Kenny Garrett Added as Headliner for 15th Annual Montclair Jazz Festival Downtown Jamboree, Sept. 14

MONTCLAIR, NJ - The JAZZ HOUSE KiDS organization has announced that GRAMMY-winning saxophonist Kenny Garrett will headline the 15th Annual MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL Downtown Jamboree, scheduled for September 14th on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair, NJ. This year's milestone celebration will also feature performances from a diverse lineup of renowned artists, including vocalist Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton, drummer Jerome Jennings & ill Philosophy, Colombian harpist Edmar Castañeda Quartet, seashellist and trombonist Steve Turre Sextet, rising star Brianna Thomas, and the Montclair State University Jazz Ensemble directed by Oscar Perez. Additionally, the JAZZ HOUSE Collective, featuring vocalist and JAZZ HOUSE KiDS founder Melissa Walker, will celebrate the legacy of Sarah Vaughan.

Nine-time GRAMMY-winning bassist Christian McBride, who serves as the festival's music director, will perform with his acclaimed quintet, Inside Straight. Reflecting on the festival’s significance, McBride said, “This year’s MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL will be another joyous celebration of America’s greatest art form with some of the world’s greatest musicians and fans, many of whom have been supporters of JAZZ HOUSE KiDS and this festival since the very beginning 15 years ago. The ones that aren’t are simply those we haven’t met yet. Everyone who comes to our festival leaves enfolded in our shared community, and their love for jazz is strengthened further.”

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The MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL, the largest free jazz festival in the greater NYC area, draws more than 25,000 music fans to Montclair. This summer-long festival has featured a series of performances at the Wellmont Arts Plaza and Montclair State University’s recent Uptown Showcase. The Downtown Jamboree on September 14th will transform nearly half a mile of Bloomfield Avenue into a vibrant music and arts festival, with the street closed to vehicular traffic to accommodate multiple stages, 170+ food and artisan vendors in the Rao’s Homemade Marketplace, and the Verizon Family Jazz Discovery Zone in Wellmont Arts Plaza.

This year’s festival artwork, created by Andres Chaparro, honors the centennial of revered vocalist Sarah Vaughan, who serves as the festival’s celebrated centennial artist. As part of the festivities, the JAZZ HOUSE Collective, directed by Nathan Eklund and composed of JAZZ HOUSE teaching artists, will perform Vaughan’s music with special guest vocalists, including Melissa Walker.

New to this year’s event is the 15th Anniversary Celebration Block Party, which will kick off after eight hours of live music. DJ Brother Mister (Christian McBride) and special guest DJ Prince Hakim, a New Jersey native, will take over the Downtown Jamboree stage for a dynamic funk and soul dance party. Additionally, the festival will debut the JAZZ HOUSE Legacy Band, fresh off their sold-out performance at the Sarah Vaughan Centennial hosted by Dee Dee Bridgewater, presented by Jazz at Lincoln Center. The Legacy Band is also set to perform on Jazz Cruise’s Celebrity Summit in January 2025.

The Downtown Jamboree, produced by JAZZ HOUSE KiDS in partnership with the County of Essex, Montclair Township, Montclair Center BID, and numerous corporate sponsors, local businesses, and individual patrons, promises to be an unforgettable celebration of jazz, youth development, and community building. Comedian and actor Alonzo Bodden and SiriusXM Jazz’s Andromeda Turre will serve as stage hosts, welcoming all who wish to celebrate America’s rich history of jazz.

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JAZZ HOUSE KiDS is also introducing a new membership program this year, offering year-round benefits and festival perks. For more information on how to get involved as a volunteer, sponsor, vendor, or supporter, visit the MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL website or download the festival’s app from the Google or Apple store.

DOWNTOWN JAMBOREE SCHEDULE:

Downtown Stage (12:00 PM - 10:00 PM)
- Alonzo Bodden, Stage Host
- JAZZ HOUSE Legacy Band: 12:15-1:00 PM
- Steve Turre Sextet: 1:15-2:00 PM
- Kenny Garrett Sounds from the Ancestors: 2:30-3:45 PM
- Christian McBride & Inside Straight: 4:15-5:45 PM
- Lisa Fischer and Grand Baton: 6:15-7:30 PM
- 15th Anniversary Block Party with DJ Brother Mister + DJ Prince Hakim: 8:00-10:00 PM

Uptown Stage (12:00 PM - 8:00 PM)
- Andromeda Turre, Stage Host
- Montclair State University Jazz Band feat. Dave Stryker + Steve Nelson: 12:15-1:00 PM
- Edmar Castañeda Quartet: 1:45-2:45 PM
- Jerome Jennings & ill Philosophy: 3:15-4:30 PM
- Brianna Thomas Band: 5:00-6:15 PM
- JAZZ HOUSE Collective feat. Melissa Walker: 6:30-7:45 PM

Verizon Family Jazz Discovery Zone @ Wellmont Plaza (12:00 PM - 4:00 PM)
- Montclair Early Music: 12:00-12:15 PM
- Jazz Explorers Program feat. Riza Printup: 12:30-1:30 PM, 2:00-3:00 PM
- Montclair Early Music: 3:15-3:30 PM

For additional details and festival updates, visit the MONTCLAIR JAZZ FESTIVAL website.

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