (2025)By Charlie Watkins Aerodynamics is the newest release from ‘psychoacoustic clarinettist’ Kai Fagaschinski. This record contains two tracks: the first, ‘Welcome to the 20 th Century’, is a 30-minute piece performed by The Paranormal Clarinet Society, although recorded in two sessions in June 2023 and January 2024; the second, ‘Surrounded by Idiots’, is a nine-part improvisation, […]
JazzWax- A Note to JazzWax Readers August 27, 2025After 18 years, nearly 6,000 posts and 10 million page views, JazzWax on this platform has come to an end. It's not a sad day but one of transition. That's why the image above is of a sunrise, not a...
All About Jazz- Saha Gnawa: Bacha HamouEven though Saha Gnawa is co-lead by Moroccan master musician Maâlem Abdellah Ben Jaafer--genuine Gnawa royalty--the project was actually born in Brooklyn, sparked by his collaboration with drummer Daniel Freedman and growing from late-night sessions into a full-fledged band... [ read more ]
- Roberto Olzer Trio's Homage to the music of Enrico PieranunziRoberto Olzer Trio Studio Annette Tel Aviv October 31, 2025 "Good things come to those who wait."--the old adage certainly applied to Roberto Olzer Trio's homage to the music of Italian legendary pianist Enrico Pieranunzi... [ read more ]
Jazz Guitar Education- Exploring the Major Scale in 5ths - Guitar Lesson With Tab & YouTube ShortIn this lesson, we’re going to take a fresh look at the major scale, but instead of running through it step by step, we’ll explore it in intervals of fifths. This approach helps you break out of linear thinking on the fretboard and start hearing the scale in a more harmonic, open way.
- Diminished 7 Substitution For Dominant 7 Chord On GuitarThis lesson is about one of the most useful and colorful substitution concepts in jazz harmony, which is to replace an altered dominant 7 chord (7b9) with a diminished 7 chord. You'll find here 4 easy exercises and a YouTube short for playing it on guitar.
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.
