Jazzville, NJ

Celebrating Dizzy Gillespie’s Birthday With A Google Doodle

// October 21st, 2010 // No Comments » // Commentary, History, Jazz Events, News

Google displayed a stylized version of its logo on Thursday, October 21, 2001, in honor of jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie's birthday.

Having been sick for the last few days, I came home from work early today to fight off the last remnants of a nasty cold. At 5pm I downed a dose of NyQuil in an attempt to get some sleep, and boy did it help! I slept almost until midnight, or “Round Midnight” as may be apropos to say at this moment. Upon waking up, I logged on to the computer and was super excited to find that Google decided to honor what would have been Dizzy Gillespie’s 93rd birthday with a stylized Google Doodle.

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Trenton International Jazz & Blues Festival Controversy

// October 15th, 2010 // No Comments » // Annette Njie, Commentary, Jazz Events, News

The website for the 2010 Trenton International Jazz & Blues Festival lists various sponsors, but problems paying the performers have left a negative mark on the event in the eyes of many.

I once heard a wise saying that went something like this: “Smart people learn from their mistakes; smarter people learn from the mistakes of others.”

Sadly, in the NJ jazz world we have an opportunity to learn from the mistakes of Annette Njie, the Trenton promoter who created the Trenton International Jazz & Blues Festival that ran earlier this year from September 17-19 at various venues around Trenton. The festival itself went off without a hitch, but when it came time to pay the two dozen acts, most were left high and dry, receiving partial payment or none at all.

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An Appeal To The Community: Acoustic Alchemy Gear Stolen

// October 13th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Jazz Events, News

Miles Gilderdale (left) and Greg Carmichael (right) front UK-based contemporary jazz group, Acoustic Alchemy.

In a great example of just how big the jazz genre is, today I was surprised to learn that Acoustic Alchemy – a group I had always considered to be “World Music” or “New Age” – is in fact considered a jazz group. Awesome! I’ve only followed their music for a few years, but everything I’ve heard is a fantastical mix of relaxed, mellow, upbeat and positive. Listening to their work is like listening to a motivational speech.

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Pat Metheny Wows Bergen PAC Audience With Orchestrion Performance

// October 11th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Jazz Events, Recaps & Reviews

Jazz guitarist and composer Pat Metheny thrilled fans with his Orchestrion Tour at Bergen PAC on Friday, October 8, 2010. PHOTO CREDIT: Carolina Performing Arts

Walking into the lobby of the Bergen PAC this past Friday, I was eagerly anticipating Pat Metheny’s Orchestrion show. A previous post I had written about it really got me excited to see his first-of-its-kind orchestrion invention up close.

He made his way onstage to thunderous applause and sat on a simple stool with his guitar before launching into some solo pieces, a mix of tunes from his early repertoire. Hunched over with his head down, you could only see a mass of curls while his nimble fingers struck chords that tugged at your heartstrings. Within minutes a mellow, easygoing aura fell upon the crowd, instantly mesmerizing them.

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Pat Metheny’s Orchestrion: A Layman’s Explanation

// October 10th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Commentary, Jazz Events, Recaps & Reviews

So I finally get it! Funny how you can read all the technical explanations you want, but it’s only when you experience things for yourself does it all click.

This past Friday I attended the Pat Metheny show at Bergen PAC in Englewood. What an incredible set! And what a tremendous guitarist Pat is! I’d read about his Orchestrion tour and thought I understood how the mechanized instruments worked- and I did, to a degree. But the real “Aha!” moment came while I watched Pat perform several improvised pieces. “How could they be improvised if the mechanized instruments are pre-programmed to play a given tune?” I thought to myself. Then it happened – I became fully aware of what was going on.

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End Your Week On A High Note With Hopewell Valley Vineyards’ Friday Night Jazz Performances

// September 30th, 2010 // No Comments » // Jazz Events, News

Hopewell Valley Vineyards invites you to enjoy a glass of wine and unwind to the sounds of their Friday Night jazz performances. PHOTO CREDIT: HopewellValleyVineyards.com

I’ve been a fan of local New Jersey wines for many years. For ages I wondered why wineries would close at 5pm on Friday nights. With beautiful grounds, fantastic wines and local jazz musicians itching to play a show, they have everything they need to attract a crowd seeking to unwind on a Friday night. I figured it was such a no-brainer that there must be some kind of law or local ordinance preventing them from staying open, serving wine and giving people a place to socialize, relax and listen to some jazz.

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One Night Only: Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade At Bergen PAC + A Chance To Win Free Stuff!

// September 26th, 2010 // No Comments » // Jazz Events, News

Left to right: Chick Corea, Christian McBride & Brian Blade will perform at BergenPAC on Tuesday, Sept. 28th in their only NJ appearance.

Listen up, folks – a bonafide supergroup is blowing through town this coming Tuesday, September 28th! Chick Corea along with friends Christian McBride and Brian Blade are set to knock your socks off at BergenPAC in Englewood. Billed as Corea + McBride + Blade, this trio is sure to equal one amazingly good time!

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Pat Metheny’s “Orchestrion” To Mesmerize NJ Audiences With 3 Dates + Free Stuff For Jazzville, NJ Readers!

// September 25th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Jazz Events, News

Pat Metheny redefines the term "solo concert" with his Orchestrion Tour, blowing through NJ in early October. Here, he stands surrounded by the multitudes of mechanized instruments that share the stage with him.

“Metheny’s Orchestrion is nothing short of spectacular… Endlessly fascinating and visually dazzling.” – Kansas City Star

Wow, the Kansas City Star’s review certainly caught my attention! And since Jazzville NJ’s sophisticated readers are always hot on the pulse of the latest jazz happenings, you probably already know about this tour which kicked off earlier in the year. What you might not have known is that Metheny’s Orchestrion Tour will be gracing NJ audiences with three dates in early October.

For those who don’t know who Metheny is or what an orchestrion does, allow me to explain:

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2011 Newark Songbirds Calendar – Great Gift For A Great Cause

// September 22nd, 2010 // 1 Comment » // Denise Hamilton, History, Jazz Events, Madame Pat Tandy, News, Pam Purvis, Yvette Glover

You’ve heard me say it before – my daily NJ-centric jazz searches typically produce a list of band websites, local shows or other upcoming jazz events. On rare occasion, there’s a jazz club for sale or someone releasing a jazz-infused collection of Michael Jackson tunes. But late last week I had the unique pleasure of discovering a calendar featuring female jazz singers from the Garden State. What a treat! I had to investigate. (more…)

Hyatt Morristown Continues A Growing Trend

// September 20th, 2010 // 2 Comments » // Jazz Events, News

Jazz vocalist Laura Hull will kick off the inaugural night of "Jazz in the Hyatt," a new concert series being held at the Hyatt Morristown's Qube Lounge.

In what seems to be a growing trend of hotel restaurants offering live jazz performances, the Hyatt Morristown Hotel will now be presenting a live act every Thursday evening from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. The “Jazz in the Hyatt” series kicks off September 23rd with the LauRio Quartet featuring vocalist Laura Hull and master pianist Rio Clemente.

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