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By Mabel Pais
The 14th Annual TD JAMES MOODY FESTIVAL, presented by the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and co-curated by NJPAC’s Jazz Advisor CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE, will take place November 8-23, 2025. It aims to showcase jazz as a powerful cultural force for social justice.
This year’s Festival is rooted in jazz history. Presented at various accessible locations throughout Newark, the citywide Festival offers a diverse program of several acts fusing jazz with poetry, spoken word, dance, blues, pop, African-Caribbean music, and more — making it a destination for all arts lovers. New for this year, eligible TD Bank cardholders will receive special perks at the TD James Moody Jazz Festival.
2025 TD JAMES MOODY JAZZ FESTIVAL PERFORMERS
ALEXANDER CLAFFY · ARTURO SANDOVAL · BEN WILLIAMS · CARLOS VARELA with JACKSON BROWNE, DIANA FUENTES · RODRIGO TOSCANO · CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE with LEDISI, ANDRA DAY, JOSÉ JAMES · DIANA FUENTES · DJ SPINNA · GEORGE CABLES · CHUCK D · JEROME JENNINGS · KING GEORGE · LA BRUJA · LENNY WILLIAMS · LUISITO ROSARIO ORCHESTRA · NAT ADDERLEY JR. · NJMEA ALL-STATE JAZZ BAND AND CHOIR · NUYORICAN POETS CAFÉ SLAM TEAM · OMAR SOSA · POKEY BEAR · RAKIM · RACHAEL PRICE · RAINA SIMONE · RODRIGO TOSCANO · SAVION GLOVER · SLICK RICK · STANLEY CLARKE · STANLEY JORDAN · THEODIS EALEY · TUCKA JAMES · TYEHIMBA JESS · TYREEK MCDOLE · VILRAY BOLLES · WEST LOVE
Plus surprise special guests to be added.
2025 TD JAMES MOODY FESTIVAL LINE-UP Continued (events subject to change):
When: November 8 – 23, 2025
Where: Multiple venues in Newark, New Jersey, including NJPAC (One Center Street), Bethany Baptist Church (275 West Market Street), Feldman Middleton Community Center (92 Thomas Carmichael Drive), Newark Public Library (50 Hayes Street) and Clement’s Place (15 Washington Street)
Tickets: Some are free, others paid. To purchase tickets, contact NJPAC at 1.888.GO.NJPAC/1.888.466.5722 or visit NJPAC.org/jazz.
SAT 11.15 @ 8:00 p.m. BLUES IS ALRIGHT
TUCKA JAMES – VOCALS
KING GEORGE – VOCALS
POKEY BEAR – VOCALS
WEST LOVE – VOCALS
LENNY WILLIAMS – VOCALS
THEODIS EALEY – VOCALS/GUITAR
Location: NJPAC’s Prudential Hall.
‘Blues Is Alright’ is a one-night only concert of Southern soul, blues and R&B; a musical storytelling filled with stark emotion and a revolving reality check. It’s authentically raw; transforming tragedy, adversity and heartache into a visceral and cathartic experience. This special night of emotive lyrics and guitar-driven accompaniment features a mega lineup of musical royalty: performances by Tucka, King George, Pokey Bear, Theodis Ealey, J-Wonn and West Love.
Louisiana’s Tucka James is an R&B singer who delivers “pillow talk” songs that recall the grooves of the ’70s, ’80s and 2010s. He has earned his nickname ‘The King of Swing.’
Learn more about
Tucka James @instagram.com/tuckakingofswing
King George @803kinggeorge.com and @facebook.com/KingGeorge803;
Wardell “Pokey Bear” Brown @ facebook.com/wardell.brown.399
West Love @instagram.com/_westlove
Lenny Williams @instagram.com/thereallennywilliams
Theodis Ealey @theodisealey.com and @facebook.com/TheodisEaleyOFFICIAL
J-Wonn @j-wonn.com
SUN. 11.16 @ 2:00 p.m. JAZZ SALSA SUNDAY
Luisito Rosario – vocals
Luisito Rosario Orchestra
Location: Feldman Middleton Community Center.
As part of NJPAC’s ArtsXChange initiative, this concert is a FREE innovative collaboration between NJPAC and Newark neighborhoods to produce arts and cultural programming. ArtsXChange spotlights local talent and nurtures the creativity of residents of all ages and abilities. The Luisito Rosario Orchestra will be led by New Jersey’s own leading Salsa singer Luisito Rosario. All are welcome to join the salsa party in the South Ward!
SUN 11.16 @ 7:00 p.m. RACHAEL & VILRAY (FROM LAKE STREET DIVE)
Rachel Price – vocals
Vilray Bolles – guitar + vocals
Location: NJPAC’s Victoria Theater.
“Rachael and Vilray are a perfect example of the idea that sometimes what that once seemed old fashioned can actually resonate as new again.” – All About Jazz
Brooklyn-based jazz duo Rachael Price and Vilray Bolles, known as Rachel & Vilray, makes their NJPAC debut. Performing works from their latest album ‘’West of Broadway’ (Concord Jazz), the two friends offer a contemporary take on tin pan alley, the Great American Songbook, and vintage small combo jazz. Fusing West Coast jazz with Broadway musicals, they turn the idea of “Everything old is new again” on its head.
THU 11.20 @ 7:30 p.m. JAZZ JAMS
Location: Clement’s Place.
Co-presented by NJPAC’s Jazz Advisory Committee and Rutgers Institute for Jazz Studies, Jazz Jams at Clement’s Place is a FREE Jazz Jams Session concert series featuring top-flight New Jersey musicians directed by pianist and bandleader, James Austin, Jr. Audience members immerse themselves in the relaxing sounds of jazz music that stimulate the players’ and listeners’ minds. All novice and seasoned jazz musicians and singers are welcomed to jam and improv with the professional band throughout the night. Co-producers: Wayne Winborne, Executive Director, IFJS and Eyesha Marable, Asst Vice President (AVP), Community Engagement, NJPAC.
THU 11.20 @ 8:00 p.m. REPRESENT! A NIGHT OF JAZZ, HIP HOP, AND POETRY
CHUCK D – HIP-HOP ARTIST
RAKIM – HIP-HOP ARTIST
SLICK RICK – HIP-HOP ARTIST
RAINA SIMONE – RAPPER
DJ SPINNA
TYEHIMBA JESS – POET
NUYORICAN POETS CAFÉ SLAM TEAM – POETS
CARIDAD DE LA LUZ- POET
Location: NJPAC’s Prudential Hall. This performance is part of Dodge Poetry.
“A once-in-a-lifetime grouping of artists, presented in a unique way. No two numbers were really alike and yet, due to the vocalists’ and the musicians’ skill, everything flowed together seamlessly.” – NJarts.net
Back by popular demand is the fan-favorite jazz-meets-spoken word show Represent! Curated by Bill Stephney, part of the pioneering Def Jam Records team and responsible for launching rap group Public Enemy, this celebratory concert comprises MCs and poets performing their hit. For one unmissable night, NJPAC unites the leading voices in jazz, hip-hop and poetry.
Blaring horns and baring souls, these masterful artists exclaim their vision of justice, change, and joy. The incredible lineup includes hip-hop stars Chuck D (Public Enemy), Rakim (Paid in Full), Slick Rick, and rapper Raina Simone; Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Tyehimba Jess; one of the top poetry slam teams in the nation, Nuyorican Poets Café Slam Team featuring Caridad de la Luz, Executive Director of Nuyorican Poets Café; spoken word performers; leading jazz artists and more.
Learn more about
CHUCK D @ mrchuckd.com.
RAKIN @ rakimpresents.com
RAINA SIMONE @ raina-simone.com
DJ SPINNA @ djspinna.com
CARIDAD DE LA LUZ @ caridaddelaluz.com
Complete line-up to be announced soon!
FRI 11.21 @ 7:30 p.m. CARLOS VARELA with special guests DIANA FUENTES and JACKSON BROWNE
CARLOS VARELA – VOCALS + GUITAR
DIANA FUENTES – VOCALS
JACKSON BROWNE – GUITAR + VOCALS
RODRIGO TOSCANO – POET
Location: NJPAC’s Victoria Theater. This performance is part of Dodge Poetry and receives additional support from the Gia Maione Prima Foundation.
“The music of Cuba’s Carlos Varela feels as timely as ever.” – Los Angeles Times
Known as the “Poet of Havana” or the “Bob Dylan of Cuba”, the immensely popular Cuban singer-songwriter Carlos Varela has dedicated his 30-year music career to expressing “the problems of my people.” His poetic lyrics speak to the promise and pain of Cuba across generations, with complex emotion and powerful imagery. His message has been banned and censored by Cuban authorities, but his songs, like 2000’s ‘Una Palabra,’ continue to resonate around the world. As Carlos explains: “Words can transform. They can reach your soul and your heart. They can shake your bones. They can change your life, and that can’t be lost.”
Special guest Diana Fuentes is a Cuban singer-songwriter known for her sparkling voice and her fusion of pop, R&B and Afro-Caribbean rhythms. She began as a vocalist in Síntesis and Carlos Varela’s band, earning Latin GRAMMY® nominations. She was the first Cuban female artist signed to Sony Music Latin since Celia Cruz, earning two Gold Records and one Platinum Record.
A member of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame, special guest Jackson Browne has defined a genre of songwriting that is charged with honesty, emotion and personal politics. As influential and enduring as his music is, Browne’s legacy as an advocate for social and environmental justice has been equally central to his career.
Opening the concert is Rodrigo Toscano, an author of 12 books of poetry, dialogist, essayist and labor-environmental activist.
Learn more about
Diana Fuentes @ dianafuentes.us
Jackson Browne @ jacksonbrowne.com
Rodrigo Toscano @ rodrigotoscano.com
FRI 11.21 @ 8:00 p.m. CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE BIG BAND with ANDRA DAY, JOSÉ JAMES, and LEDISI
Christian McBride – bass/bandleader
Christian McBride Big Band
Andra Day – vocals
José James – vocals
Ledisi – vocals
Location: NJPAC’s Prudential Hall.
“one of modern jazz’s most innovative musicians” – Glide Magazine
Montclair resident Christian McBride is a nine-time GRAMMY® Award-winning bassist/composer/producer, NJPAC’s Jazz Advisor, Artistic Director of the Montclair Jazz Festival, Board Member and Artistic Chair of Jazz House Kids. He makes his return as a bandleader with his latest project featuring his acclaimed Big Band and several special guest vocalists including: contemporary R&B innovator José James, the unparalleled GRAMMY® Award-winning Ledisi, and Andra Day who won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture for her portrayal of Billie Holiday in the biopic ‘The United States vs. Billie Holiday. ‘
Most of the vocalists appearing on his latest album ‘Without Further Ado,’ Vol. 1 (Mack Avenue Records) have performed with him on the NJPAC stage. As told to WBGO Radio, “The impetus for this recording actually stems from the annual gala at NJPAC. So since 2012, I’ve been NJPAC’s Jazz Advisor and my Big Band has been the house band for the gala ever since. We’ve invited all kinds of great singers to come and sing at those galas. Between the gala and the James Moody Festival, we’ve had Al Jarreau, Dianne Reeves, Jeffrey Osborne, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Lizz Wright, Fantasia, Cynthia Erivo, Philip Bailey, every singer you could possibly think of. Every year I had to write these arrangements for these singers and they only got played once. After more than 10 years, I’m looking at my library and I got this huge pile of big band music that’s only been played once. I thought they shouldn’t go to waste.”
Learn more about
Christian McBride @ christianmcbride.com
Andra Day @ andraday.com
José James @ josejamesmusic.com
Ledisi @ ledisi.com
SAT 11.22 @ 7:30 p.m. STANLEY JORDAN PLAYS JIMI
Stanley Jordan – guitar
Location: NJPAC’s Victoria Theater.
“one of the world’s finest guitarists” – Downbeat
World-renowned jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan channels the blues-rock legend in this can’t-miss tribute. “This is my fantasy Jimi Hendrix concert if Jimi were still alive and playing today,” he explains. It was Jimi’s death in 1970 that first moved 11-year-old Stanley to take up the guitar. His jazz career took flight, with four GRAMMY® nominations and the development of his signature two-handed touch technique, which was inspired by Jimi’s left-handed tapping. In this performance, Stanley channels Jimi while allowing his own style to shine through.
SUN 11.23 @ 11:30 a.m. + 1:30 p.m. DORTHAAN’S PLACE: NAT ADDERLEY JR. QUARTET
Nat Adderley Jr. – piano
Location: NJPAC’s NICO Kitchen & Bar.“The finest in jazz is on the menu… anticipation runs high at Dorthaan’s Place, whether you’re there for the music, the food, the scene, Dorthaan, or all of the above.” – All About Jazz
NJPAC continues Dorthaan’s Place, its popular Sunday jazz brunch series at NICO Kitchen + Bar curated by Newark’s First Lady of Jazz, Dorthaan Kirk. The series made its debut during NJPAC’s 2012-13 season and has grown ever since. This edition presents New Jersey’s Nat Adderley, Jr. — pianist, composer, arranger and longtime music director for Luther Vandross. Inspired by greats like Chick Corea, John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk, his quartet will have you bopping along with upbeat rhythms and playful solos.
There are two brunch seatings: 11:00 a.m. (music begins at 11:30 a.m.) and 1:30 p.m.
Sun 11.23 @ 3:00 p.m. 14th ANNUAL SARAH VAUGHAN INTERNATIONAL JAZZ VOCAL COMPETITION
GARY WALKER – HOST
ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY – JUDGE
JON FADDIS – JUDGE
NNENNA FREELON – JUDGE
CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE – JUDGE
JANIS SIEGEL – JUDGE
TYREEK MCDOLE – VOCALIST
Location: NJPAC’s Victoria Theater.
The divine Sarah Vaughan — Newark’s greatest musical gift to the world — got her start as the winner of a talent contest. NJPAC honors her legacy every year with the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, the only global jazz vocal contest of its kind, open to all genders and nationalities.
This event offers outstanding jazz singers a one-of-a-kind platform for embarking on a career in the music business — and offers audience members a chance to discover the jazz stars of tomorrow. For this 14th annual ‘The SASSY Awards’ event, WBGO Radio’s Gary Walker will host and 2023 SVVC winner Tyreek McDole will perform.
A panel of all-star judges — Ann Hampton Callaway, Jon Faddis, Nnenna Freelon, Christian McBride, and Janis Siegel — will select the winner. Gifted young contestants (featured in next issue) from around the world are evaluated on vocal quality, musicality, technique, performance, individuality, artistic interpretation, and ability to swing. The winner receives a $5,000 cash prize. Past winners include Samara Joy, Cyrille Aimée, Jazzmeia Horn, Quiana Lynell, Laurin Talese, and more. For more information or to enter the competition, visit SarahVaughanCompetition.com.
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC)
Visit njpac.org for more information.
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Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Spirituality, Social Issues, Health and Wellness, Education, Business, and Cuisine.
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