Here at NJJazzList things will be changing. We're looking at new ways of promoting live jazz and look forward to supporting more jazz artists and venues.
Thank you to all our supports over the years. I've enjoyed every minute of creating and maintaining this site in it's various forms and l am looking forward to doing more for this great American artform. Stay tuned...
-Andy McDonough
New Brunswick Jazz Project is a non-profit organization dedicated to presenting world class jazz performances in downtown New Brunswick & other Central Jersey venues. Since its inception in 2010 NBJP has gone from presenting two jazz performances a month, to offering FREE year around shows, four nights every week. The Jazz Project has successfully fostered a supportive environment for regular live jazz performance in New Brunswick and has presented more than 700 events featuring over 1000 acclaimed national and international jazz leaders, sidemen and special guests, including among many others: Arturo O’Farrill, John Lee, Ed Cherry, Dave Stryker, Akiko Tsuruga, Roseanna Vitro, Mimi Jones, Jerry Weldon, Rudy Royston, Virginia Mayhew, Luis Perdomo, Dezron Douglas, Joe Magnarelli, Ralph Peterson, Steve Williams, Kenny Davis, Tia Fuller, Orrin Evans, Jared Gold, Tim Ries, Victor Lewis, Conrad Herwig, and Ravi Coltrane.
NBJP also regularly partners with the New Brunswick Public Schools and the Hub Teen Center to provide after-school enrichment programming in the form of jazz performances with student participation and talk backs.
Click on image above to learn more about local events.
An iconic Prescott double bass constructed in the early 1800s, once owned by jazz great Scott LaFaro, has been loaned to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) by the International Society of Bassists, marking a significant moment in the preservation and celebration of jazz history.
LaFaro (1936-1961) was a native son of Newark, New Jersey. This rare instrument was central to LaFaro’s groundbreaking work with the Bill Evans Trio in the early 1960s. NJPAC will give audiences a rare opportunity to hear this instrument when today’s leading bassists perform on it as part of the 2025 TD James Moody Jazz Festival: Ben Williams with Stanley Clarke (Nov 9), Max Gerl with Arturo Sandoval (Nov 13), and Christian McBride with his Big Band (Nov 22) - with more to be announced.
This rare instrument was central to LaFaro’s groundbreaking work with the Bill Evans Trio in the early 1960s. NJPAC will give audiences a rare opportunity to hear this instrument when today’s leading bassists perform on it as part of the 2025 TD James Moody Jazz Festival: Ben Williams with Stanley Clarke (Nov 9), Max Gerl with Arturo Sandoval (Nov 13), and Christian McBride with his Big Band (Nov 22) - with more to be announced. The Prescott bass, restored and carefully maintained, stands as both a historical artifact and a testament to LaFaro’s enduring influence on the art of jazz. “For bassists everywhere, Scott LaFaro’s unique sound and incredible musicianship have been a deep source of inspiration. It’s both humbling and exhilarating to be in direct contact with his instrument,” says Christian McBride, multi-Grammy Award-winning bassist and NJPAC’s Jazz Advisor.
The TD James Moody Jazz Festival at NJPAC runs from November 8–23, 2025. The festival will feature a variety of performances, including sets by the George Cables Trio, Omar Sosa Quarteto Americanos, Arturo Sandoval, and the Christian McBride Big Band. Click on the image at the top for current event information.
New Jersey’s Jazz Clubs You Should Know
The Free Jazz Collective- Sofia Borges and Ada Rave - The Unseen Pact (Relative Pitch, 2025)By Paul Acquaro Inspired by International Women's Day, my mind jumped to a recording from Argentinian saxophonist Ade Rave and Portuguese drummer Sofia Borges that deserves some attention - it's both intense without being aggressive and powerful without resorting to sheer volume. Borges' drumming provides pulse and animation while Rave's woodwinds are focused and provocative, whether […]
FeedBlitz News- How to Bring Your Social Media Monetization Strategy to Email March 6, 2025There are many ways to monetize your online presence, including ads on your website, paid posts on social media, or via email. While social media may be newer to the monetization scene than websites, emails, or blogs, it has quickly become one of the most common and profitable ways to monetize your online presence. In […]
All About Jazz- James Francies, Joel Ross and Immanuel Wilkins at The New SchoolJames Francies, Joel Ross, Immanuel Wilkins and The Blue Note All-Stars The New School New York, NY March 5, 2026 What does a jazz program do when three of its faculty record for the famed Blue Note Records? If you're The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, you create a Blue Note All-Stars ensemble […]
- The Infinite Groove: Top 10 Classic Jazz MarathonsClassic Jazz | Prog Rock While the "3-minute single" was the rule for radio, the jazz world of the mid-20th century operated on a different internal clock. With the arrival of the Long Play (LP) record, jazz musicians finally had the "room" to let their ideas breathe... [ read more ]
Jazz Guitar Education- 12 Extended Major 7 Chord Voicings For GuitarExtended Major 7 chords add color, depth, and sophistication to your guitar playing. In this article, we’ll explore 12 extended Major 7 guitar chords that go beyond the basic shapes, introducing richer harmonies through added tones like the 9th and 13th.
- 4 Levels of 2-5-1-6 Jazz Guitar Chords - PDF & Short VideoIn this lesson, we’ll explore 4 Levels of 2–5–1–6 Jazz Guitar Chords. Whether you're a developing player building your jazz foundation or an intermediate guitarist looking to expand your chord vocabulary, these four levels will give you a structured path to stronger, more musical comping. This lesson comes with a PDF (Give What You Want).
This ensemble embraces a broad stylistic swath of jazz, Latin and Brazilian idioms and experiments with intimate to large groups.
Bill O’Connell – piano and Fender Rhodes, Lincoln Goines – bass, Robby Ameen – drums with special guests Randy Brecker – flugelhorn, Craig Handy – alto sax, Conrad Herwig – trombone, Andrea Brachfeld – flute, and Dan Carillo – guitar.
This is bassist, Steve LaSpina’s 12th album as a leader, and explores some of his old tunes, as well as new works. It gives the listener a rare opportunity to experience how original compositions in jazz develop after decades of live performance. PERSONNEL: Steve LaSpina - bass, Joel Frahm - tenor & soprano saxophone, Luis Perdomo - piano, and Eric McPherson - drums.
Drummer, Reggie Quinerly, offers his latest album as a fond good-bye as he relocates to Los Angeles. The quintet of trumpeter Antoniene Drye, tenor saxophonist John Ellis, pianist John Chin, and bassist Sean Conly, recorded their seven tracks together in one room, old school.
Veteran alto man Andy Fusco has appeared on many sessions over the years including his work with the Buddy Rich big band and sideman duties with the likes of Walt Weiskopf and drummer Steve Smith. Bravo to Steeplechase Records who have given him the opportunity to record an album a year with this being his fifth release.
Previously Unreleased Live Tenor Sax Giant George Coleman from The Ballroom in Baltimore,1971
Know of a jazz player in need, a benefit or a good cause related to jazz? Please reach out.
In the meantime, click on the link to learn more about Philadelphia's JazzBridge organization.
