In 1957, Sarah Vaughan was captured rehearsing with the Count Basie Orchestra. Photo by Check Stewart

(ENGLEWOOD, NJ) -- The Sandy Bennett Art Gallery at BergenPAC presents the exhibit "Jazz Town: Through the Lens of Chuck Stewart," featuring rare photographs of famous jazz musicians who lived in Englewood and Teaneck, New Jersey. The exhibit is running now until November 1, 2024.

Chuck Stewart, a Teaneck native, is known for photographing legendary jazz musicians, with many of his compositions appearing on at least 2,000 album covers. Following a run at The Puffin Cultural Forum in Teaneck, this exhibition will be displayed at BergenPAC and expanded to include Englewood-based artists.

The gallery reception celebration is set for Tuesday, September 10th from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. The event will feature: - A speech by guest speaker Kim Stewart, Chuck's daughter-in-law sharing heartfelt stories of her father's journey as a sought-after photographer. – A special tribute performance by an incredibly talented Jazz Trio with Lenny White, Buster Williams, and Cyrus Chestnut. Guests will also be treated to light refreshments.

Guests attending the exhibit will be able to use QR codes to listen to audio clips featuring the musicians featured in the photographs. The Jazz Town exhibit will highlight local jazz artists who resided in Teaneck and Englewood, with each photo including a QR code for patrons to listen to interviews with the artists' families or their music.

The event is open to the public and is free, but RSVP is required due to limited capacity. Guests can RSVP for the event by emailing hcohen@bergenpac.org

The Chuck Stewart Exhibit is open now until November 1 which is FREE and open to the general public at The Sandy Bennett Art Gallery at bergenPAC which is open to the public Monday through Friday, 11:00am to 4:00pm, and to ticket holders before a concert, as well as by appointment.

Kim Stewart, Archivist, Content Producer and Consultant has been instrumental in preserving and promoting Chuck Stewart’s extensive body of work which includes images of notable artists like John Coltrane, Albert Einstein and Jackie Robinson.

Lenny White is one of the founding fathers of the Jazz Rock movement and a 4 time GRAMMY Award winner. He earned a world-wide reputation as the drummer for Return to Forever and has played and collaborated with artists such as Gato Barbieri, Gil Evans, Stan Getz, Carlos Santana, Chaka Kahn and many more.

Buster Williams is a prodigious artist and GRAMMY award winner whose bass playing knows no limits. He has played, recorded and collaborated with jazz giants such as Art Blakey, Betty Carter, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Nancy Willson and McCoy Tyner to name a few.

Cyrus Chestnut’s leadership and prowess as a soloist has also led him to be a first call for the piano chair in many big bands including the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni All Star Big Band, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra. Among the artists he has performed with are Bette Midler, Freddy Cole, Branford Marsalis, Regina Carter, Chick Corea and many others.