James Moody Jazz Festival coming to Newark

Yesterday, NJPAC and WBGO Jazz 88.3FM announced that they will inaugurate The James Moody Democracy of JazzFestival, a weeklong celebration of jazz and the musical legacy of longtime Newarker and beloved jazz musician James Moody. The Moody Festival is highlighted by two star-studded concerts: For Love of Moody: A Jazz Celebration featuring jazz icons George Benson, The Manhattan Transfer, David Sanborn and others; and Miles Davis and Gil Evans: Still Ahead, an all-star recreation of the landmark original Gil Evans arrangements of the classic Miles Davis recordings of Porgy and Bess, Sketches of Spain, and Miles Ahead featuring trumpeters Terence Blanchard and Sean Jones and others.

Additional community events in and around Newark include:
- The Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition
- WBGO Kids Jazz Concert at the Newark Museum
- the 10th anniversary Gala for Jazz House Kids in NJPAC's Victoria Theater
- other events at Bethany Baptist Church, the Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies and WBGO
- an all-star jazz brunch at NJPAC's new destination restaurant, NICO Kitchen + Bar. The jazz brunch jam session will kick off a new monthly series at NJPAC dubbed Dorthaan's Place, named after and curated by Newark's First Lady of Jazz, Dorthaan Kirk, Program Coordinator at WBGO.

Tickets for the Festival, available now, may be purchased by telephone at 1-888-GO-NJPAC (1- 888-466-5722), at the NJPAC Box Office at One Center Street in downtown Newark (open Tuesday-Saturday, noon to 6pm, and Sunday, noon to 5pm), or online at www.njpac.org.

Jazz House Kids Gala: Hitting the High Notes - October 17 at 6pm
NJPAC's Victoria Theater
The 10th anniversary gala event benefitting Jazz House Kids, an acclaimed community-based arts organization with a mission to provide year-round musical, educational, and cultural programs to students in grades K-12, teachers, adults, and families from diverse backgrounds.

For Love of Moody: A Jazz Celebration - October 19 at 8pm
NJPAC's Prudential Hall
Tickets: $76, $66, $46, $36, $26
James Moody's legacy will be celebrated with a night featuring his favorite musicians and friends, including George Benson, The Manhattan Transfer, David Sanborn; special guests Kenny Barron, Jon Faddis, Jimmy Heath, John Lee, Paquito D'Rivera, Christian McBride, Paul Lieberman; and longtime members of Moody's group, Todd Coolman, Adam Nussbaum and Renee Rosnes.

Miles Davis and Gil Evans: Still Ahead - October 20 at 8pm
NJPAC's Prudential Hall
Tickets: $76, $66, $46, $36, $26
An all-star recreation of the landmark original Gil Evans arrangements of the classic Miles Davis recordings of Porgy and Bess, Sketches of Spain, and Miles Ahead. The concert will feature a unique cast of jazz greats including Terence Blanchard on trumpet, bassist Christian McBride, drummer Peter Erskine, tuba master Howard Johnson (a member of the original recording sessions with Davis and Evans), trumpeter Sean Jones and a jazz orchestra under the direction of Vince Mendoza.

WORLD PREMIERE: Magic Tree House: A Night in New Orleans - October 20 at 1 & 4pm
NJPAC's Victoria Theater
Tickets: $26
The Moody Festival will also feature the world premiere of a new jazz musical, Magic Tree House: A Night in New Orleans, based on A Good Night for Ghosts, book #42 in the phenomenally popular Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne. In addition to the NJPAC performances, Magic Tree House: A Night in New Orleans will play a series of free performances in the Newark Public Schools for all 4,300 of the City's fourth grade students.

Nico Kitchen + Bar - October 21 from 12-3pm
Dorthaan's Place
The kickoff of a new, monthly jazz brunch jam session series dubbed Dorthaan's Place, named for and curated by Newark's First Lady of Jazz, Dorthaan Kirk, Program Coordinator at WBGO.

Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition - October 21 at 3pm
NJPAC's Victoria Theater
Tickets: $36, $26
Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition finalists perform, with rare concert footage of Sarah Vaughan. Presented as part of NJPAC's Jazz Roots Series with consulting producer Larry Rosen.