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originally published: 03/19/2023 

(NEWARK, NJ) -- Jazz973 Presents a free performance of Victor Jones Orchestrio at Clements Place Jazz on Wednesday, March 22, 2023 from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. Get ready for a magical evening with the spellbinding Victor Jones, the unique bass player Alex Blake & Roberta Piket—a pianist's pianist.

Limited seating for this free event is available; reserve your place online.

"Hey Jazz lovers. Get set for an unforgettable, dazzling night of jazz with the incredibly charming Victor Jones and Victor Jones Orchestrio! Prepare to be swept off your feet by an extraordinary evening of live music at Clements Place Jazz. You are invited to experience his stellar trio featuring a key proponent of the fusion movement In the late 70's, the powerful fusion bassist, Alex Blake and the exhilarating pianist-organist, Roberta Piket, Having experienced the Orchestrio playing for me in the past, I can attest to the fact that they simply adore swinging their way into your heart." -- Gregory Burrus Productions

Clements Place Jazz is located at 15 Washington Street (Ruth Bader Ginsburg Building) in Newark, New Jersey.

Read on to discover the amazing histories behind these talented musicians and understand how this dynamic group of musicians are ready to provide us with a very exciting night of live music...

 

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VICTOR JONES

"Victor E. Jones is a new breed of outstanding drummer bandleaders … nothing Jones does is ever boring." -- Time Out New York

Dynamic Drummer from NYC/Copenhagen, Denmark is considered a visionary in today's music business, is a new breed of Drummer & Bandleader bringing new and exciting ideas to the world of jazz and world music.

Victor Jones, the Drums and Percussion director for BAAMS, is internationally recognized for his consistent, subtle, and stylistic drumming on stage and in the studio. Victor Jones is known as an innovator who is not afraid to bring together different styles and sounds. He has played on hundreds of recordings, played hundreds of live concerts and performed in clubs everywhere on this planet, often as a backing musician for a variety of well-known artists, including Lou Donaldson, Chaka Khan, Woody Shaw, Freddie Hubbard, Stan Getz, and many others.

No stranger to traditional or modern jazz, Victor E. Jones started his career as a teen-age musician playing in local bands in his birthplace of Newark, New Jersey and touring world-wide with Lou Donaldson. In his early twenties he toured the world with Stan Getz. Later tours were with James Moody, Michel Petrucciani, Joe, Olivia, Stanley Clarke, Phyllis Hyman, Dizzy Gillespie and Chaka Khan as well as others.

Victor played on the Grammy nominated EMI Korean recording, Second Moon, which won Record of the Year in 2006. Victor also was featured on the Best Latin Jazz recording in 2008 with Papo Vasquez. When asked about his greatest achievement he replied, "My greatest achievement in life was having five children with my wife Ane Jones."

Since 2003 he has been a Bandleader with his own World Music Band, Cultur-Versy, these days specializing in a new age type of music, a mix of dance music, hip-hop and electro pop. This group currently has three CDs out, the latest named Dance Floor 54.

A very much in demand drummer he has performed with a whose who's of musicians: William Bell, Woody Shaw, Stan Getz, Virginia Mayhew, Vinnie Cutro, Slide Hampton, Chico O'Farrill, Little Jimmy Scott, Mac Gollehon,

Jimmy Ponder, Woody Shaw, Camila Benson, The Perry Sisters, Mal Waldron, Valery Ponomarev, Mingus Big Band and Michel Petrucciani 

Stan Getz said, "Victor is one top of the world caliber drummers and I don't say that lightly."

George Benson states,"Whether playing funk, rock or jazz, Victor Jones is one cat that gets it right."

 

ALEX BLAKE

The range of Alex Blake's talent is bordering on phenomenal as virtually any musician in whatever style calls upon him for his truly unique bass playing. This had been going on since he was a child, and with his background it is no wonder many have already called him a prodigy.  After becoming one of the major proponents of the fusion movement In the late 70s with his writing and performances with Lenny White and Billy Cobham, Alex established himself as a drummer's bassist. His range and ability flow between melodic and extremely rhythmic playing enables these all-star drummers to express themselves to their fullest without having to worry about keeping time. Most of the people who work with Alex consider him an entire rhythm section on his own. His talent can be measured by the plenitude of masters who have called upon him for his inventive playing. They include: Dizzy Gillespie, Carlos Santana, Sonny Rollins, Sun Ra, Nancy Wilson, Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard, Stan Getz, McCoy Tyner, Max Roach, Billy Cobham and many more.

ROBERTA PIKET

 

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Pianist/composer Roberta Piket is one of a handful of New York musicians who is respected for both her swinging and inventive straight-ahead jazz playing as well as her powerful and sensitive work in creative improvised music. For Roberta, there are no genre boundaries, only exceptional music to be made. Roberta has played professionally as a side-woman with David Liebman, Rufus Reid, Lionel Hampton, Mickey Roker, Billy Mintz, Harvey Wainapel, Eliot Zigmund, Benny Golson and the BMI/NY Jazz Orchestra and has thrice been a featured guest on Marian McPartland's Piano Jazz, on National Public Radio. A gifted composer as well, Roberta was a finalist in the Thelonious Monk BMI Composers' Competition. Roberta also performs on B3 organ, playing at clubs such as the Harlem landmark Showman's. She has written several big band compositions, three of which are in the repertoire of the Seattle Women's Jazz Orchestra. In recent years she has toured Europe several times, including France, Germany, Luxembourg, Ukraine and Spain.

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Don't miss out on this chance for a truly unique night of jazz by the very dynamic and captivating Victor Jones Orchestrio. Get ready for a spectacular evening filled with this enchanting drummer as his fabulous Victor Jones Orchestrio takes center stage alongside one of the major players of the fusion movement Alex Blake and the exciting pianist and organist Roberta Piket who loves to swing.

Limited seating for this free event register today as you don't want to miss out on this magical, thrilling Victor Jones live musical extravaganza! Click here to register now.