(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) has announced their Winter 2023 schedule of jazz performances.  Shows take place at Bethany Baptist Church, Clement's Place and on NJPAC stages in the Victoria Theater and Prudential Hall.

The jazz shows are sponsored in part by TD Bank. For a complete list of jazz-related shows at NJPAC, click here.

Saturday, January 7 @ 6:00pm, Bethany Baptist Church Jazz Vespers: Joe Locke. Co-presented by the Bethany Baptist Church Jazz Vespers, NJPAC welcomes one of today’s leading vibraphonists, Joe Locke. According to Hot House Jazz magazine, he is “one of the world’s most versatile vibes masters.” He has performed and recorded with a diverse range of notable musicians, including Grover Washington Jr, Raul Midón, Kenny Barron, Eddie Henderson, Cecil Taylor, Dianne Reeves, Eddie Palmieri, Ron Carter, The Beastie Boys, the Münster Symphony Orchestra, the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, the Orchestra da Camera della Sardegna and the Lincoln, Nebraska Symphony. Locke is a six-time recipient of the Jazz Journalists Association’s “Mallet Instrumentalist of the Year” Award, has received two Earshot Golden Ear Awards for “Concert of the Year” and the 2013 Hot House NYC Jazz Awards for Best Vibes Player, and keeps topping critics and readers polls. Tickets: FREE. This event takes place at Bethany Baptist Church at 117 W. Market Street, Newark, NJ.

Thursday, January 19 @ 7:30pm, Jazz Jams at Clement’s Place. Co-presented by NJPAC’s Jazz Advisory Committee and Rutgers RU_N’s Institute for Jazz Studies, Jazz Jams at Clement’s Place is a monthly Jazz Jams Session concert series (September 2022-June 2023) featuring top-flight NJ musicians directed by pianist and bandleader, James Austin, Jr. T.  Immerse yourself in the relaxing sounds of jazz music that stimulate the player’s and listeners’ minds. All novice and seasoned jazz musicians and singers are welcomed to jam and improv with the professional band throughout the night. Co-Producers: Wayne Winborne, Executive Director, IFJS and Eyesha Marable, AVP, Comm Engagement, NJPAC. Tickets: FREE. This event will be held at Clement’s Place, Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall, Rutgers University, 15 Washington Street, Newark, New Jersey.

Sunday, January 29 @ 3:00pm & 7:00pm, An Evening with Fred Hersch and esperanza Spalding cd release, Victoria Theater. Jazz pianist/composer Fred Hersch and jazz vocalist/bassist/songwriter esperanza spalding celebrate the release of their album Alive at the Village Vanguard (TBR January 6, 2023 via Palmetto Records), recorded at the legendary club for a packed and rapturous audience. Both artists can be counted among the most acclaimed and inventive artists in modern jazz. The new album showcases the astonishing chemistry shared by these two master musicians, who have convened for only a handful of New Yew York City performances since their first meeting in 2013 at Jazz Standard. This NJPAC performance is the only New Jersey concert in a three-week nationwide tour. Produced by NJPAC and Seth Abramson, Rabbit Moon Productions, Inc. Tickets: $69.

Saturday, February 4 @ 6:00pm, Bethany Baptist Church Jazz Vespers: Lew Tabackin. Co-presented by the Bethany Baptist Church Jazz Vespers, NJPAC welcomes Lew Tabackin, a major tenor saxophone and flute artist, both in live concerts and on recordings. His nearly six-decade career has brought him acclaim worldwide, regularly topping critic's polls with both instruments while pushing the boundaries of his art form across cultures and disciplines. His solo work in ensembles is as impressive, as is his career as bandleader. He's worked with vaunted names such as Thad Jones and Mel Lewis, Cab Calloway, Clark Terry and Toshiko Akiyoshi; the latter also being his partner in life. He has now recorded over 30 albums as a leader or co-leader and has an extensive discography as a sideman as well. He has won many DownBeatCritics and Readers polls for his recordings as well as instrumental performances. Tickets: FREE. This event takes place at Bethany Baptist Church at 117 W. Market Street, Newark, NJ.

Thursday, February 16 @ 7:30pm, Jazz Jams at Clement’s Place. Co-presented by NJPAC’s Jazz Advisory Committee and Rutgers RU_N’s Institute for Jazz Studies, Jazz Jams at Clement’s Place is a monthly Jazz Jams Session concert series (September 2022-June 2023) featuring top-flight NJ musicians directed by pianist and bandleader, James Austin, Jr. T.  Immerse yourself in the relaxing sounds of jazz music that stimulate the player’s and listeners’ minds.  All novice and seasoned jazz musicians and singers are welcomed to jam and improv with the professional band throughout the night. Co-Producers: Wayne Winborne, Executive Director, IFJS and Eyesha Marable, AVP, Comm Engagement, NJPAC. Tickets: FREE. This event will be held at Clement’s Place, Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall, Rutgers University, 15 Washington Street, Newark, New Jersey.

Saturday, February 18 @ 8:00pm, Gregory Porter, Prudential Hall. Grammy award-winning vocalist Gregory Porter returns to NJPAC with his distinctive bone-deep baritone, heart-on-sleeve lyrics imbued with everyday philosophy and real-life detail, set to a stirring mix of jazz, soul, blues, and gospel. Gregory Porter swings with all the earthy warmth of Nat King Cole, the soulful spirit of Stevie Wonder, and the poet’s truth of Bill Withers. Come experience “one of the most amazing singing voices you’ll hear on planet earth” (The Guardian). Tickets: $50.50-$100.50.

TD Bank, America's Most Convenient Bank, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 8 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at approximately 1,300 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth®, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in downtown Newark, N.J., is America’s most diverse performing arts center, and the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey – where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the state’s and the world’s best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted nearly 10 million individuals (including over 1.9 million students and families) since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents.