Hot House Jazz Guide said "Seldom do listeners have the opportunity to hear young artist who contain the depth of Alexis Morrast. The singer and composer captivates audiences with her warmth. Often dealing in sophisticated restraint, Alexis' seeming innate command of phrasing reflects what many musicians spend whole lives striving to master. Every note matters, and every lyric resonates." She's the 2017 recipient of Hot House Jazz Guide‘s Best Up and Coming Young Artist award, and winner of Showtime at the Apollo. The 18yr. old who now attends Berklee University of Boston Massachusetts has graced iconic bandstands from the Kennedy Center to Lincoln Center, traveling from Africa to Austria, recently performing in Times Square and has just returned from touring with Wynton Marsalis and JLCO Band Holidays; shows no sign of slowing down!

Super-talented pianist/organist Matthew Whitaker joyfully mixes old-school jazz with new school sounds.

Born in 2001, Matthew Whitaker's love for playing music began at age 3, after his grandfather gave him a small Yamaha keyboard. He taught himself to play the Hammond B3 organ at 9 years old and at 13 became the youngest artist to be endorsed by Hammond USA, in its 84-year history. At 15 years old Matthew became a Yamaha Artist, becoming the youngest musician to join this stellar group of jazz pianists.

He's toured both in the US and abroad, performing on prestigious stages around the country including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, The Apollo Theater and The Kennedy Center for The Performing Arts and at international venues in France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Portugal, the UK, Indonesia, Japan and Morocco, to name a few. Matthew recently opened for Gregory Porter's "All Rise" tour in Germany.

Matthew's television appearances include FOX TV's Showtime at the Apollo, the Today Show, the Harry Connick Jr. Show and on the nationally syndicated Ellen DeGeneres Show. He has appeared with Jon Batiste's Stay Human band on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and was recently the subject of a CBS 60 Minutes feature segment.

In 2017 he was named to Crain's New York Business' breakout list of "20 under 20." In 2018 Matthew was named 1 of 7 rising stars by USA Today's "201" Magazine and in 2019 and 2020, Matthew has been awarded the ASCAP Foundation's "Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Award."

Matthew's 2nd recording, NOW HEAR THIS made its debut in August 2019.

"Gross is a new and powerful alto sax player who is a Cannonball type player..." Takao Ogawa Swing Journal, Japan.

Gross's consistently professional musicianship has led to live and recorded efforts with many of his fellow pacesetters in jazz music. Mark has toured the world with the Mark Gross Quartet, Buster Williams, Delfeayo Marsalis, Dizzy Gillespie Big Band, Philip Harper, Nat Adderley, Dave Holland, Mulgrew Miller, Nicholas Payton, Dizzy Gillespie, Nancy Wilson, James Moody, Jimmy Heath, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Charles Mingus Big Band, Freddie Hubbard, Captain Jack McDuff, Cyrus Chestnut, Regina Carter, Lionel Hampton, Stephon Harris, among many others. Mark credits his prolific sound to the rich appreciation for Gospel music that resounded through his parent's Baltimore home. Gross has performed on Broadway including:'FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE', 'KAT AND THE KINGS' and 'SWING' and most recently IN AIN'T TOO PROUD: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS. Mark has also appeared in Spike Lee's film 'Malcolm X', was also a featured musician featured 'Boardwalk Empire' (2013).

Mark credits his prolific sound to the rich appreciation for Gospel music that resounded through his parent's Baltimore home. Mark's father was the Pastor of his hometown church Mt. Zion C.O.G.I.C. up until his passing February 1, 2007. After developing his interests in classical music at the Baltimore School for the Arts, Mark studied four years at Berklee College of Music and got his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Performance. Two of Berklee's best professors, Joe Viola and Bill Pierce, help fine tune Mark's musicianship. Upon his graduation in 1988, Mark Gross began his professional musical caravan in JAZZ.

Flemington Community Partnership's mission is to foster a thriving business community in the Borough of Flemington. LoveFlemington.com

Sheila Elaine Anderson - After spending seventeen years on the production and sales side of publishing, Ms. Anderson left to pursue a career in broadcasting. Always interested in jazz, in 1995 she joined the staff of WBGO, Newark, New Jersey where she hosts Weekend Jazz After Hours and Salon Sessions. She has authored three books: The Quotable Musician: From Bach to Tupac (2003), How to Grow as A Musician: What All Musicians Must Know to Succeed (2005) (both published by Allworth Press) and most recently, The Little Red Book of Musicians Wisdom (Skyhorse Press, 2012). In addition, she is the curator of the Newark Museum's Jazz in the Garden Series and a Columbia University Community Scholar. Ms. Anderson is an alumna of Baruch College, CUNY (B.A., English) and resides in Harlem.

Since 2010 the New Brunswick Jazz Project has presented more live jazz performances than any other organization in New Jersey. NBJP partners, Jimmy Lenihan, Virginia DeBerry and Mike Tublin went from producing two jazz shows a month, to offering free, world class jazz performances multiple nights a week, all year long.

Over the past ten and a half years, NBJP has featured internationally renowned veteran musicians as well as regional, emerging and student artists. Ravi Coltrane, Arturo O'Farrill, Ralph Peterson, Jimmy Cobb, Dave Stryker, Rudy Royston, Terri Lyne Carrington, Jerry Weldon, Akiko Tsuruga, Freddie Hendrix, Joe Magnarelli, Winard Harper, Mark Gross, Tia Fuller, Vic Juris, Jeremey Pelt, Hendrik Meurkens, Orrin Evans, The Curtis Brothers, Sean Jones, Myron Walden, Virginia Mayhew, Kenny Davis, Ralph Bowen and Conrad Herwig are among the acclaimed musicians and special guests who have performed for NBJP.

Live, straight ahead jazz is presented weekly at various New Brunswick venues. Please visit http://nbjp.org for the full schedule. NBJP has created a jazz scene that regularly draws guests from all over the state, as well as New York and Pennsylvania, to Central Jersey to enjoy this quintessential American music.

". . .New Brunswick has now become a destination for jazz." ~ The New York Times

"The New Brunswick Jazz Project is quickly becoming New Jersey's freshest jazz presenters..." -The Star Ledger

After spending seventeen years on the production and sales side of publishing, Ms. Anderson left to pursue a career in broadcasting. Always interested in jazz, in 1995 she joined the staff of WBGO, Newark, New Jersey where she hosts Weekend Jazz After Hours and Salon Sessions. She has authored three books: The Quotable Musician: From Bach to Tupac (2003), How to Grow as A Musician: What All Musicians Must Know to Succeed (2005) (both published by Allworth Press) and most recently, The Little Red Book of Musicians Wisdom (Skyhorse Press, 2012). In addition, she is the curator of the Newark Museum's Jazz in the Garden Series and a Columbia University Community Scholar. Ms. Anderson is an alumna of Baruch College, CUNY (B.A., English) and resides in Harlem.