James Moody Festival, Sarah Vaughan Vocal Competition Honor Jersey Greats Posted 4/9/2012 In the spirit of Newark, N.J.’s jazz heyday, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and WBGO-FM 88.3 have announced plans for the upcoming James Moody Democracy of Jazz Festival. The tribute to the late saxophonist is set to run October 15– 21 and will take place at NJPAC and various local venues around Newark. “Newark was home to [James],” said Moody’s widow Linda, though the saxophonist was not born there. “He made that clear to people all over the world. He loved this city.” NJPAC President and CEO John Schreiber, a longtime friend of Moody’s and a New Jersey native, appointed bassist Christian McBride as artistic director of the event. “I had no idea that John had been keeping track of all the things I had been doing off the stage,” McBride said. “I told him I would be so honored to do this.” Festival production vet George Wein added, “What Moody did for jazz was that he brought joy to the music. Whenever you went to see James Moody you felt happy, because he was happy.” The weeklong festival is catapulted by two headlining events. The first performance, “For Love Of Moody: A Jazz Celebration,” will feature such artists as George Benson, The Manhattan Transfer, David Sanborn, Kenny Barron, Jon Faddis, Jimmy Heath, Todd Coolman, Renee Rosnes and McBride. The second headlining act, “Miles Davis And Gil Evans: Still Ahead,” is an all-star recreation of the classic recordings Porgy And Bess, Sketches Of Spain, and Miles Ahead, all of which will feature McBride, Terence Blanchard, Sean Jones, Peter Erskine and Howard Johnson. Other highlights include a musical adaptation of the children’s book A Good Night For Ghosts by student music workshop Jazz House Kids, and the start of a monthly jazz brunch. The first annual Sarah Vaughan International Vocal Competition, presented as part of NJPAC’s Jazz Roots Series, also honors a renowned Newark native and rounds out the week’s festivities. The Moody celebration and vocal competition undoubtedly mark the restoration of jazz in the city. According to Newark Public Radio President and CEO Cephas Bowles, “Jazz never really left Newark. But what a jazz festival will do is galvanize the city. It will show that Newark is the cultural center of the state, that all kinds of art forms can thrive and survive in this city, and that this is a livable city with options. It helps with the cultural literacy of the people—not just the city of Newark, but the state as well.”
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