Check out the photos from August 11th’s Jazz in the Park concert!

SERIES SCHEDULE:

Saturday, September 29 at 4:30 pm – A double bill of Family Friendly Programs by George Street Playhouse and American Repertory Ballet

George Street Playhouse’s touring production of Austin the Unstoppable — a musical for families about health and wellness by Barry Wyner and Daniel Israel — is the story of reigning master of the X-box and junk food junkie, eleven-year-old Austin – who must face the long-term consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle when he learns his mother has been diagnosed with Type II Diabetes. This fun, upbeat musical engages students in the benefits of a healthy diet and exercise by celebrating how positive change can occur through the power of love, hard work and support.
WATCH Austin the Unstoppable at http://www.georgestreetplayhouse.org/touringproductions/austintheunstoppable

American Repertory Ballet is New Jersey’s premiere classical and contemporary ballet company, and was voted NJ’s “Favorite Dance Company” in Jersey Arts’ 2011 People’s Choice Awards. The organization is comprised of American Repertory Ballet’s professional company, Princeton Ballet School, and ARB’s Access and Enrichment initiatives, including the long-running and acclaimed DANCE POWER educational program in the New Brunswick public school district. At Hub City Sounds, the dancers of American Repertory Ballet will present excerpts from two dances, “Grumpy Bird” and “Drive”. “Grumpy Bird” brings Jeremy Tankard’s children’s book to the stage in an interactive format for the community. The work is choreographed by ARB Resident Choreographer Matthew Keefe to music by Mozart. “Drive” is an upbeat, athletic contemporary ballet piece choreographed by Alexis Branagan that provides a look at dance that does not follow a specific story line. These performances will be followed by an interactive ballet experience for children (and adults!) of all ages, led by DANCE POWER Coordinator and Princeton Ballet School faculty member Kathleen Smith.

FOOD AND BEVERAGES will be available for purchase from festival vendors.

PARKING: FREE parking is available one block away at the Rutgers University Safety Building Deck.

PLEASE NOTE: Programs and artists are subject to change.

Past Performances

Saturday, August 11 at 4 pm

Check out the photos from Jazz in the Park concert!

- Jazz in the Park, presented by The New Brunswick Jazz Project and the Civic League of Greater New Brunswick. This kick-off event will include performances by Winard Harper and Jeli Posse at 4 pm, The New Brunswick District Jazz Band at 5:15 and Arturo O’Farrill Afro Latin sextet at 5:45.

Hailed as “one of the true great bandleaders who sits behind the drum kit” by Chicago Defender Newspaper, Winard Harper is a one of the most celebrated drummers in Jazz. A virtuoso on the drum set as well as the balafon, the West African equivalent of the marimba, Down Beat Magazine raves that “Harper plays the kind of soulful music that puts the lie to the notion that uncompromising jazz can’t feed both the head and the heart…. (he) augments his high-energy hard-bop with an exploration of global rhythms and textures.”
LISTEN to Winard Harper’s “After Hours” http://www.jazzcorner.com/sounds/winardharper/afterhours.mp3

Arturo O’Farrill, pianist, composer extraordinaire, educator and winner of the Latin Jazz USA Outstanding Achievement Award for 2003, was born in Mexico and grew up in New York City. In 2002, Mr. O’Farrill created the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra for Jazz at Lincoln Center due in part to a large and very demanding body of substantial music in the genre of Latin and Afro Cuban Jazz that deserves to be much more widely appreciated and experienced by the general jazz audience. His debut album with the Orchestra “Una Noche Inolvidable” earned a GRAMMY award nomination in 2006. In 2008, he and the Orchestra won a GRAMMY for Best Latin Jazz Album for “Song for Chico.”
LISTEN to Auturo O’Farrill to his music at http://www.arturoofarrill.com/

Saturday, August 18 at 5 pm – The Fins

Credited with bringing Big Band Blues to the East Coast, New Jersey’s own eight-piece “Rockin’ Blues Band” blends rhythm and blues, jump, swing, jazz and urban Chicago sound — making them a local favorite and an international blues sensation.
LISTEN to The Fins at http://www.thefins.com/audio/YouUpsetMe.mp3

Saturday, August 25 at 5 pm – StarFish, presented by State Theatre

This 5-piece band electrifies kids’ music and gives parents the opportunity to share a real rock concert experience with their children. Based in Maplewood, NJ, StarFish consists of 5 life long musicians (who are now also dads) who love to bring a little bit of rock and roll to the little ones, performing original, energetic, classic rock-based tunes with kid-friendly lyrics, they cover such familiar territory as sibling rivalry, school rules, and fun times with friends. Parents are StarFish fans too, and enjoy musical nods to a wide range of rock influences, such as Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Phish, and Tom Petty.
WATCH StarFish “Air Guitar” at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgHd-rrSTK8&feature=plcp

Saturday, September 8 at 5 pm — The Tres Amigos

Named one of the top 50 summer experiences by Time Out NYC, The Tres Amigos are a quintessential American band with a sound and style all their own. Careening back and forth between three-part harmony-singing and bursts of instrumental improvisation, The Tres Amigos deliver daring takes on American standards and original songs that already sound like classics— all tightly arranged to suit the group’s unique mix of alto saxophone, accordion, acoustic guitar, and hollerin’ voices. White Lightning, Woody Guthrie, slow Delta blues, fast Brazilian choros, Night and Day, Good Night Irene—all find their way into the Amigos’ exuberant repertoire and feel like they belong there.
LISTEN to The Tres Amigos at http://thetresamigos.bandcamp.com/

Saturday, September 15 at 5 pm — What The World Needs Now

WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW is a thematic collection of songs highlighting the first 3 shows of the Crossroads’ season sung by several veterans of the Crossroads stage which include Shelley Thomas (Sheila’s Day – Broadway: Brooklyn); J. Aaron Boykin (Holiday Jubilee); Jeanell LeBlanc (Holiday Jubilee) and former Crossroads’ Board Member Tyrha Lindsey. Also included are recent Rutgers Mason Gross graduate Jevonnah Mayo and high school student Daniel Yearwood. Off-Broadway veteran and radio personality Don Corey rounds out the vocalists.

The concerts explores ROMANTIC LOVE where Crossroads’ opening production – Knock Me A Kiss – will be highlighted with such standard favorites as Stormy Weather, Honeysuckle Rose and Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man. Crossroads captures the LOVE OF THE GAME (of baseball) through our world premiere of the Negro League story with Kansas City Swing – with such favorites as Kansas City Here I Come, Hit Me With A Hot Note, and audience pleaser Take Me Out to the Ball Game. And the programs in celebrating the soulful sounds of Motown with the LOVE OF MUSIC section as we highlight this year’s Holiday Jubilee – Dancin’ in the Streets, Sunshine of My Life, Signed Sealed Delivered and a special appearance by the BAM School of the Arts performing the Jackson Five’s ABC.

Saturday, September 22 at 5 pm – Cimarrones

With roots in New Brunswick, The Cimarrones are one of the most sought-after Bomba and Plena groups in New Jersey — enchanting audiences of all ages with their high energy dancing, drumming and vocals with the percussion-driven musical traditions of Puerto Rico.
WATCH Cimarrones at http://youtu.be/009up31Yh2E