The 2024 TD James Moody Jazz Festival took place from November 7 to 24 at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC). In the Festival brochure, it says “I’ve always said the best has yet to be heard.” James Moody put that conviction on the record just over 30 years ago, and it feels even truer today. Moody – the irrepressible saxophonist and flutist, adopted Newark native, and namesake of NJPAC’s flagship festival – understood that jazz is an active language and a living tradition. For all the greatness he’d seen and heard in his exalted postwar career, he knew the future holds even more wonder, new modes and new models to expand the art form. He’d probably approve of the rich profusion of sounds in…TD James Moody Jazz Festival (curated by NJPAC Jazz Advisor Christian McBride) from fellow NEA Jazz Masters like Paquito D’Rivera to soul-jazz hybridists like Brandee Younger, to the hopeful young talent taking the stage at the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition.
He’d surely delight in a tribute to his old friend Max Roach, organized by another son of Newark, Tyshawn Sorey. And it’s easy to imagine Moody making cameos with The Django Festival Allstars or during a Billie and Blue Eyes tribute by John Pizzarelli and Catherine Russell (who both had musical parents in Moody’s generation). WE know Moody (a sometimes jazz vocalist himself) was particular about singers: one he especially admired was Dianne Reeves. And Moody loved fun. And what’s more fun than the funk of George Clinton?”
Tribute to Funk!
John Pizzarelli welcomed the crowd to Prudential Hall, via recording. Then Christian McBride came on stage and told a funny story about growing up in Philadelphia. Brittany McCombs, Executive Producer at Audible, discussed George Clinton’s book, And your Ass Will Follow, which is all about Vernon Reid – the revolutionary singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/ producer/bandleader, his rich musical history, and how he became an iconic purveyor of classic funk. McCombs had the audience in stitches when she kept having trouble announcing the name of the book. After laughing through several tries, she finally got it right! Musical Director/keyboardist Ray Chew co-produced this concert with his wife, music industry powerhouse Vivian Scott Chew.
Ray Chew was clad in a sparkling silver jacket, and introduced Malachi Woods, a participant of TD Jazz for Teens, a jazz education program. Malachi said that he always wanted to be a musician, adding, “I never had a Plan B.” He added, “Nothing is more important than learning from your mistakes.” He also stressed the importance of being yourself.
George Clinton entered the stage wearing a blindingly bright leopard skin jacket and displayed an energy that belied his age. Then Vernon Reid joined the band that included drummer Will Calhoun, alto saxophonist Darryl Dixon, bassist Gary Foote, keyboardist Russell Graham, trombonist Danny Hall, and trumpeters Freddie Hendrix and Joe Romano. The vocalists were Jenny Douglas, John James, and Nikki Richards. The group covered a wide variety of funk and R&B from the 60s, 70s and 80s, including “Roller Coaster” that segued into a sizzling hot “Fire” and the mash-up really lived up to the funky theme of the concert.
They continued with a scorching rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” that almost blew the roof off Prudential Hall! Next came Sly and the Family Stone’s smoking “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin).” Then, the iconic Nona Hendryx came on stage in a fringed pink pantsuit that shimmied with /her every move, and she sang her heart out on Chaka Khan’s “Tell Me Something Good.” Vocalist Bilal joined the band to sing a delicious “Girl You Need a Change of Mind,” and on Prince’s “Kiss,” he really embodied the soul of that cut.
After an intermission, the high-energy music resumed with an upbeat Tower of Power classic, “What Is Hip?” Ray Chew brought out Tony Award-winning tap dancer Savion Glover, whose expertise was an astonishing sight to behold. None of the musicians played for most of the time he was dancing, but he held the audience in thrall, all by himself! Near the end of his routine, he sang out, “I can hear my mother’s call!” and the band chimed in. Savion impulsively hugged Ray Chew, then returned to his platform for more excellent tapping while he sang “Dr. Love.” It was a bravura performance, and Ray praised Savion, saying “Didn’t he bring in the funk?”
Christian McBride came on stage for a blistering version of James Brown’s “Get Up, I Feel Like Being A Sex Machine,” then immediately followed with a rousing performance of “For the Love of Money” that had the crowd singing along before he finished the first bar. The song morphed into a red-hot “Brick House” that almost set the stage aflame, and next came a scintillating “Gonna Have a Funky Good Time.”
During this energetic show, things finally slowed down. Vernon Reid returned for a powerful version of Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Can’t Hide Love” that would surely have made Maurice White smile in heaven. It was so moving, that once again, the audience sang along with fervor. Sly and the Family Stone’s “Sing a Simple Song” stirred the crowd even more, and the audience participation remained at a high pitch. A soulful performance of The Gap Band’s “Yearning for Your Love” had the vocalists Jenny Douglas, John James, and Nikki Richards giving it their all.
Ray Chew told the crowd, “We can’t do a funk night without the Funkmeister himself. Put your hands together for Mr. George Clinton!” George led the band in an electrifying medley of Parliament-Funkadelic hits, including “Flash Light,” “(Not Just) Knee Deep,” “One Nation Under a Groove,” “Atomic Dog,” and “Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker).” This show really delved deeply into the world of funk, and it showed the points where funk intersected with the musicality of jazz!
Jazz Vespers at Bethany @25
Christian McBride talked about the time he first came to Newark, NJ, and how he was familiar with people like Wayne Shorter, Woody Shaw, Sarah Vaughan, James Moody, and Larry Young. Then someone said, “You need to meet the Queen of Newark…Dorthaan Kirk. Now that you’ve met the Queen, you got to meet the King. That was Rev. Dr. M. William Howard Jr.…Meeting him, he is such a light, a true light, and it has been a true joy and honor to know him and be a part of the Bethany family and to play there…We all salute you tonight, Dr. Howard.”
This evening celebrated the 25th anniversary of Jazz Vespers at Bethany Baptist Church, which was co-founded by Dorthaan Kirk and Rev. Dr. M. William Howard Jr. McBride brought the senior pastor of Bethany Baptist Church, Rev. Timothy Levi Adkins-Jones to the stage. Rev. Adkins-Jones said, “Good evening! What a gift and honor it is to be here and to share on this auspicious occasion…to celebrate 25 years worshiping to the sounds of jazz.” He also thanked NJPAC for the way they have partnered with supported Jazz Vespers all these years.
Then NJPAC President and CEO, John Schreiber, came to the microphone and acknowledged the Vespers Committee and Dorthaan Kirk. “I’m not going to tell you how old I am…but I met Dorthaan Kirk at Kennedy Airport in 1976, when I was a kid!” It was his first summer in the jazz business, working for George Wein, and they were taking 200 musicians from New York to France for the Jazz Festival in Nice, and his task, after only being on the job for two weeks, was to check in all the musicians. “I did not know what in the world I was doing.” He added that he was totally over his head until Dorthaan approached him and offered her help. He thanked Kirk for that, and all she had done for jazz since.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy appeared via tape to give accolades to everyone who has been involved in Jazz Vespers, especially Rev. Dr. M. William Howard Jr. and NEA Jazz Master Dorthaan Kirk. Governor Murphy said he was incredibly disappointed that he couldn’t be at NJPAC that night in person, but he spoke eloquently about the events of the evening and the history of jazz, particularly in New Jersey.
Then Schreiber introduced Dorthaan Kirk, who put a spotlight on the background people, who she said you often don’t hear about, both folks at NJPAC and Bethany Baptist Church. She also touted the special merchandise on sale that she said helps to support Jazz Vespers, which she noted has been FREE and open to the public.
Honoree of the night, Dr. M. William Howard Jr. came on stage and joked, “Take your shoes off…I’m a Baptist preacher, and I’m going to give a long speech. Are you ready? Well pretend you are!” He asked his wife, Barbara Howard, to stand up in the audience, adding he was glad she was there, “on the outside chance that somebody might say something good about me tonight,” noting that he’s been trying to impress her for 55 years! Rev. Howard said he accepted the honor because he did indeed plant the seed of Jazz Vespers at Bethany. However, he called Dorthaan Kirk the “not-so-secret sauce of Jazz Vespers.” He said without the high regard the musicians (who have performed through the years) have for Dorthaan, it never would have happened. He then spoke about the history of jazz, which has its roots in gospel. Rev. Howard also thanked John Schrieber and NJPAC for their sustained support.
Musical Director and pianist/arranger Nat Adderley Jr., joined by saxophonist/flautist Mike Lee, bassist Kenny Davis, and drummer Steve Johns, started the music with a lively swing number by Wayne Shorter, “Yes or No,” that swept over the audience, then followed with an introspective “People Make the World Go ‘Round.” Adderley spoke of the Luther Vandross documentary that he was part of, Luther Vandross: Never Too Much, then played an insinuating and pulsating version of Luther’s version of “Superstar.”
Nat introduced vocalist Vanessa Rubin with effusive praise, saying, “Oh my goodness, I just love this woman!” Rubin performed a sultry version of “Down Here On the Ground” where she sold her soaring lyrical interpretation with great conviction. Vanessa followed with an atmospheric and emotive “Save Your Love For Me” that had her effectively employing her warm lower range and featured excellent support from the band members’ fine solos. This opulent piece really riveted the crowd.
Next, Adderley said, “a brilliant trumpeter that you may have heard of is on the way out.” Jon Faddis came to the stage and got a laugh from the crowd when he said he had been admonished not to speak. So, he jumped right into leading a dynamic performance of the jazz classic “Moanin’” where Faddis hit notes all over the scale, including an F above double C when the song transitioned into his trumpet solo, with the greatest of ease! An emotional “’Round Midnight” featured Jon playing the most heart-wrenching lead and some piercing trumpet riffs that rose to the rafters, touching the audience with his fabulous musicality.
Adderley said, “We’re going to stick in a little Stevie Wonder. We’ve got time.” They played a swinging version of “You and I.” Then singer Lizz Wright came to the stage for a bluesy and moving “Sweet Feeling.” Lizz thanked Dorthann Kirk for letting her be a part of the legacy of Jazz Vespers. Wright used her warm voice on a poignant “Grace” that was so touching. Nat said that he could have stopped the show right there, because Lizz Wright was so good, but he said they would do one more song. The theme from the musical Fiddler on the Roof has been a favorite of his since he was a teenager, and they closed the show with an electric performance of this Broadway classic. His backing musicians provided expert support, and it was a fine finish to this outstanding tribute to 25 years of Jazz Vespers at Bethany!
John Pizzarelli and Catherine Russell – Billie and Blue Eyes
John Schreiber did the welcoming duties. He introduced James Moody’s widow, Linda Moody, who was in the audience, and he referred to her as “the Godmother of the TD James Moody Jazz Festival.” Schreiber noted that 13 years ago, they originally called it “The James Moody Democracy of Jazz Festival.” “We called it that because jazz is the most democratic of music. For great jazz to get created, musicians have to listen to each other, they have to respect each other, and they have to have the creativity to improvise, a great example of democracy in action. So that’s what you’re going to hear tonight – great jazz, great improvisation, and great voices.”
John continued, “Catherine Russell is one of the significant jazz vocalists of our time…There’s a history with Catherine Russell. Her father was Luis Russell, who had his own big band…and he was Louis Armstrong’s Musical Director for many years…John Pizzarelli’s dad, I think you know who that was…the great Bucky Pizzarelli. So jazz is a generational music. It’s a music where we learn from decade to decade, and we evolve.”
The John Pizzarelli Trio with pianist Isaiah J. Thompson and Michael Connor on double bass got things started on a sprightly “You Make Me Feel So Young.” Pizzarelli’s guitar was front and center along with his distinctive voice. John joked, “The program is called “Bille and Blue Eyes,” and we’re going to do the Blue Eyes portion first, because by the time Catherine comes out and sings, you will forget everything that I’ve done!” Next came a group of songs that were written specifically for Frank Sinatra, starting with a swinging “Come Fly With Me” that swept the crowd up in its wake. Not only did Pizzarelli once again accompany himself on guitar, but he did some rapid-fire, impressive scatting, and Isaiah J. Thompson and Michael Connor added vivid solos.
The pace was slowed down with a thoughtful “I Guess I’ll Hang My Tears Out to Dry” that segued into “In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning.” In between songs, Pizzarelli told funny anecdotes about Sinatra and some of the composers he had worked with like Dave Mann, Bob Hilliard, Sammy Cahn, Jimmy Van Heusen, and Cy Coleman. The trio performed “Witchcraft” that started with an excellent piano intro by Thompson. John told the crowd, “I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that NJPAC Jazz for Teens, a program that they’ve been doing here, and Isaiah is a product of that.” Pizzarelli also gave a shout-out to Jazz House Kids, a program run by vocalist Melissa Walker, Christian McBride’s wife.
“Ring-a-Ding-Ding” was another thrill ride for the crowd, and the musicians did not miss a note on this rapid-fire, percussive piece. “Baubles, Bangles, and Beads” had a swaying bossa nova rhythm and some exquisite piano phrasing by Thompson. Sinatra had recorded this song with Antônio Carlos Jobim and he told a funny story of how Sinatra and Jobim first met in Rio de Janeiro. Then Pizzarelli regaled the audience about his father Bucky Pizzarelli and Tony Mottola, who were part of a large group of Italian guitarists. Jule Styne and Susan Birkenhead wrote a song for Sinatra and Mottola that they recorded as a duo, “It’s Sunday.” This lovely pic was a quite thing of beauty, with only John’s guitar as accompaniment.
Catherine Russell came on stage to sing “All Of Me” with verve and style, with Pizzarelli joining her to make this a delightful duet. “You Go To My Head” was a beautiful ballad performed as another duet with just Catherine’s expressive voice and John’s sensitive guitar. A rhythmic “Love Me or Leave Me” had fine backing for Russell’s ardent singing from the trio. John and Catherine talked about her parents. In addition to her father Luis Russell, her mother, Carline Ray, was also a noted musician who was part of the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, and she performed with Doc Cheatham and Wynton Marsalis. Going through her mother’s closet, Catherine found a treasure trove of Luis’ memorabilia, including some acetate and glass discs, which Russell had re-mastered and released as a CD. John also congratulated Catherine on being a Grammy nominee in 2024.
Jazz pianist/composer Irene Kitchings’ song “Ghost of Yesterday” was an introspective lament about lost love, and Russell infused it with a great deal of emotion. The pace changed up with a swinging “Them There Eyes” where Catherine scatted with panache, and the band’s beautiful accompanying textures impeccably supported her vocals. John told the crowd, “We realize that Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday, born to sing…pretty much between the two of them, sang all the songs! So, we thought we’d put a medley together of the rest of the songs.” The medley included “If I Had You,” “Everything I Have is Yours,” “Polka Dots and Moonbeams,” “Darn That Dream,” “Moonlight Becomes You,” “What a Little Moonlight Can Do,” “God Bless the Child,” “With Thee I Swing,” and they closed with “I Took a Trip on a Train.” This evening of music was a jam-packed, deep dive into the repertoires of the jazz icons Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra, and you couldn’t ask for more superb music in one concert.
Philip Bailey, Lisa Fischer, Dianne Reeves, and the Christian McBride Big Band
Dr. Sherri-Ann Butterfield, NJPAC’s Senior Vice President, Social Impact, welcomed the audience for a stellar show by some of the biggest names in music. She talked about the various music programs and workshops at NJPAC, that are involved off-stage with students, teachers, houses of worship, and libraries.
Then Butterfield introduced singer/songwriter Alexis Morrast, who graduated from the TD Jazz for Teens program that runs year-round. Morrast discussed how the program helped her get into Berklee College of Music’s Summer Program, and she stated that TD Jazz for Teens instills confidence and resilience in young musicians.
The Christian McBride Big Band began the music with an energetic swing that thrilled the crowd. The band included trumpeter Freddie Hendrix and drummer Will Calhoun. After McBride introduced vocalist Lisa Fischer with much praise, she came to the microphone to perform a truly soulful and bluesy rendition of “Respect” that put her personal stamp on the Aretha Franklin classic, and she hit some of the highest notes on the scale! Then Lisa sang a gorgeously poignant “Midnight Sun.”
McBride said that they had not even rehearsed the next number, “Road Song” by “the late, great titan of guitar” Wes Montgomery, featuring Rodney Jones on guitar. Christian talked about the great icons of jazz like Bird, Coltrane, and Miles, and in his household growing up, he also listened to James Brown, Aretha Franklin, and Earth, Wind, and Fire. Then he introduced EWF star Philip Bailey, who started out on the drums and congas. The band played “Africano,” then launched into “Here’s to Life” where Philip used his stellar voice to the best of his considerable ability.
McBride’s composition “Used ‘Ta Could” was inspired by family Thanksgiving celebrations, and it was a phrase that was often used when relatives reminisced. The song began with clapping by the crowd, and it was a straight-ahead tune with multiple strong solos, including James Burton III on trombone and Jaleel Shaw on alto sax.
Christian asked for a drumroll and said, “We’ve got royalty we’re going to bring out to the stage right now.” NEA Jazz Master Dianne Reeves returned the compliment and said that every time she gets a chance to work with McBride, it’s a joy! Reeves started her part of the set with a passionate “Dreams” that had some sublime scatting by the esteemed vocalist. Dianne next put her singular stamp on an unforgettable performance of “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?” that totally enthralled the listeners.
Christian and the band followed with a Freddie Hubbard composition that was written when he was a member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, “Thermo,” that featured Freddie Hendrix on trumpet, Tivon Pennicott on tenor saxophone, and Xavier Davis on piano. This dynamic rendition had the musicians providing some top-notch riffs and improvisations that kept the crowd completely captivated.
McBride brought Lisa Fischer back to the stage for a gorgeously intense ballad that she sung with passion and fire, and she effortlessly scaled the octaves with grace. Next, Dianne Reeves returned to sing a sumptuous “One For My Baby” where she really put down some serious funk, and the musicians gave her great accompaniment. Philip Bailey came back to perform a lush piece that had him singing mostly in his lower register, but there were moments when he showed off his fabled falsetto. The group finished the concert with “Sun Goddess” which had the audience on their feet, singing along, while the artists left it all on the stage. There was some serious talent at NJPAC that evening and it was truly a memorable experience!
In Conclusion
The 2024 TD James Moody Jazz Festival finished with the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, AKA “The SASSY Awards.” The event was hosted by WBGO Radio’s Sheila Anderson, and the all-star judges were Christian McBride, Madeleine Peyroux, Bill Charlap, Lisa Fischer, and Terri Lyne Carrington. After a tight contest, April May Webb was announced as the 1st Place Winner, with 2nd Place going to Syndee Winters and 3rd Place awarded to Georgia Heers.
The 2025 TD James Moody Jazz Festival will take place from November 8 to 23. The line-up will include Arturo Sandoval, Stanley Clarke, Savion Glover, Andra Day, José James, Ledisi, Nat Adderly Jr., Stanley Jordan, George Cables, and Tyreek McDole. For more information, go to www.njpac.org.
