Artists
Queen City Line Up - Sunday, October 4
Main Stage:
World Class Talent, Central Jersey Energy
The Central Jersey Jazz Festival brings together an exceptional lineup of acclaimed musicians, celebrated performers, and rising talent for a day filled with the sounds, styles, and spirit of jazz. From timeless standards to contemporary interpretations, every performance offers something new to discover.
In 2026, that incredible talent takes the stage in Downtown Plainfield — the Queen City. Come experience powerful live performances, unforgettable musicianship, and the energy that has made the Central Jersey Jazz Festival one of the region’s signature arts and cultural events.
Learn more about this year’s lineup below!
Read More
More information coming soon!
Sheila Anderson
In 1995 she joined the staff of WBGO, Newark, New Jersey where she hosts Weekend Jazz Overnight and Salon Sessions. 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.
Anthony E. Nelson Jr. & Increase
Anthony E. Nelson Jr. is a saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger whose music blends jazz, gospel, funk and soul. A native of Plainfield, New Jersey, Nelson began his musical journey as a member of Cantoris, the city’s renowned boys choir, before developing into a versatile performer on saxophone, flute, clarinet and bass clarinet.
Throughout his career, Nelson has performed with acclaimed artists and ensembles including Regina Carter, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Count Basie Orchestra, Ray Charles Orchestra, The O’Jays, Faith Evans, T.S. Monk, Steve Turre and Don Braden.
Read More
As a bandleader, Nelson has released several recordings, including Testament: Live at Cecil’s and Swinging Sunset, showcasing his soulful, hard-swinging approach to jazz. He also serves as Artistic Director of Jazz in the Sanctuary at Shiloh Baptist Church.
Rooted in the jazz tradition and shaped by his Plainfield beginnings, Nelson continues to bring warmth, versatility and a powerful sense of musical storytelling to every performance.
Cutris Lundy Umoja
Curtis Lundy is an American double bass player, composer, producer, choir director and arranger. Lundy is best known for his work as part of jazz vocalist Betty Carter’s band, through whose ranks several eventually renowned musicians passed.
Lundy has also played on other jazz artists’ recordings, including albums by John Hicks, Bobby Watson, the Steve Nelson Quintet and Johnny Griffin. In the late 1980s, he briefly stepped out of the background and issued Just Be Yourself (1988). A decade later, with Justin Time Records, he released Against All Odds (1999) and Purpose (2002). Both albums feature pianists John Hicks and Anthony Wonsey. Lundy’s arrangement of “Walk With Me”, recorded by the ARC Gospel Choir, was sampled by rapper Kanye West and became the Grammy Award-winning hit Jesus Walks.
Orrin Evans
Orrin Evans is a three-time GRAMMY-nominated pianist, composer, bandleader and producer whose fearless approach to jazz has established him as one of the most distinctive voices of his generation. Known for a style that moves seamlessly between hard-swinging jazz, blues, avant-garde traditions and soulful improvisation, Evans brings an unmistakable sense of energy, freedom and exploration to every performance.
Born in Trenton, New Jersey, and raised in Philadelphia, Evans came of age in the rich musical culture of Philadelphia before emerging onto the national jazz scene.
Read More
Over the course of his career, he has performed and collaborated with an extraordinary range of artists and spent several years as pianist for the acclaimed jazz ensemble The Bad Plus. He also leads the adventurous Captain Black Big Band, whose recordings Presence, The Intangible Between and, most recently, Walk A Mile In My Shoe have earned three GRAMMY Award nominations for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.
Evans was named the #1 Rising Star Pianist in the 2018 DownBeat Critics Poll and was featured on the cover of DownBeat in November 2024. His many creative projects also include Tarbaby, the Eubanks Evans Experience with guitarist Kevin Eubanks, Terreno Comum and the Orrin Evans Trio. Beyond the stage, Evans is a dedicated educator and currently serves as a Lecturer in Jazz Piano at Rutgers University’s Mason Gross School of the Arts.
Whether leading a trio, commanding a big band or collaborating with fellow artists, Orrin Evans continues to push jazz forward while remaining deeply connected to the community, spontaneity and musical conversation at the heart of the art form.
Jazz House Kids Presents: Ava Mccune Quartet
Info Coming Soon!
The Central Jersey Jazz Festival Stage in Downtown Plainfield is produced and hosted by the Plainfield Special Improvement District and Sheila E. Anderson, author and on-air personality of WBGO Jazz 88.3 FM
Plan Your Weekend
Come for the music, stay to explore our Downtown District. Great city eats, shopping, attractions, and natural beauty. Support the local businesses in our area.
