Annual West Orange Jazz Festival returns to OSPAC Oct 7, 2023

The Annual West Orange Jazz Festival returns to the Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center (OSPAC). This all day, outdoor West Orange Jazz Festival will be on Saturday, October 7, 2023 from 1 - 8 PM. Pleasant Valley Productions’ Board Member Lynette Sheard in conjunction with Gregory Burrus Productions curated another lineup of stellar musicians for the 2023 season.

Meet the Bands

Get ready to groove at the 2023 West Orange Annual JazzFest - a live, toe-tapping extravaganza that will have you swinging and swaying all day.

Winard Harper 7:15 PM

We are very happy to have Winard Harper join us in our West Orange Jazz Festival as Harper is recognised as one of the most celebrated drummers in jazz for many years. He is a virtuoso on the drum set and the balafon, the West African equivalent of the marimba, he is a sought after collaborator at home and abroad, a band leader of his quartet, his quintet and his exciting band the Jeli Posse and a regular with the legendary New York clubs.

Winard Harper was born in Baltimore in 1962, a child prodigy. Harper's first major gig was with Dexter Gordon in 1982, and shortly thereafter with Johnny Griffin. It wasn't long before his drumming skills captured the attention of Betty Carter. He spent four years as drummer with Ms. Carter's band, also working as a sideman to such jazz legends as Ray Bryant, Abdullah Ibrahim, Pharoah Sanders and Clifford Jordan, yet still keeping his own band working on his days off. At 27 Winard was playing like a veteran, a virtuoso on the cymbals as well as the drums. "The Harper Brothers" was one of the hottest groups of the post-bop era of the late '80s, early '90s. If you were lucky enough to see The Harper Brothers live, you might have thought you'd been transported back in time, when bebop wizards were the toast of the town.

Winard has continued to perform and record world-wide. 30 plus years of band leadership reflect an ever evolving mission to enlighten, heal and uplift. Winard has always been an educator of future jazz professionals, an educator through his kids programs, an events organizer - successfully running the weekly Fish Fry Jazz Jam and the Sunday "Meet the Artist" Series at Moore's Lounge in Jersey City, which continues on till today. https://www.winardharperjazz.c...

Jacquie Lee Family and Friends 6:00 PM

Jacquie Lee is being introduced to the jazz scene in our emerging stars segment. The West Orange Jazz Festival at OSPAC is proud to present the Mike Lee Family & Friends Band as they introduce Violinist and Singer Jacquie Lee. In 2019 at Garfield Middle school Jacquie, who has been playing Violin for 11 years, received the Jazz Soloist Downbeat Student Music Award for Outstanding Performance. Jacquie has also been a member of Jazz House Kids and is a member of a family of musicians which has truly helped her honed her musicianship. Jacquie has also taken up the family mantle and has conducted a number of jazz jams throughout Essex county and beyond. More recently the Jacqueline Lee Quartet was selected to open for 2 prolific, energetic forces on the contemporary music scene for more than two decades. Billboard top charting, Grammy award winning saxophonist.Marion Meadows and the nephew of the legendary jazz trumpeter Donald Byrd, renowned jazz pianist Alex Bugnon. This opening set was a huge success enhancing her reputation as she continues to perform across New Jersey. The following stellar list of musicians will perform in this wonderful event featuring Jacquie Lee on Violin.
Read more about the band Jacquie Lee Mike Lee Matt Lee Nat Adderley Jr. and Bass.

Don Braden Quartet, 5:15 PM

A world-class saxophonist, flutist, composer and educator, Don Braden’s jazz career has spanned over 40 years. He has toured the world with jazz greats Betty Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Tony Williams, Freddie Hubbard, Roy Haynes, Herbie Hancock and many others, and has performed in venues as diverse as Carnegie Hall, Saturday Night Live, Harvard University (where he studied Engineering as an undergrad), and countless jazz festivals and clubs. He has played on over 100 CDs as a sideman and has produced 23 as a leader, the most recent being his critically acclaimed Earth Wind and Wonder.

Don is a highly experienced educator. Currently, he is the Director of the Harvard Jazz Combo Initiative, teaches part-time at the Prins Claus Conservatoire in the Netherlands, and is the Music Director of both the Litchfield Jazz Camp (since 1998) and the Texas Jazz and Blues Camp (since 2016). He has toured as “Guest Jazz Master” with the Hancock Institute. He ran NJPAC’s Wells Fargo Jazz For Teens Program for 15 years, the jazz program at Montclair State University for several years, and led the Harvard University Monday Jazz Band for three years.
For more info, see www.DonBraden.com

Festival details at:
2023 ANNUAL WEST ORANGE JAZZ FESTIVAL AT OSPAC

Tribute: Warren Battiste 5:00 PM - 5:15 PM

A New Orleans legend, 98-year-old New Orleans native son and unsung hero in the annals of jazz, guitarist Warren Battiste. Warren Battiste was born in New Orleans in 1925 and was taught to play the guitar by his father who was a banjo player at Preservation Hall. Warren has performed at numerous jazz clubs on Bourbon Street, Preservation Hall, Snug Harbor, the Matador and many others. Warren also appeared in the film "Shy People" with Jill Clayburgh and Barbara Hershey. He has taught music at Wequachie High School, Essex County College and the Newark Art Center in Newark, New Jersey. Warren has performed with George Benson, The Platters, The Inkspots and Illinois Jacquet to name a few. In 2000 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award in Jazz from the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival.

Ty Stephens & SoulJaazz 4:00 PM

SoulJaazz led by Ty Stephens. a multi-talented urban-tinged adult-contemporary jazz, soul, R&B, and Broadway performer is going to knock you out! Ty Stephens and the SoulJaazz band have performed around the world, gaining international audiences together and separately have performed with a whos' who in the industry such as Celine Dion, Britney Spears, Billy Preston, Eddie Kendricks, Chuck Mangione, Nile Rogers, Hugh Masakela, Wayne Shorter, Jon Lucien, Harry Belafonte, Diane Reeves, the Temptations, Beyonce, Ne-Yo, Chris Brown, LL Cool J, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Sting, Little Richard, Sam & Dave, Cindy Lauper, Roy Ayers, Merv Griffin, Pharoah Sanders, George Benson, Tito Puente and many more. https://www.tystephensmusic.co...

Nat Adderley, Jr. Quartet 3:00 PM

In 1981, Adderley became the music director for Luther Vandross. Adderley arranged the music for Vandross’ 1981 album, Never Too Much on the songs “Never Too Much” and “Sugar and Spice (I Found Me a Girl).” He then co-wrote the song “Better Love” for Vandross’ 1982 album, Forever, for Always, for Love. In 1984, Adderley arranged “Superstar,” as well as “If Only for One Night” and “Creepin’” for Vandross’ album, The Night I Fell In Love. He co-wrote Vandross’ first top twenty hit, “Stop to Love” and arranged the songs “So Amazing” and “Give Me The Reason” from the album, Give Me The Reason. In 1988, Adderley arranged the songs “I Wonder” and “Love Won’t Let Me Wait” for Vandross’ album, Any Love. The album was nominated for a 1989 Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. Adderley also played keyboard for Vandross’ 1991 Grammy award winning album, Power of Love. He produced Vandross’ albums Your Secret Love, Luther Vandross, and the Grammy award winning album, Dance with My Father. Adderley arranged Vandross’ 2003 Grammy award-winning duet with Beyonce Knowles, “The Closer I Get to You,” which won for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. He then produced the live album, Luther’s Live 2003 at Radio City Music Hall.

In addition to his work with Vandross, Adderley has worked with several other musicians. He arranged the songs for Aretha Franklin’s 1983 album, Jump To It, the string section for Doc Powell’s Grammy nominated song “What’s Going On” and Natalie Cole’s song “When I Fall in Love.” Recordings of Adderley playing piano were used by playwright August Wilson for his play The Piano Lesson in 1990. Adderley later formed the Nat Adderley, Jr. Trio. Read more in this very nice New Jersey Jersey Jazz Magazine article: Nat Adderley, Jr.: Exhilarating Mix of Jazz, Blues and R&B

Carlos Frias & Circulo Social 2:15 PM

With roots in the Dominican Republic Carlos Frias is a singer songwriter, Visual Artist, Drummer and percussionist and the front man of the world music band, Carlos Frías & Circulo Social. Based out of Bloomfield NJ, we play mostly original music that we blend with Rock, Jazz and Latin rhythms. In our music you can hear the heart of the Caribbean, the peasant chant, the voice of those speaking against injustice accompanied by Afro Caribbean rhythms. Carlos, a talented musician, has captivated audiences in Northern NJ at popular venues and towns including South Orange, Newark, Bloomfield amongst others and has captivated audiences at many popular venues including Crossroads, Suzy Ques, Hat City, and Abuja International. He opened the Patterson NJ Jazz Festival, and recently earned the honor of opening for Tito Puente Jr. in Rahway, NJ. Don't miss the chance to experience this electrifying performance.
Learn more about Carlos Frias and Circulo Social

Mecadon McCune Trio 1:30 PM

Proud to open our festival with 18-year-old “Jazz House" kid, and rising star who has been awarded the $10,000 James Moody Scholarship to study Jazz Performance at Montclair State University. McCune also performed in the Rising Stars opening act at the New Jersey Jazz Society's Jersey Jazz LIVE! concert in Madison, NJ. He will lead his trio with bassist Sam Konin, a Charles Mingus Electric Bass Award winner and Pianist James Bally, a Westfield NJ Musical Club 2020 Scholarship Winner. Come early and catch this “future of jazz” performance. Read more in Jersey Jazz Magazine about Rising Star: Mecadon McCune.

This promises to be an unforgettable day of live music.

Please tell a friend and share our info. Come spend a great day with us.

There will also be a beer and wine garden, many food vendors, community tables and more.

Free parking and indoor restrooms are available.

General admission: $10—bring your own lawn chair.
Premium seating: $20—includes a pre-set chair in the front of the stage.
Special group rates are available for groups of 10 or more.

Secure your tickets now - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a...