Jazz Festival returns to Newark NJPAC in November

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center has announced the line-up of the 12th annual TD James Moody Jazz Festival and it includes Gladys Knight and Take 6.

This year’s program runs from Nov. 3 to Nov. 10 and it showcases both legendary and emerging artists exploring jazz through the lens of Afrofuturism, Latin music, dance and soul, according to a press release from NJPAC.

Presented by way of unique genrecrossing collaborative concerts, this year’s program reflects on the amalgamation of jazz both in its musical form as well as in its force for and response to social change.

"Jazz is a music that's in constant evolution, continually integrating with other musical forms — Latin music, blues, musical theater — and incorporating them into new sounds," said John Schreiber, NJPAC's president and CEO. "This year's TD James Moody Jazz Festival celebrates all the different ways that jazz has reinvented itself, and reimagined songs and styles from many different genres.”

This year’s festival presents vocal powerhouses starting with Dee Dee Bridgewater joined by New Jersey-based pianist Bill Charlap on Nov. 3, followed by Lisa Fischer in a special performance with Gullah band Ranky Tanky on Nov. 9, the multifaceted Cuban legend Omara Portuondo on Nov. 10 on her Farewell Tour, 10-time GRAMMY Award-winning a cappella group Take 6 in a unique pairing with tap dancer Hillary-Marie on Nov. 11, Gladys

Knight and New Orleans pianist/vocalist Davell Crawford on Nov. 12, and the spirit of Newark’s own Sarah Vaughan at the 12th annual SASSY Awards on Nov 19.

Other highlights include: NEA Jazz Master and South African cultural icon Abdullah Ibrahim making his NJPAC debut in an intimate performance with his Trio on Nov 12; and explorations of jazz’s impact on Musical Theater and Film with the production of Sound of (Black) Music reimagining of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s classic on Nov. 16 as well as tribute concerts to prolific film composer Dave Grusin on Nov. 17 and to Disney and its iconic tunes from the past 100 years on Nov. 17.

"Probably my favorite quote about performing is from Cannonball Adderley: 'I give the audience 50% of what they want to hear and 50% of what I think they need to hear,' " said NJPAC Jazz Advisor Chris- tian McBride, who helped curate the Festival schedule. "As an artist, I think that's a smart balance – and it's part of how we approach the TD James Moody Festival lineup. Whatever your favorite kind of music is, you'll hear it at some point in this festival — but you'll also hear variations on it, new approaches, maybe a take you hadn't considered before. We're always going to play the music you love, but we're going to offer you a little something more, a new sound, a new artist to get excited about."

For the 12th consecutive year, the Festival is sponsored by TD Bank, which has supported the event since its inauguration.“We believe in the power of the arts to connect us all, and TD Bank is proud to continue to sponsor a Festival that offers everyone in New Jersey an opportunity to experience joy, community and inspiration,” said Martin Melilli, market president at TD Bank. “We know that music brings people together, and jazz, in particular, has a way of dissolving boundaries.”

Festival events are held in various locations throughout Newark, including NJPAC, 1 Center St., the Newark Museum of Art at 49 Washington St., Clement’s Place at 15 Washington St., Bethany Baptist Church at 275 West Market St., and NICO at NJPAC, 1 Center St.

Tickets are now on sale. To purchase, contact NJPAC at 1.888.GO.NJPAC / 1.888.466.5722 or visit NJPAC.org/jazz.