Middlesex County Jazz Festival

Celebrate the Middlesex County Jazz Festival! Enjoy great jazz and experience the communities of New Brunswick, Woodbridge, Edison, Carteret, and Metuchen with their great music, food, and friendliness.

The idea of a Middlesex County wide jazz festival developed when the leaders of musical events in each of the towns realized that each of the towns produces live musical events including jazz. This common experience of neighboring towns and our love of jazz music was the seed which led to a cooperative dialogue and agreement to join to create this cross-town event. The event was so successful that Carteret was added to the festival in 2024.

New Brunswick Jazz Project has been producing jazz in New Brunswick twice a week for the last 15 years. Woodbridge presents concerts of all types for its residents every evening during the summer, including jazz. Metuchen Jazz presents a jazz event once a month.  Edison has a strong jazz program in its high schools. Carteret has a vibrant arts scene and was a perfect fit to join the festival.

New Brunswick Jazz Project, with its experience in jazz festival production agreed to lead the development of the Middlesex County Jazz Festival and, with input from each of the towns, the event takes place the last week of September every year

It’s all fully accessible and free to enjoy in outdoor venues and we hope you come out for some amazing performances.  This is an annual tradition for Jazz in Middlesex County for years to come!

Schedule

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH; 5:45pm to 8:30pm - Edison

Visitors to the Middlesex County Jazz Festival – Edison may begin seating at Papaianni Park at 4:45 p.m. The performances will begin at 5:45 p.m.

5:45 – 6:00 JP Stevens High School Dance Troupe

6:00 – 6:30 Off the Hook Quartet

6:30 – 7:30 Carrie Jackson Quartet

7:30 – 8:30 Akiko Tsuruga Quartet

CD sales and signing of CD’s by the musicians will follow the musician’s performance.

Location: Papaianni Park at 100 Municipal Blvd in Edison – off of Route 27.

Rain or Shine Information

The Middlesex County Jazz Festival – Edison takes place rain or shine. 

In the event of extreme weather conditions, event will be held at Minnie B. Veal Community Center at 1070 Grove Avenue, Edison 08820. Notification of any change will be made by 7 PM on Tuesday, September 24th. Visit this Website or Facebook for further information.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH; 6:30pm to 9:00pm - Carteret

Visitors to the Middlesex County Jazz Festival – Carteret may begin seating at Carteret PAC at 5:30 p.m. The performances will begin at 6:30 p.m.

6:30 – 7:00 Carteret High School Jazz Band

7:00 – 9:00 Nat Adderley Jr. 

CD sales and signing of CD’s by the musicians will follow the musician’s performance.

Location Carteret Performing Arts and Events Center at 46 Washington Street in Carteret.

Rain or Shine Information

The Middlesex County Jazz Festival – Carteret takes place rain or shine. 

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH; 1:00pm to 5:30pm - New Brunswick

Visitors to the Middlesex County Jazz Festival – New Brunswick may begin seating on George St. starting at 12:00 p.m. The performances will begin at 1:00 p.m.

1:00 – 1:45 New Brunswick Jazz Project Brass

2:15 – 3:30 Winard Harper & Jeli Posse

4:00 – 5:30 Buster Williams Quartet

CD sales and signing of CD’s by the musicians will follow the musician’s performance.

Location On Livingston Ave. in front of the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center(NBPAC) which is located at 11 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick, NJ

Rain or Shine Information

The Middlesex County Jazz Festival – New Brunswick is rain or shine. In the event of extreme weather conditions notification of any changes will be made by 5 pm on Friday, September 27th. Visit this website, nbjp.org, Facebook or call 732-640-0001 for further information.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH; 6:00pm to 9:30pm  - Metuchen

Visitors to the Middlesex County Jazz Festival – Metuchen may begin seating starting at 5:00 p.m. The performances will begin at 6:00 p.m.

6:00 – 6:30 Pr?na Arts

6:30 – 7:00 MHS Jazz Ensemble directed by John Messenger + MHS Chamber Orchestra conducted by Chris McEwan

7:00 – 8:00 Mariel Bildsten Septet

8:00 – 9:30 Remembering Russell: Russell Malone Quartet with Mark Whitfield

Location Metuchen Plaza at New and Pearl Streets in Metuchen, NJ.

Rain or Shine Information

In the event of inclement weather, all performances will be moved indoors at Metuchen Highschool (MHS) Auditorium (600 seat capacity) at 400 Grove Avenue near Rt 27 Middlesex Avenue, Metuchen.

Decision to move indoors will be made no later than 8 AM on 9/28/24.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH; 3:00pm to 6:30pm - Woodbridge 

Woodbridge is very pleased to be joining with 4 other arts supporting Middlesex County towns, Edison, Metuchen, New Brunswick and Carteret, for the Middlesex County Jazz Festival.

Visitors to the Middlesex County Jazz Festival – Woodbridge may begin seating in Parker Press Park starting at 2:00 p.m. The performances will begin at 3:00 p.m.

3:00 – 3:30 Woodbridge HS Jazz Choir

4:00 – 4:45 Brandon Woody’s Upendo

5:15 – 6:30 Stephane Wrembel’s Django New Orleans

CD sales and signing of CD’s by the musicians will follow the musician’s performance.

Location

Parker Press Park located at 400 Rahway Ave, Woodbridge, NJ.

Rain or Shine Information

In the event of bad weather, show will move inside WHS. 

Open to the public 

Free admission 

Festival Date:  September 25-29, 2024

Locations: 

Papaianni Park at 100 Municipal Blvd in Edison, NJ

Carteret Performing Arts and Events Center at 46 Washington Street in Carteret.

New Brunswick Performing Arts Center(NBPAC) which is located at 11 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick, NJ

Metuchen Plaza at New and Pearl Streets in Metuchen, NJ.

Parker Press Park located at 400 Rahway Ave, Woodbridge, NJ.

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