(SOUTH ORANGE, NJ) -- The South Orange Performing Arts Center’s 2021-2022 season boasts thirteen Jazz and Rhythm & Blues shows. The lineup includes Grammy Award winners Lisa Fischer, Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap, as well as National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Terri Lyne Carrington and Eddie Palmieri. Audiences can experience everything from world-famous music machines like the Dirty Dozen Brass Band to exciting trailblazers like trumpeter Bria Skonberg.
Sample music from this diverse lineup through SOPAC’s Spotify playlist. Visit our Jazz, Rhythm & Blues page for more information about each artist and to purchase tickets.
NOTE: At this time, all SOPAC patrons are required to show proof of vaccination or a negative Covid-19 test and wear a mask. All current Covid-19 Precautions & Policies can be found at SOPACnow.org/Covid-19.
SEPTEMBER 17 Motor City Revue: The Ultimate Motown Tribute; Tickets: $25-$35. Dance in your seat and sing along when this 11-piece Motown-inspired band performs tunes by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, The Supremes and more.
SEPTEMBER 25 Billie & Blue Eyes presented by John Pizzarelli & Catherine Russell: The Songs of Frank Sinatra & Billie Holiday; Tickets: $48-$68. This dynamic duo will transport audiences to the glory days of Jazz with masterful ease, capturing Holiday’s effortless grace and Sinatra’s cool swagger.
OCTOBER 1 Bria Skonberg Quartet; Tickets: $29-$39. Described as “one of the most versatile and imposing musicians of her generation” (Wall Street Journal) and “the shining hope of hot jazz” (New York Times), triple threat trailblazer Bria Skonberg is a force to be reckoned with. This multi-award winning trumpeter, singer and composer makes her SOPAC debut combining her signature sound of fiery trumpet playing and smoky vocals. She blends Jazz, Blues and beyond with storytelling and adventurous concoctions of classics and soulful originals.
OCTOBER 15 Kindred The Family Soul; Tickets: $42-$77. Married couple Fatin Dantzler and Aja Graydon are known for music that comes directly from the heart. The duo co-writes relatable and mature R&B songs that are rooted in traditional Soul and Gospel. They were also part of the Neo Soul Philadelphia movement that included Jill Scott.
NOVEMBER 20 Giants of Jazz; Tickets: $55-$65. Join us for what has become a legendary event in South Orange Village featuring the convergence of countless Jazz greats in an unforgettable evening of music.
DECEMBER 11 Terri Lyne Carrington + Social Science: Jazz and Gender Justice; Tickets: $44-$59. This three-time Grammy Award-winning Jazz drummer has been described as “the personification of Black Girl Magic,” by the AP News. After years of playing alongside Jazz royalty like Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock, Carrington has reached the pinnacle of Jazz excellence in her own career as a 2021 National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters fellow. Along with her band Social Science, she’s stepping out from behind the drums to be a leader in the social and gender justice movements.
DECEMBER 16 Hot Sardines Holiday Stomp; Tickets: $40-$50. Experience a raucous, razzle dazzle celebration featuring classic Jazz and Swing holiday favorites and original tunes performed by the eight-piece band. Their brassy horn arrangements and rollicking piano melodies combined with the vocals from a chanteuse will transport listeners to a past era.
FEBRUARY 10 Be My Valentine: An Evening of Love Songs with Ms. Lisa Fischer; Tickets: $32-$42. Known for her long-term touring associations with the Rolling Stones, Luther Vandross and Tina Turner, this powerhouse Grammy Award-winning Gospel and Soul vocalist evokes infinite emotion.
FEBRUARY 18 The James Hunter Six; Tickets: $36-$56. The British soulman and his gritty, longstanding backing band bring you a sublime evening of no-nonsense Blues. Given their virtuosity, they have shared the stage with acts as diverse as Allen Toussaint, Sharon Jones and Van Morrison.
MARCH 13 Dee Dee Bridgewater & Bill Charlap; Tickets: $40-$54. These two renowned Grammy Award winners ignite their musical chemistry to generate an incomparable Jazz experience.
MARCH 20 Celebrate the Sounds of New Orleans with Dirty Dozen Brass Band & Nathan and The Zydeco Cha Chas; Tickets: $35-$48. This special double-bill featuring two world-famous music machines celebrates the feel-good sounds of The Big Easy!
APRIL 7 SFJAZZ Collective; Tickets: $58-$78. The SFJAZZ Collective is an all-star award-winning supergroup comprised of eight of the finest performers/composers at work in Jazz today. The current ensemble features Lizz Wright on vocals, Chris Potter and David Sánchez on saxophones, Etienne Charles on trumpet, Warren Wolf on vibraphone, Edward Simon on keyboards, Aneesa Strings on bass and Kendrick A.D. Scott on drums.
MAY 21 Eddie Palmieri Latin Jazz Band; Tickets: $45-$59. The iconic ten-time Grammy Award winner and NEA Jazz Master skillfully fuses the rhythm of his Puerto Rican heritage with the complexity of his influences: Thelonious Monk, Herbie Hancock and McCoy Tyner as well as his older brother, Charlie Palmieri.
Since 2006, South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) has been serving as a premier performing arts center in the region. SOPAC offers innovative artistic and cultural experiences for diverse audiences in an intimate, inviting environment. The arts center hosts a variety of live performances, community events and education programs for all ages. SOPAC is home for Seton Hall University Arts Council’s performances, including the Classical Concert Series, Jazz ‘N the Hall performances and Seton Hall University Theatre productions. SOPAC programs are made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
