Buster Williams Quartet Will Headline When Middlesex County Jazz Festival Hits New Brunswick

NEW BRUNSWICK – The headliners for Saturday’s jazz show in New Brunswick won’t need a rehearsal before taking the stage.

The members of the Buster Williams Quartet – Bruce Williams (saxophone), Brandon McCune (piano), Lenny White (drums) and, of course, Buster Williams (bass) – have developed an uncommon chemistry after playing so many gigs together and have individually ascended to a level of virtuosity that they’ll be ready to go when the Middlesex County Jazz Festival hits New Brunswick .

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Bruce Williams and White even played on Buster’s 2023 album, “Unalome,” which is a Buddhist concept embodying the path to enlightenment.

“We’re not going to have a rehearsal,” Bruce Williams said. “The latest record he has out, we didn’t really rehearse for that. We played some of that stuff on the road, but some of it was just discovered in the studio. That’s a level of trust and musicianship that he has for all of us. It’s a whole other level.”

The Middlesex County Jazz Festival, a free celebration of jazz in just its second year, promises to be bigger and better with a lineup of five shows, including Saturday’s show across from the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center.

The festival kicks off Wednesday, Sept. 25 in Edison, when the Akiko Tsuruga Quartet headlines a show at the Minnie B. Veal Community Center starting at 5:45 p.m.

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When the festival moves to Carteret on Thursday, Sept. 26, Nat Adderley Jr. will headline the show at the Carteret Performing Arts Center starting at 6:30 p.m.

On Saturday, Sept. 28, the Buster Williams Quartet will headline the show that starts at 1 p.m.

That same day, the Russel Malone Quartet with Mark Whitfield will be at the Town Plaza at New and Pearl streets in Metuchen. That show will begin at 6 p.m.

The Middlesex County Jazz Festival concludes Sunday, Sept. 29, when Stephane Wrembel’s “Django New Orleans” headlines a show at Parker Press Park in Woodbridge starting at 6:30 p.m.

Buster Williams, 82, is considered jazz royalty, even among these other accomplished musicians. He had just graduated from Camden High School when was suddenly presented with the opportunity to play with jazz saxophone legends Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt. Since, he’s played with Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and a who’s-who of jazz legends.

Bruce Williams’ journey is in some ways similar to the road Buster has traveled. Bruce started gigging as a kid growing up in Washington. He can tell you enough tales of being underpaid or having to pass a hat around to collect money to write a country song. On the other hand, the music opened the door for him to attend the University of the District of Columbia on a full ride. It's allowed him to have the life he always wanted: wife, kids, white picket fence.

Williams said there isn’t one particular song he’s looking forward to playing Saturday. In reality, Buster, McCune and White are some of his favorite musicians to play with, and he’s looking forward to that element of creative freedom he finds within the quartet.

“You have people that are known and famous, known and popular,” Bruce said. “You get four people that have those combinations of things together and they like to play with each other, if you stay open, it’s going to be a great experience for you.

“The problem will come if somebody tries to predict a set outcome. Like, do you go see a Star Wars movie knowing what’s going to happen? No, you just go for the journey and it’s going to be great.”

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