The Roseville Outreach Community Corporation presents the 5th Annual ROCCFEST on Saturday, October 12, 2024 at 6:00pm. This is their annual fundraiser and celebration of art and music. This year's event is headlined by Jason Curry and Alvester Garnett. The event also includes performances by Duane Eubanks, Hanka G, Miki Hayama, and Mimi Jones.
Prior to the concert, there will be a free student workshop at 4:00pm where their featured musicians lead a student music workshop open to all pupils who will to attend.
Tickets are $35 and available for purchase online. The event takes place at 36 Roseville Avenue in Newark, New Jersey.
All proceeds go towards funding their mission to support the Newark community through: monthly food pantry distributions, daily meals given out to children through the Newark Sun-Up feeding program, school supply giveaways, "Shari's Book Club" reading program @ Sussex Avenue School, and more.
Jason Curry, a native of Indianapolis, Indiana, was a budding musician when he steeped himself in the history of the Indiana Avenue cultural scene, discovering jazz greats like Freddie Hubbard and Wes Montgomery. Taking that inspiration into a focused musical practice, he generated a talent that has delighted audiences around the world; Jason has played everywhere, from tiny clubs in Vienna to the world's grandest and most prestigious stages, such as The Blue Note, Carnegie Hall, and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
Jason is a coveted guest soloist, bandleader, composer, and arranger. He has been featured on radio, audio streaming platforms, television, film scores, and Broadway musicals. He has loved touring with jazz lineage bands like The Count Basie Orchestra, The Duke Ellington Orchestra, The Lionel Hampton Orchestra, The Ray Charles Orchestra, and many others. He has played with and alongside Grammy-nominated and award-winning artists and shared the stage with notable artists such as Al Green, Alicia Keys, Aretha Franklin, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Christian McBride, Esperanza Spalding, Mercedes Ellington, George Clinton, Frank Wess, Jimmy Heath, Joe Lovano, Jon Batiste, Louis Hayes, Ma$e, Mary Wilson, Nicole Mitchell, Roy Hargrove, Salt-N-Pepa, The Temptations, Jason Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, a former United States President and for music students seeking to learn from a true artist.
Jason expresses his truths through writing, composition, and especially performance. The live presentation of spirit and energy transmission creates an opportunity to inspire the next generation while honoring history and creating a space where the audience and musician become fully present, enthralled, and whole.
"Joy and spirited musical communication" are what characterize the artistry of Alvester Garnett's drumming. Singers such as late great legends Abbey Lincoln and Betty Carter, to instrumentalists Wynton Marsalis, James Carter, and Cyrus Chestnut have all called on Mr. Garnett for the energy and fire that he brings to the bandstand.
Mr. Garnett can also be heard regularly performing and recording for more than 17 years in McArthur Genius & Doris Duke Award winner Regina Carter’s various ensembles and recording projects. Mr. Garnett’s musical versatility can be heard as of late stoking the fire in NEA Latino Jazz Master Papo Vasquez’s Big Band and Pirates Troubadours ensembles performing Afro Puerto Rican Bomba & Plena Jazz on various albums and live concert performances.
Mr. Garnett has also taught extensively for nearly 10 years as part of the Teaching Artist faculty of The New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s Arts Education program as well as The Jazz House Kids program of Montclair, NJ.
The Makin Waves Song of the Week is "ICE SS" by the Central Jersey punk act Sally Draper.
