The TD James Moody Jazz Festival will feature, clockwise from top left, Gregory Porter, Jesse Cook, Christian McBride, Ben Vereen and Charles Lloyd.
An 80th birthday tribute to Ben Vereen, a “One on One” show featuring pianist Bruce Hornsby and bassist Christian McBride, two New Jersey Symphony concerts, and a Miles Davis tribute led by trumpeter Jon Faddis will be part of this year’s edition of the annual TD James Moody Jazz Festival, taking place Nov. 6-22 at NJPAC and other Newark venues.
Vereen will be joined by friends such as Melba Moore, Lillias White and Shoshana Bean, and the Davis tribute will celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth and feature songs from his classic albums Birth of the Cool and Kind of Blue.
Other offerings will include concerts by singer Gregory Porter and guitarist Jesse Cook, and tributes to the late Zakir Hussain and the late James Moody himself, whom the festival was named after when it launched in 2012. McBride, who serves as NJPAC’s jazz advisor, will also perform with New Jersey Symphony at its two concerts.
Tickets will go on sale May 29 at 10 a.m. Visit ticketmaster.com or NJPAC.org/jazz.
Here is the schedule:
Nov. 6, 7:30 p.m., Victoria Theater at NJPAC: “Niladri Kumaar: The Space Between the Notes: Honoring Zakir Hussain.” Featuring Niladri Kumaar, sitar; Satyajit Talwalkar, tabla; Charlie Lindner, keyboards; Dèmitrio Albano, drums.
Nov. 7, 6 p.m., Bethany Baptist Church: Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars tribute to James Moody. FREE
Nov. 12, 7:30 p.m. at Victoria Theater at NJPAC: “Miles@100: Jon Faddis & Friends, Celebrating Birth of the Cool and Kind of Blue.” Featuring Jon Faddis, trumpet; Erena Terakubo, saxophones/flute; Gary Smulyan, baritone saxophone; Steve Turre, trombone; John Clark, French horn; Bob Stewart, tuba; Mike LeDonne, piano; Todd Coolman, bass; John Riley, drums.
Nov. 13, 7 p.m. at Chase Room at NJPAC: New Jersey Music Educators Associations Jazz Band and All-State Jazz Choir.
Nov. 13, 8 p.m. at Prudential Hall at NJPAC: Gregory Porter.
Nov. 14, 8 p.m. at Victoria Theater at NJPAC: Jesse Cook.
Nov. 15, 3 p.m. at Victoria Theater at NJPAC: “Bruce Hornsby With Christian McBride: One on One.”
Nov. 18, 7:30 p.m. at Clement’s Place: “Jazz Jams.” FREE
Nov. 19 at 1:30 p.m. and Nov. 22 at 2 p.m. at Prudential Hall at NJPAC: New Jersey Symphony; Christian McBride, bass; Chris Komer, horn; Eric Jacobsen, conductor. Program includes George Duke’s Dark Wood: Bass Concerto for Christian McBride; Christian McBride’s Fried Bacon; Claude Debussy’s Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun; Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances.
Nov. 21, 3 p.m. at Victoria Theater at NJPAC: Charles Lloyd Quartet featuring Charles Lloyd, saxophone/flute; Bill Frisell, guitar; Larry Grenadier, bass; Kweku Sumbry, drums.
Nov. 21, 8 p.m. at Prudential Hall at NJPAC: “Ben Vereen’s 80th Birthday Concert” featuring Vereen, Shoshana Bean, Melba Moore, Stephanie Pope, Lillias White and The Andy Farber Orchestra.
Nov. 22 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. at NICO Kitchen + Bar at NJPAC: “Dorthaan’s Place” brunch featuring The Wallace Roney Jr. Quartet.
Nov. 22 at 3 p.m. at Victoria Theater at NJPAC: 15th annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition.
_____________________________
CONTRIBUTE TO NJARTS.NET
Since launching in September 2014, NJArts.net, a 501(c)(3) organization, has become one of the most important media outlets for the Garden State arts scene. And it has always offered its content without a subscription fee, or a paywall. Its continued existence depends on support from members of that scene, and the state’s arts lovers. Please consider making a contribution of any amount to NJArts.net via PayPal, or by sending a check made out to NJArts.net to 11 Skytop Terrace, Montclair, NJ 07043.
