originally published: 02/21/2022

(NEWARK, NJ) -- The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) celebrates Jazz Appreciation Month with concerts by Samara Joy, Diana Krall, and an International Day of Jazz Celebration with performances by students participating in NJPAC’s jazz poetry program, City Verses, NJPAC’s Jazz for Teens ensemble as well as Jazz House Kids Big Band in addition to special guests. The jazz series is sponsored by TD Bank.

Saturday, April 2 @ 6:00pm - Bethany Vespers Series: Samara Joy. Co-presented by Bethany Baptist Church and NJPAC, this month’s Bethany Vesper Concert Series features a performance by jazz vocalist Samara Joy. With a voice and style mature beyond her 22 years, this is a rising star you won’t want to miss. Samara won the 2019 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition at NJPAC and released her self-titled debut album just last year. Samara is fresh off winning Best New Artist 2022 by Jazz Times Magazine. “Samara Joy has a voice that seems to have a gravitational pull keeping the planets in orbit.” – WGBO Radio This concert will be held at Bethany Baptist Church located at 117 W. Market Street, Newark. Tickets: Free.

Sunday, April 3 @ 7:30pm - Diana Krall. Diana Krall (vocals, piano); Band (TBA). Multiple GRAMMY® Award-winning jazz pianist and world-renowned singer Diana Krall returns to NJPAC. The only jazz singer to have eight albums debut at the top of the Billboard Jazz Albums chart, Krall has garnered five GRAMMY Awards, eight Juno Awards and has earned nine gold, three platinum and seven multi-platinum albums. Her unique artistry transcends any single musical style and has made her one of the most recognizable artists of our time. Her most recent release, This Dream Of You (Verve Records), has garnered critical acclaim from fans and press alike. Krall's unique artistry transcends any single musical style and has made her one of the most recognizable artists of our time. As The New York Times recently noted, she possesses “a voice at once cool and sultry, wielded with a rhythmic sophistication.” Tickets: $49 and Up.

Saturday, April 30 @ 5:00pm - International Day of Jazz Celebration. An annual free, day-long event co-produced by NJPAC and Jazz House Kids, this popular concert is part of the worldwide celebration of jazz. Performances by students participating in NJPAC’s jazz poetry program, City Verses, NJPAC’s Jazz for Teens ensemble as well as Jazz House Kids Big Band in addition to special guests. This event will occur in The Chase Room at NJPAC. Tickets: Free. Reservations are required.

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located at One Center Street 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.