By Bob Makin
originally published: 09/22/2023
Jersey City-based jazz harpist Edmar Castaneda will particpiate in the inaugural Middlesex County Jazz Festival next week. His “For Jaco” is the Makin Waves Song of the Week.
The inaugural Middlesex County Jazz Festival kicks off next week, and in celebration, Grammy-winning Jersey City-based jazz harpist Edmar Castaneda is the Makin Waves Song of the Week.
“For Jaco,” a very inspired Weather Report-like salute to electric jazz bass great Jaco Pastorius, appeared on Edmar’s “Family,” which won the Grammy for Best Latin Jazz Album.
As the Makin Waves Song of the Week, “For Jaco” also can be heard between 6 and 8 p.m. on Sept. 22 on “Radio Jersey” at ThePenguinRocks.com. If you miss it, you can tune in any time in the archives at The Penguin and MixCloud.
Middlesex County Jazz Festival will take place Sept. 28 to Oct. 1 in Edison, Perth Amboy, New Brunswick, Metuchen, and Woodbridge. Edmar will share the stage with his quartet on the Oct. 1 bill at Parker Press Park in Woodbridge with fellow Jersey City-based jazz artist Alicia Olatuja and her quintet and Woodbridge High School Jazz Choir. They will perform from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m.
For more about Edmar, visit https://www.edmarcastaneda.com.
The rest of the fest will feature:
* Victor Quezada and his Latin Jazz Band, The Delegations, and JP Stevens Jazz Ensemble under the direction of John Zazzedi, 6-8:30 p.m. Sept. 28, Papaianni Park, Edison
* Forbidden Tropics and Julian Meyers Koncept, 7-9 p.m. Sept. 29, Historic Perth Amboy Ferry Slip
* Nat Adderley Jr. Quartet, Conrad Herwig Latin Side All-Stars, and New Brunswick Jazz Project Brass, 1-5:30 p.m. Sept. 30, Livingston Avenue in front of the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center
* Cyrus Chestnut Quartet, Molly Ryan and Manhattan Premier, Metuchen High School Jazz Ensemble Big Band under the direction of John Messenger, and Jill Justin Dance Alliance, 6-9:30 p.m., Halsey Street Metuchen Station Lot 6.
The Middlesex County Jazz Festival is presented by New Brunswick Jazz Project, Perth Amboy Artworks, New Brunswick Cultural Center, and Metuchen Arts Council and sponsored by Amazon, Puffin, KW by the Bay, Johnson & Johnson, State Theatre New Jersey, New Brunswick City Center, Worldwide Piano, Friends of Metuchen Arts, Westerhoff School of Music & Art, and Manasquan Bank.
For more details, visit https://middlesexcountyjazzfestival.org.
Bob Makin has produced Makin Waves since 1988. Follow Makin Waves on Facebook and contact Bob at [email protected].
About the author:
New Jersey Stage is proud to be the home of Bob Makin's Makin Waves column since 2017. His Song of the Week column comes out every Friday. He also writes an Album of the Month and Interview of the Month as well.
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