Middlesex County Jazz Festival

MIDDLESEX COUNTY JAZZ FESTIVAL COMES TO METUCHEN SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

After great performance in Woodbridge, New Brunswick and Carteret, On Saturday, September 26, the Middlesex County Jazz Festival reaches a grand finale in Metuchen when Friends of Metuchen Arts and Metuchen Arts Council present a full evening’s entertainment. Starting at 5:30 p.m., performances featuring the Metuchen Dance Centre followed by the innovative pairing of the Metuchen High School Jazz Ensemble (big band) directed by John Messenger and the Metuchen High School Orchestra directed by Chris McEwan.At 7:00 p.m. Dave Schumacher & Cubeye, the outstanding contemporary Latin American Jazz ensemble, takes the Metuchen stage with sounds that meld Cuban tradition, New York hardbop and modern jazz.Next, the evening’s headliner, Mingus Big Band, performs the music of legendary composer/bassist Charles Mingus. The Metuchen event takes place indoors in the comfortably refurbished Metuchen High School auditorium located at 400 Grove Avenue in Metuchen.

All Middlesex County Jazz Festival concerts are all free and accessible.

THE FULL 2026 MIDDLESEX COUNTY JAZZ FESTIVAL opens in Woodbridge on Wednesday, September 23 at Parker Press Park, 400 Rahway Avenue. Starting at 7:00 p.m the Woodbridge High School Jazz Choir, under the direction of Lisa Romero, performs. Next, it is all about the healing power of the blues with the Eli Yamin Jazz & Blues Band followed by the additional healing power of soul and jazz with the evening’s headliner, the Shayna Steele Quintet.

Moving to Thursday, September 24, the New Brunswick Jazz Project edition of the Festival will start at 5:30 p.m. outdoors in Liberty Square Park at 150 Neilson Street, with Cocomama, an all-female salsa band specializing in a combination of Afro-Cuban rhythms and jazz improvisation.Next up the accomplished composer, esteemed saxophonist, vocalist and unique interpreter of the jazz tradition, Camille Thurman headlines with the Darrell Green Quartet by her side.

Friday, September 25 is Carteret’s night to shine starting with keyboardist and organist Jeff Levine followed by headliner Saxophonist, Lance Bryant & Shout! Big Band adding a bit of rhythm & blues and gospel overtones to the Festival.Performances start at 7:00 p.m. at the beautiful Carteret Performing Arts Center, 46 Washington Street in Carteret.

Grant funding for the Festival has been provided by the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners through a grant award from the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund.