Jazz House Kids, a community arts organization dedicated to teaching jazz to children, will hold its annual gala concert on Tuesday, October 24 at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark, NJ. The concert will feature performances by Andra Day, David Sanborn, Sheila E and Kenny Barron, with musical direction by Christian McBride, who serves as both Jazz House Kids’ artistic director and NJPAC’s jazz advisor. The event also includes a tribute to legendary drummer Roy Haynes, as well as performances by Jazz House Kids alumni, including Matthew Whitaker who won a recent Showtime at the Apollo competition.
The actress Gina Gershon has replaced S. Epatha Merkerson as the emcee for the concert. Merkerson, who had a scheduling conflict, has been an active supporter of Jazz House Kids since its inception and recently emceed the Montclair Jazz Festival which the organization produces. The gala also includes a pre-concert cocktail reception and a post-performance dinner immediately following the concert.
