Arts & Entertainment
It's Coming Back Again So Let's Recap 2021 Maplewood Porchfest
Recapping Maplewood Porchfest in 2021 which was a huge success with 37 porches producing 61 hours of live music. Here's a quick review.
I should say that as a live music lover, ambassador, event planner, community partner and board member of Maplewood Community Music (MCM)'s Maplewood Porchfest event is clearly becoming one of my favorite live music events of the year.
Last year's Sep 5th 2021 volunteer driven Maplewood Porchfest was a huge success as the scheduled showed 55 Bands across 37 Porches producing 61 hours of live music all around the Hilton neighborhood of Maplewood from 1-5 PM. Technically it's 62 hours because it all starts with one of my favorite events of the day, the Honk Parade. The good part f this years event once again was that there was a high level of live music performances from beginning to end across all musical genres.
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Each year since inception in 2017, I look forward to figuring out how I am going to see the bands I want to spend time with and at the same time put enough other bands on the same walking route to catch as many live music performances in the same day as possible. It’s a real challenge.
What Happens at The Maplewood Porchfest?Maplewood Porchfest Honk Parade
This opening event true to its history was a New Orleans style Second Line Band led by the brainchild of Porchfest local pianist/vocalist Bill Tally, Saxophonist Ben Williams along with Umbrella Dancer, Porchfest Planner Susan Williams amongst others. They lead a happy go lucky group of folks in this kick off event down Lexington Avenue from Dehart all the way to the former home of James W Buchanan.
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Jim and Carol Buchannan leading the 2017 Maplewood Porchfest Honk Parade
Jim is a retired music educator and full time musician, a former Cultural Affairs Director for the Maplewood Recreation Department and a co-founder of Maplewood Community Music. He lived here with another very much loved community supporter, his wife Carol Buchanan )RIP), who was a force of her own as she was very active in the community. I personally love the fact that the Maplewood Porchfest Honk parade honors its founders and is just a lot of fun.
As mentioned the Maplewood Porchfest contains a wide array of live music entertainment across all musical genres throughout the afternoon. So you can see Bluegrass, Jazz, Country, Rock, Americana and more. My decision this year with a limited amount of time was to check out a few Jazz Bands with stops along the way.
Baker Street Trio in Maplewood Porchfest
My first stop on my route was the Baker Street Trio. My social media post said it all. “Baker Street Trio 3 teenagers (15, 16, 17) will be making a serious mark on Jazz for a longtime. These young cats were killing it in Maplewood Porchfest. After performing a number of tunes that of you closed your eyes, you would f thought they had way more experience than their ages. A testament to how good they were, they had Ed Palermo the alto sax player and arranger sitting in with them. Ed Palermo has had a big band for twenty-five years, which is an impressive feat in itself, and has had his band performing the music of Frank Zappa for over a decade. With Ed the level rose up again and these young folk were swinging hard. A big shout out to @Jazz House Kids and Ed Palermo for joining and supporting them - very cool move. I highly recommend all jazz fans should check them out whenever, wherever you can.
Meant To Be Jazz Quartet in Maplewood Porchfest
Next up on my tour was the Meant To Be Jazz Quartet. Note you can get around Maplewood Porchfest a few ways and most folks walk or ride a bike. As you can see you can hear the music everywhere in a Porchfest. Listen in to get to feel as you walk along as the music is in the air everywhere you go.
On this walk we encounter Meant To Be Jazz Quartet featuring Glenn Merritt on keys, Pete Omelio on Drums, Alan Hayes on Bass and John Higgins on Trumpet. Having played together for over 20 years, they have developed a synergy that is evident amongst how they play and perform with each other. This group is a regular set of performers at the Shanghai Jazz Club and the performance was just as stellar s if they were there onsite at regular performance. The jazz was flowing oh so smooth from this Lexington Ave porch. It was beautiful day, beautiful music and the large crowd that gathered enjoyed it tremendously.
What makes Porchfest so cool is you never know where the next porch is going to be. Well another group was starting as this one ended directly across the street led by Fishmarket Stew performing phish covers led by local resident David Shields . He was performing on the porch of another well known Maplewood townsperson.
Gregory Burrus with another huge supporter of the event former Mayor Vic DeLuca and Maplewood Township Committee.
Former Mayor for 20 years and a resident of the Hilton neighborhood hosts events on his porch of course and did so again this year. Vic was quoted earlier saying that “the event is “one of the top events in town. Porchfest brings people to the Hilton neighborhood to enjoy a special day of music and community ,.... It highlights the diversity of our town and the tremendous talent we have living here.”
However I had to move on as I received a call saying guess whose playing at such and such a place. As a live music jazz fan on a jazz tour hearing that ta world class drummer is playing around the corner in Maplewood Porchfest is amazing and well you just got to go.
Willie Williams Jazz Quintet in Maplewood Porchfest
Arriving on site I encountered a hardcore group of seasoned jazz professionals that came to play bigtime. The Willie Williams Quintet led by Willie Williams was swinging hard in this years Maplewood Porchfest, that's like wow. Having had a Willie Williams performance up at my favorite jazz club, Clements Place Jazz this I knew would be a special treat. Willie Williams has played with a stellar cast of musicians his whole career and in beautiful venues like the Kennedy Center, Washington, DC, Afro American Museum, Philadelphia, PA, All Star Reception at Vice President Al Gore's Mansion and our own South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) in the Giants of Jazz tribute to Jazz Giant James Moody.
Unfortunately my video was not clear but the music video to the events is awesome and as good if not better than any show in a big club in any big city. The Willie Williams Quartet featuring Alvester C Garnett on Drums, Kenny Davis on Bass, Miles Lennox on key', his son rising star Ace Williams on Trumpet and Willie Williams on Sax were just killing it all afternoon.
Speaking of Ace Williams on trumpet a special treat was the group I first mentioned the Baker Street Trio joined in with Ace Williams on Trumpet and they had a ball.
About Maplewood PorchfestPorchfest Planning Committee
Big huge kudos to the Maplewood Porchfest Committee Matt, Bill, Tracy, Susan Jay and Bill which did a phenomenal job this year.
Maplewood Community Music is the official presenter of Maplewood Porchfest. Maplewood Porchfest was the brainchild of local pianist/vocalist Bill Tally, who went to Jamaica Plain Porchfest in Boston every year. He brought the idea to friends in his hometown, and put together a committee of musicians from Maplewood Community Music to run the event. The committee chose the Hilton neighborhood for its perfect layout, easy walkability, and its porches (of course). You can read all about it here at https://maplewoodporchfest.com
About Maplewood Community MusicMaplewood Community Music (MCM), a non-profit based in Maplewood, NJ, was founded in 2003 by Jim Buchanan and Susan Williams. Susan had played in the Rutgers Band and after a number of years without playing, she approached Jim Buchanan about starting a band. At the time, Jim was the Cultural Affairs Supervisor for Maplewood.. The dedicated group of volunteer musicians and conductors continue to work towards MCM's major goals of giving hobbyist musicians the opportunity to play and perform and bringing music to Maplewood, South Orange, and other nearby communities. In addition, MCM is proud to support community events and community/youth music enrichment programs. Since its formation in 2003, the organization has grown to well over 50 musicians and has numerous active ensembles. MCM hosts between 4-6 events each season and our ensembles perform at even more local events each year. http://www.maplewoodcommunitymusic.org/
About the Author Gregory Burrus
I didn't get to see all the bands I know but thanks to all bands for making a great day even better. If you didn't get in this year you can always join up for next year just let me know. Please note the views and opinions expressed in this article are from Gregory Burrus the writer, blogger, live music lover and community partner. Hope to See you all again in September 2022.
