A modern chronicle of four real-life blues brothers living in this time in America...

Blues People is a NY/NJ band featuring Kelton Cooper (vocals/guitar), Mike Griot (bass), Victor Burks (keys) and Gene Lake (drums). Early comparisons to the Meters, Luther Allison, Keb Mo' and Earth Wind & Fire are starting to roll in... and the band is currently in the studio recording their much-anticipated 2022 debut album "The Skin I'm In".

Blues People: Inspired by Amiri Baraka's (LeRoi Jones) seminal study of Afro-American music, Blues People musically explores the effects of the blues on American culture on many different levels... and the belief that the band's "Neo-Blues" moniker is a modern chronicle of four real-life blues brothers living in THIS time in America... and surviving the NY/NJ-Metro landscape.

Jazz singer Marion Cowings is a native New Yorker and master of scat and vocal technique. He attended Music and Art, now known as LaGuardia High School, where he was chosen to perform as a solo vocalist with the New York Philharmonic under the direction of Leonard Bernstein.

While still in high school Cowings’ first professional engagement was at the Randall’s Island Jazz Festival with “Little Pony” Poindextor and the Ike Isaac’s Trio. During this time Marion began to understudy with Jon Hendricks, Dave Lambert and Ross. Eventually Marion became Lambert’s original replacement and was then mentored by Jon Hendricks.

In 1984, after leading rhythm & blues and rock bands, Cowings teamed up with jazz vocalist Kim Kalesti. They founded the Vocal Jazz Department at New York University and were adjunct professors for eleven years. Marion’s smooth baritone voice and considerable range have been delighting audiences around the world for decades. He is also the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Grant and Clio Award.

Joining Marion will be tap dancer, AC Lincoln.

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

Sheila Elaine Anderson - In 1995 she joined the staff of WBGO, Newark, New Jersey where she hosts Weekend Jazz Overnight, Salon Sessions and Sunday Night Music Mix. She has authored four 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), The Little Red Book of Musicians Wisdom (Skyhorse Press, 2012) and the 2nd edition of How to Grow as A Musician will be published, (2019). In addition to curating jazz at the Newark Museum of Art, Ms. Anderson is a (2017) Columbia University Community Scholar, an inaugural Dan Morgenstern Fellow by the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers-Newark (2020,) is a graduate of Baruch College and resides in Harlem, NYC.

A native of Baltimore, MD, soulful jazz pianist, Cyrus Chestnut is the son of McDonald (a retired post office employee and church organist) and Flossie (a city social services worker and church choir director). Chestnut's father was the official organist for the local church and their home was filled with the sounds of the gospel music as well as jazz records by Thelonius Monk and Jimmy Smith. Chestnut has said that his love of music began there. As a boy Chestnut reached for the piano keys before he could walk, so his father began teaching the earnest three-year-old to play and by age nine he was named pianist at Mt. Calvary Star Baptist Church. With his two-dollar allowance, young Chestnut purchased his first album, Thelonious Monk's Greatest Hits, simply because he liked the album cover, and thus the young pianist's love of jazz began.

Chestnut was in the prep program at the prestigious Peabody Institute in Baltimore before he headed to Berklee College of Music in Boston, where he earned a degree in jazz composition and arranging. At Berklee Cyrus was awarded Eubie Blake fellowship, the Oscar Peterson scholarship and the Quincy Jones scholarship. After graduating Chestnut worked with jazz vocalist Jon Hendricks, trumpeter Terrence Blanchard and saxophonist Donald Harrison before joining Wynton Marsalis. In 1991 Cyrus went on the road for two years as the pianist for the Betty Carter Trio. He has said that playing with Carter was a form of graduate school.

For Chestnut, there has always been a deep connection between jazz and God. "I believe the ability to play music is a gift from God and every time I play, I'm thankful. Every time I sit down to play, for me, is worship and expression," he told Down Beat magazine.

Chestnut has earned a reputation for his skillful versatility, his ability for blending sound and for unabashedly bringing gospel into club performances. And despite his sense of playful showmanship, he takes jazz very seriously and believes that jazz has great staying power. "Just as Bruce Springsteen has that ability to appeal to a mass audience, I have a vision that jazz can do the same. You can't underestimate the power of this music," Chestnut told the St. Petersburg Times.

Chestnut continually tours with his trio, playing live at jazz festivals around the world as well as clubs and concert halls. His leadership and prowess as a soloist has also led him to be a first call for the piano chair in many big bands including the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band.

"If I can send one person home after a performance feeling better than when they arrived, then I've done my job, and I sleep good at night."

Lucy Yeghiazaryan is an American Armenian vocalist who has become a leading voice in American straight-ahead jazz by bringing the real richness of her heritage together with her love for the ultimate American artform. She is a recipient of grants from the Doris Duke Foundation, Chamber Music America and the New York Foundation for the Arts. Lucy can be found performing regularly in and outside of the US with regular appearances at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, Mezzrow, Symphony Space and more. She was a top ten finalist in the 2015 Thelonious Monk Competition and holds a degree in World History in addition to being a skilled classical violinist. Her debut album, Blue Heaven, was released in 2019 on Cellar Live Records and was followed by the album In Her Words on La Reserve Records in 2021 which was sponsored by The Women's Fund of NYFA. Her third album, Lonely House will be released in late 2022.

Lucy Yeghiazaryan grew up in post-Soviet Armenia and began listening to her father's once-contraband collection of jazz records at a young age. Electricity was intermittent so these listening sessions were rare but the collection of standards so captivated young Lucy that years before she ever learned to speak English, she began singing the tunes meticulously mimicking the sounds and styles of the likes of Ella and Sarah Vaughan.

Economic hardships forced the family to immigrate to America in 2002 and Lucy brought her passion for jazz with her. After graduating college, Lucy moved to NYC and in a few short years she has won the respect and accolades of the elders at the epicenter of the jazz world.

Lucy will perform September 10 with tenor saxophone master Houston Person, guitar virtuoso Pasquale Grasso, and drummer Byron Landham.

Lee Hogans has over 15 years of experience as a touring musician, having performed with such respected artists as Prince, Maceo Parker, Marcus Miller, Maceo Parker, Jay-Z, Jill Scott, Illinois Jacquet, Clark Terry, and Winard Harper. In addition, Hogans’ 20 years of teaching experience has led him to the role of Director of Music and Education at Jazz House Kids, where he is afforded the opportunity to work with young artists who represent the future of jazz music.

Lee’s music studies include earning a Masters of Music (M.M) degree from the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, which included private training from Rutgers University trumpet professor William Fielder as well as jazz trumpet legend Clark Terry. Since earning this degree, Mr. Hogans has furthered his professional development by working as a music producer, arranger, and composer, generating commercial music for such companies as Levi’s Jeans and Toyota and producing for jazz, r&b and hip hop artists in the New York area.

Another one of Mr. Hogans’ passions is bringing music to the special needs population. Through Jazz House Kids and the “Give an Instrument/Build a Musician” organization, he has been fortunate enough to teach music to special needs students at the John F. Kennedy School in Newark, N.J for the past eight years. Thought this work, Mr. Hogans has learned the joy that music can bring to everyone, regardless of skill level.

On September 10, Lee’s quintet --Irwin Hall –Alto Sax, Miki Yamanaka – Piano, Tom DiCarlo –Bass, Corey Rawls – Drums will pay tribute to the late Stephen K. Jones, former President of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, and founding member of the New Brunswick Jazz Project’s Board of Trustees.

Performing in between sets.

Since 2010 the New Brunswick Jazz Project has successfully fostered a supportive environment for regular live jazz performance in the New Brunswick area. NBJP partners, Jimmy Lenihan, Virginia DeBerry and Michael Tublin have gone from producing two jazz shows a month, to offering free, world class jazz performances weekly, year round.

Over the twelve years, NBJP has presented more than 1800 events with world-renowned veteran musicians and emerging artists. Ravi Coltrane, Nat Adderley Jr., Arturo O'Farrill, Ralph Peterson, Dave Stryker, John Lee, Jerry Weldon, Akiko Tsuruga, Dezron Douglas, Freddie Hendrix, Joe Magnarelli, Emmet Cohen, Winard Harper, Jimmy Cobb, Tia Fuller, Orrin Evans, Jerry Weldon, The Curtis Brothers, Sean Jones, Myron Walden, Virginia Mayhew, Ralph Bowen and Conrad Herwig are among the acclaimed national and international jazz artists and special guests who have performed for NBJP.

Live, straight ahead jazz is presented weekly at Tavern on George. (Full Schedule - http://nbjp.org) The New Brunswick Jazz Project has created a real jazz scene and regularly draws guests from all over the state, as well as New York and Pennsylvania, to Central Jersey to enjoy this quintessential, uniquely 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

Bobby Sanabria is a 7-time Grammy-nominee as a leader, a noted drummer, percussionist, composer, arranger, conductor, producer, educator, documentary film maker, and bandleader of Puerto Rican descent born and raised in NY’s South Bronx. He was the drummer for the acknowledged creator of Afro-Cuban jazz, Mario Bauzá touring and recording three CDs with him, two of which were Grammy-nominated. Bobby has performed with an incredible variety of artists, including Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Mongo Santamaria (with whom he started his career) Paquito D’Rivera, Candido, The Mills Brothers, Ray Barretto, Chico O’Farrill, Henry Threadgill, Luis “Perico” Ortiz, Daniel Ponce, Larry Harlow, Celia Cruz, Xiomara Portuondo, Pedrito Martinez, Roswell Rudd, Patato, David Amram, Charles McPherson Jon Faddis, Bob Mintzer, Phil Wilson, Randy Brecker, Charles Tolliver and many more. He has guest conducted and performed as a soloist with numerous orchestras such as the WDR Big Band, The Airmen of Note, The U.S. Jazz Ambassadors, Eau Claire University Big, The University of Calgary Big Band --to name just a few.

His first big band recording, Live & in Clave!!! was nominated for a Grammy in 2001. Thereafter he has continued to have a successful recording career as a leader. His 2008 Grammy nominated Big Band Urban Folktales was the first Latin jazz recording to ever reach #1 on the national Jazz Week charts. His latest recording is a monumental Latin jazz reworking of the entire score of West Side Story entitled, West Side Story Reimagined, on the Jazzheads label in celebration of the show’s 60th anniversary and that of its composer, Maestro Leonard Bernstein’s centennial.

Bobby has been a featured interviewee, consultant and on-air personality in several TV documentaries, including “The Palladium: Where Mambo Was King,” “We Like It Like That: The Story of Latin Boogaloo” and Latin Music U.S.A. and numerous others. Currently, his radio show “Latin Jazz Cruise” is featured on WBGO Jazz 88.3 FM (Newark, NJ) every Saturday afternoon from 4 to 6 PM.

Sanabria holds a BM from the Berklee College of Music and is on the faculty of the New School University and the Manhattan School of Music where he has taught Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestras “passing on the tradition while moving it forward.” His encyclopedic knowledge of both jazz and Latin music history, makes him unique in his field. Mr. Sanabria has conducted hundreds of clinics in the states and worldwide. He is the Co-Artistic Director of the Bronx Music Heritage Center and is part of Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz Academy as well as The Weill Music Institute at Carnegie Hall.

John Messenger currently serves as the Director of Bands at Metuchen High School, in Metuchen, NJ. As the Director, he oversees Metuchen High School Jazz Ensemble, the Pride of Metuchen Marching Band, Metuchen HS Percussion Ensemble, and the Metuchen HS Winter Guard programs. John also directs the Elementary Band Program for the Metuchen School District. John is extremely active in the local music education community, as he currently serves as Director of Brass Studies for the Professional Music Academy of Woodbridge, New Jersey; and as the Director of the Professional Music Academy Summer Festival Band. In 2014, he was named a Magic 98.3 Teacher Who Makes Magic.

Alessandra found her love of dance at Metuchen Dance Centre at the age of 2. Apart from studying at MDC she has also extensively trained at Princeton Ballet School, The Boston Ballet, Gibney Dance, STEPS, Bway Dance Center... the list goes on. Alessandra has her BFA in Musical Theatre, with a triple emphasis in Dance, Acting and Choreography from The Boston Conservatory. She has performed along the east coast from Boston to NYC, NJ and all over Europe! Aside from performing, she is a certified teacher through Dance Educators of America for over ten years, a freelance choreographer and a certified SCUBA diver! Some favorite theatrical choreography credits include: Cabaret, Reefer Madness , Dancing At Lughnasa, Urinetown, I Love You Because, Spamalot and various new development works. Some of her concert pieces have been featured on MDC's own Dance Reflections! Some favorite performance credits also include: West Side Story (Intl Tour- Anita U/S), In the Heights, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, The Jungle Book, Bridges of Madison County, Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Apple Tree ... to name a few. She is a proud member of Actors Equity Association and a co-founding member of NYC's Uptown Arts Collaborative. Alessandra is proud to serve as the Artistic Director to a school that has been so essential to her journey as a performing artist. Visit www.alessandravalea.com for more info and news.

The Metuchen Arts Council (MAC) fosters, promotes, encourages and celebrates the Arts in Metuchen, in order to enhance the quality of life and spirit of community for all residents of the Borough of Metuchen and welcomes others to enjoy its community offerings.

Friends of Metuchen Arts (FOMA) is a non-profit corporation with a primary focus of fostering interest in programs of Metuchen Arts Council and other individuals and organizations whose objectives are in agreement with those of FOMA. FOMA also produces events, including those of Metuchen Jazz. www.friendsofmetuchenarts.org

The band is led by bassist John Lee who is a Grammy Award winning record producer and audio engineer. He has produced over 100 recordings and is the co-founder of the record label JLP, Jazz Legacy Productions. From 1984 thru 1993, John Lee was Dizzy Gillespie’s bassist. Performing and recording in the trumpet master’s various bands including the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet, Dizzy Gillespie Big Band and Dizzy’s Grammy Award Winning United Nation Orchestra. After Dizzy’s passing, his family asked John to create an ongoing tribute to the great man and his music—and the concept for the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars was born. He is also the bassist and director of the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars and Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band. He has also worked in the bands of Gary Bartz, Larry Coryell, Jon Faddis, Aretha Franklin, Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Heath, Sonny Rollins and McCoy Tyner. Audiences are going to be spoiled by a music set of Dizzy Gillespie’s groundbreaking fusion of Cuban, African, Argentinian, Brazilian, and Caribbean rhythms performed by the critically acclaimed jazz ensemble. Their performance will include Dizzy Gillespie’s groundbreaking fusion of Cuban, African, Argentinian, Brazilian, and Caribbean rhythms performed by the critically acclaimed jazz ensemble. They played at Aretha Franklin’s 72nd birthday extravaganza where she commented: "Oh man, they are so good, it’s just ridiculous."

Curtis Lundy is a double bassist, composer, producer, choir director, and arranger. Lundy began his musical career in the All-Miami Youth Jazz Band and was classically trained at the University of Miami under the tutelage of renowned bassist Dr. Lucas Drew. He has studied privately with Cecil McBee, Linda McKnight, Jaco Pastorius, and Ron Carter.

Perhaps best-known for his work as part of jazz vocalist Betty Carter’s band, Lundy made his debut on the New York jazz scene in 1978. Over the years he has performed with an impressive list of musicians, including Art Blakely, John Griffin, Freddie Hubbard, Pharoah Sanders, John Hicks, Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, George Coleman, Clark Terry, Bobby Watson, Stanley Turrentine, Mulgrew Miller, Don Pullen, Elvin Jones, Hank Jones, Sonny Stitt, Hilton Ruiz, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Phyllis Hyman, Johnny Hartman, Louis Hayes, Bobby Hutcherson and Barry Harris.

In the late 1980’s, Lundy issued Just Be Yourself (1989) and a decade later, with Justin Time Records, he released Against All Odds (1999) followed by Purpose (2002). Lundy remains one of the most spiritually uplifting bassists on the jazz scene today. He is featured on the G-Three recording SWIFT with Billy Robinson on sax, Stacie McGregor on piano, and Billy Hart on drums. Lundy’s arrangement on “Walk With Me,” recorded by the ARC Gospel Choir, was sampled by rapper Kanye West and became the Grammy Award-winning hit “Jesus Walks.” This arrangement was also sampled in “This is Why I’m Hot” by Shawn Mims.

Lezlie Harrison, vocalist extraordinaire, is always in a state of development, always raising the bar higher, pushing the limits of her God-given vocal gift. As a vocalist, she is both bold and subtle in her approach to the music she loves. Her vulnerability attends to the fragile matters of our collective human experience, while her optimism inspires us to rise above any of life's tribulations, to rejoice. Whether taking on a classic Jazz tune, Blues, Gospel, Soul, tracks from the American Song Book, or an original composition, Ms. Harrison imbues each note, each line of a song with her very own styling and personalized delivery.

She carries that over to her regular spot on WBGO, the global leader in Jazz radio, where she is a regular curator and presenter, revealing the love and pride with which she regards America's music. A permanent fixture on the New York and global Jazz scene, Lezlie Harrison is among the three founding members of New York's world-renowned JAZZ GALLERY that includes the late Dale Fitzgerald and trumpeter Roy Hargrove.

On occasion Lezlie lends her regal presence to the stage as an actress, bringing to those endeavors, the same organic sensibility that she brought to the runways and photo studios of Paris some years back. A product of two contrasting communities -- New York and North Carolina, Lezlie Harrison has been shaped by both and educated by her global experience.

Lezlie Harrison has absorbed every lesson along her life’s journey and has been deeply impacted by the elders she has had an opportunity to spend time with and explore. Ms. Harrison now walks in their footsteps while breaking new pathways. An elegant artist with a most compelling voice.

In 1995 she joined the staff of WBGO, Newark, New Jersey where she hosts Weekend Jazz Overnight, Salon Sessions and Sunday Night Music Mix. She has authored four 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), The Little Red Book of Musicians Wisdom (Skyhorse Press, 2012) and the 2nd edition of How to Grow as A Musician will be published, (2019).

In addition to curating jazz at the Newark Museum of Art, Ms. Anderson is a (2017) Columbia University Community Scholar, an inaugural Dan Morgenstern Fellow by the Institute of Jazz Studies at Rutgers-Newark (2020,) is a graduate of Baruch College and resides in Harlem, NYC.