Montclair Residents to Be Honored

Melissa Walker and Christian McBride, the power couple behind Montclair-based Jazz House Kids, will be honored by FAMILYConnections on Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at the Westminster Hotel in Livingston during the 12th International Tasting Gala. This fundraising event benefits over 4,000 area children, adults and families.

“The Champion of the People Award is given each year to people who have a special commitment to helping youth and families.” says Jacques Hryshko, FAMILYConnections Executive Director. “One of the priorities of FAMILYConnections’ mission is helping young people find their strengths so they can thrive and become successful adults. Melissa and Christian, two passionate musicians, are doing just that through Jazz House Kids – helping kids reach their potential through jazz education and the opportunity to perform. We are pleased to honor their work in this nationally renowned arts education program.”

Melissa Walker founded Jazz House Kids 14 years ago. Today, more than 800 young people study with Jazz House Kids each week. In 2010, Walker also launched the first Montclair Jazz Festival. This annual “no tickets required” summer festival has become one of the region’s largest music festivals attended by 10,000 people.

Christian McBride is a five-time Grammy Award-winning jazz artist and one of the most requested, recorded and respected figures in the music world today. He hosts and produces his own radio shows for Sirius XM satellite radio and NPR, and serves as the Artistic Advisor for Jazz Programming at NJPAC. He was recently appointed the new Artistic Director for the Newport Jazz Festival.

Walker and McBride are being honored along with Short Hills residents Bunny and Lloyd Ucko, longtime supporters of FAMILYConnections. The Ucko’s will be receiving the 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award.

FAMILYConnections is a non-profit community agency serving Essex and surrounding communities with 35 specialized programs for all ages, including counseling, skills-building, training and prevention. Funds raised from The Tasting Gala, a popular Essex County event, will support all of these programs.

To purchase tickets for the Tasting Gala or to learn more about FAMILYConnections, please visit www.familyconnectionsnj.org or contact Nancy Wellbrock at nwellbrock@familyconnectionsnj.org.