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Jazz Room Series

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  • About the Jazz Room Series

  • Inaugurated in the spring of 1978, the Jazz Room Series is the longest-running campus-based jazz concert series in the nation. With a tradition of encompassing the complete spectrum of jazz from New Orleans to the avant-garde, it features world-class professionals and William Paterson student ensembles. There are three series of concerts each year, including the six-concert Fall and Spring Jazz Room Series, and the weeklong Summer Jazz Room held the third week of July.

    The Jazz Room has received over two decades of continuous grant support from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, as well as numerous grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation. The series has been featured on national and metropolitan-area media, including recorded broadcasts and live CD recording sessions.

    The Jazz Room Series is directly connected to the William Paterson Jazz Studies Program. Unique among college and university programs, the Jazz Studies program is one of the few in the nation with an emphasis on small-group playing, improvisation, and a genuine commitment to the jazz tradition. Founded by music faculty member Martin Krivin and joined by trumpeter/arranger Thad Jones in 1973, the program was led by bassist Rufus Reid for twenty years, then by the great jazz pianists James Williams, Mulgrew Miller, and most recently Bill Charlap, who accepted the position in fall 2015. The program is co-led and coordinated by David Demsey. The artist/teacher faculty is made up of world-class New York area professionals.

    The program is a true jazz environment in which students learn firsthand about the jazz world and the requirements for becoming a successful professional musician. Jazz majors come to William Paterson this year from twenty-six states and six foreign countries, including a number of Fulbright Scholars.

    The University also presents the Summer Jazz Workshop for high school students. The University's Summer Jazz Workshop, active since 1994, is a week-long intensive program in late July, featuring classes, small-group rehearsals and performances, and clinics taught by William Paterson resident faculty and special guest clinicians.

    William Paterson University is home to the Living Jazz Archive, which includes the personal music archive of legendary trumpeter and educator Clark Terry, as well as the archives of Thad Jones, James Williams and Michael Brecker. The Living Jazz Archive provides students, researchers, and visitors with the opportunity to explore original jazz manuscripts and other materials that are an important part of jazz history.

    Grant Logos

    WP Presents! and The Jazz Room Series events are made possible in part by a grant from the NJ Council on the Arts/Dept. of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

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    Jazz Room Series Partner



  • Celebrating the Music of Art Farmer/ Benny Golson Jazztet with Jerry Weldon and Friends with Special Guest George Cables
    Feb 16, 2025 @ 3:00 PM
    Location: Shea Center for Performing Arts

    Powerhouse saxophonist Jerry Weldon has been the lead tenor sax voice of the Count Basie Orchestra, Joey DeFrancesco’s big band, and first gained prominence as a soloist with Lionel Hampton and the big band led by Harry Connick Jr., as well as Connick’s daytime TV show HARRY. His is truly an under-recognized tenor sax voice, and this opening spring Jazz Room concert is a chance to hear him in person! He is joined by an all-star band featuring trumpeter Joe Magnarelli, drummer Jerome Jennings, and special guest and pianist George Cables. This promises to be a powerful Jazz Room opening, focusing on the repertoire of the recently departed Benny Golson and his longtime collaborator Art Farmer.

    Sponsored by Lynne Mueller

    Tickets:
    General Public $20 • WP employees and senior citizens $18 • Non-WP students $10 • WP Students admitted free with ID

    Free to all ticketholders. Sittin’ In Meet–the–Artist sessions are one hour prior to each concert in Shea Center Recital Hall and feature a rare opportunity for audience members to hear from and interact with the artist of the day.


     
  • Chris Potter with the William Paterson Jazz Orchestra
    Mar 09, 2025 @ 3:00 PM
    Location: Shea Center for Performing Arts

    Chris Potter is recognized worldwide as one of today’s major saxophone voices – here joining forces with the 18-piece William Paterson Jazz Orchestra.  Potter first gained wide recognition as a member of Dave Holland’s sextet, as well as collaborations with Pat Metheny, Paul Motian, Ray Brown, James Moody, Joe Lovano, many tours with the rock group Steely Dan, and many others.  His early musical association was with trumpeter and Charlie Parker veteran Red Rodney.  He is most often heard in small-group settings, and this is a rare chance to hear him solo in front of a big band – featuring premieres of new arrangements of three of his compositions by our second-year grad students.

    Tickets:
    General Public $20 • WP employees and senior citizens $18 • Non-WP students $10 • WP Students admitted free with ID

    Free to all ticketholders. Sittin’ In Meet–the–Artist sessions are one hour prior to each concert in Shea Center Recital Hall and feature a rare opportunity for audience members to hear from and interact with the artist of the day.


     
  • Saxophonist-Vocalist Camille Thurman
    Apr 06, 2025 @ 3:00 PM
    Location: Shea Center for Performing Arts

    Camille Thurman has gained worldwide respect as a saxophonist as well as for her singing.  A graduate of the famed New York LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts, she was a finalist in the 2013 Sarah Vaughan Vocal Competition.  She has a recording contract with Chesky Records, just released her fourth album on that label, and she was nominated as Best Jazz Album in the 50th NAACP Image Awards. Ms. Thurman is also a dedicated teacher and mentor, leading to her association with the Heart of Jazz Foundation that awards scholarships and pairs young students with professional jazz mentors. 

    Sponsored by The Heart of Jazz Foundation

    Tickets:
    General Public $20 • WP employees and senior citizens $18 • Non-WP students $10 • WP Students admitted free with ID

    Free to all ticketholders. Sittin’ In Meet–the–Artist sessions are one hour prior to each concert in Shea Center Recital Hall and feature a rare opportunity for audience members to hear from and interact with the artist of the day.


     
  • Chico Alvarez with the William Paterson Latin Jazz Ensemble
    Apr 13, 2025 @ 3:00 PM
    Location: Shea Center for Performing Arts

    Vocalist Chico Alvarez was born in New York City, but grew up in Cuba and gained his musical background there, now as a New Jersey resident.  He is an active singer, performing with the Afro-Cuban band Mafimba, where he has been mostly their lead singer for nearly 40 years.  He has also been jazz radio host of “The New World Gallery” on New York radio station WBAI, having won an award from the National Association of Community Broadcasters and interviewed many jazz giants.  In this concert, Alavarez combines with the WP Latin Jazz Ensemble.

    Tickets:
    General Public $20 • WP employees and senior citizens $18 • Non-WP students $10 • WP Students admitted free with ID

    Free to all ticketholders. Sittin’ In Meet–the–Artist sessions are one hour prior to each concert in Shea Center Recital Hall and feature a rare opportunity for audience members to hear from and interact with the artist of the day.


     
  • Christian McBride & Bill Charlap Duo
    Apr 27, 2025 @ 3:00 PM
    Location: Shea Center for Performing Arts

    This concert creates a truly rare performance by bringing together two true jazz giants who have only performed together rarely in the past and never have toured.  Christian McBride has a solid reputation as one of the world’s most respected jazz basists and bandleaders, but that is only the beginning: he leads the Newport Jazz Festival, and co-leads Jazz House Kids with his wife Melissa Walker. Bill Charlap is one of the world’s foremost pianists, touring and recording with his trio of 27 years with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington, releasing award-winning albums on the Blue Note label and winning a 2016 Grammy Award with Tony Bennett.  This promises to be a truly memorable event, a very rare collaboration between two New Jersey residents who are worldwide jazz icons.

    Sponsored by the Woody Shapiro Endowment

    Free to all ticketholders. Sittin’ In Meet–the–Artist sessions are one hour prior to each concert in Shea Center Recital Hall and feature a rare opportunity for audience members to hear from and interact with the artist of the day.

    Tickets:
    General Admission $33 / Senior Citizens $30 / WP students are admitted free with ID


     
  • Will Downing
    May 09, 2025 @ 8:00 PM
    Location: Shea Center for Performing Arts

    They say a man’s “soul” is his spiritual essence.  Life’s twists and turns can lift that soul high into the sky or send it crashing to the ground below.  Unfortunately, 2023 started with the latter for Will Downing, following the unexpected and soul-crushing loss of daughter Aron Siobhan Downing in January.  As a father, he was devastated…heartbroken.  As an artist, he sought solace and comfort through his craft…facing the hurt head-on and exploring multiple themes of love to begin the healing. Persevering through the pain Downing is poised to finish the year with his soul rising…literally!  The Prince of Sophisticated Soul is ready to share his 7- song masterclass in triumph over tragedy, Soul Rising! 

    Celebrating an insane 35 years in the “bizness” and 27 Albums to his credit Will Downing will not be stopped!  Flexing on his international appeal, the lead single "What Part of My Love" shot to the top of the UK Soul Chart Top 30 and parked there.  Those who no longer listen to new releases as the collective work it was intended to be, should make an exception in this case.  Although not a "concept" album, the pieces of Soul Rising fit together beautifully as a single statement and should be enjoyed as such.  We all know the about the smoothness, but there's a brand-new kind of...dare I say..."Funkiness", that I think is here to stay!  

    Make no mistake...Will Downing didn't forget the "smooth" that made the Man the Myth the Legend!  Nor did he abandon his world-famous knack for what he affectionately calls "interpretations" of classic hits.  

    There will be no Sittin’ In session prior to this concert

    Tickets:
    Gold Circle $75
    Orchestra/Front Loge $65
    Rear Loge $55