St. John's Summit Concert Series to Host a Night of Dinner and Jazz

“If you have to ask what jazz is, then you’ll never know,” quipped the great Louis Armstrong. On January 30, the St. John’s Summit Concert Series (SJSCS) invites adults from Summit and the neighboring communities to come and experience a collection of original pieces and standards harkening to the classic age of jazz, as it hosts the Emmet Cohen Trio for an evening of dinner and jazz. The concert will take place at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Summit, New Jersey, and will include a catered dinner.

Cohen is young, only 24, but already his music has been praised for its maturity and composure. Joined by double bassist Russell Hall and jazz drummer Kyle Poole, Cohen’s concerts give the audience an intimate and interactive evening of jazz standards and original compositions.

“This is something very new for us, which is exciting,” said Kenneth Bryson, president of SJSCS. “With the Emmet Cohen Trio, we want to offer more than just a concert – we want this to be an experience. We are offering adults the opportunity to have a New York-style evening with jazz right here in Summit.”

Raised in Montclair, New Jersey, Emmet Cohen grew up playing jazz in New York with some of the great performers, sharing stages with musical luminaries such as Kurt Elling, Herlin Riley, Ali Jackson, Brian Lynch, Billy Hart, Jimmy Heath and others. After studying at the Frost School in Miami, Florida and later at the Manhattan School of Music in New York, Cohen went on to compete in various jazz competitions, including the prestigious American Pianists Association’s Cole Porter Fellowship and the Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition in 2011. Cohen has also performed a set at the Kennedy Center, backed by Carl Allen and Rodney Whitaker. His first studio album, “In the Element,” featuring Joe Sanders and Rodney Green, received high praises nationally and internationally.

Admission for the concert is $60, and includes a full dinner and dessert. Tickets can be purchased online or by phone at (908) 273-3846. For the full list of concerts and prices, or to become a sponsor, visit stjohnssummit.org/concertseries, or go to Facebook at facebook.com/stjohnssummitconcertseries.

About St. John’s Summit Concert Series

The St. John’s Summit Concert Series (SJSCS) is a non-profit organization that aims to bring a diverse array of music to the local communities surrounding Summit, New Jersey. The performances will both highlight the talent found in the community and offer residents the opportunity to see and hear local and international professional musicians.

The SJSCS has filed for 501(c)(3) status from the IRS, and supports itself through the generosity of its Friends of Music and through the sale of tickets to attend performances. Anyone may become a Friend of Music at varying levels of sponsorship. For tickets, and to find out how to support the SJSCS, visit www.stjohnssummit.org/concertseries or www.facebook.com/stjohnssummitconcertseries.