(UNION, NJ) -- Kean University's Jazz & Roots Music Festival takes place in Hillside on Saturday, September 21, 2024, offering the public and Kean community a festive free, outdoor celebration of music. This year's festival is headlined by Third World, one of the world’s preeminent reggae bands, and includes performances by Stefon Harris & Blackout, Solomon Hicks, and Prince Hakim.
Tthe Jazz & Roots Music Festival features leading musicians in jazz, blues, reggae, fusion and more in an evening of entertainment on The Lawn at Enlow Hall. Guests are welcome to pack a picnic or visit food trucks on site. The event kicks off at 3:30pm.
“The Jazz & Roots Music Festival is easily one of the most anticipated events on the Kean calendar,” said Kean President Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D. “We take great pride in hosting the festival as part of the University’s role as a cultural hub and anchor institution for the region. We encourage everyone to come join us on our beautiful campus.”
The festival is produced by Kean and acclaimed bassist/producer Mike Griot who noted that the number of attendees has grown dramatically since the music festival struck its first notes in 2021. Nearly 3,000 people filled The Lawn in 2022.
“With a marquee musical headliner like Third World and other terrific performers, the Jazz & Roots Music Festival has arrived,” Griot said. “It will be a dynamic and fun festival experience, and I am honored for Mike Griot Presents to partner with Kean University in this extraordinary collaboration.”
The Kean University Jazz & Roots Music Festival gets underway at 3:30pm on the Lawn at Enlow Hall, 215 North Avenue in Hillside. The Lawn, which will be ADA accessible, will open at 2:30pm. No tickets are required. The rain date is Sunday, September 22.
All guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating.
Parking will be at Kean’s Main Campus – 1000 Morris Avenue in Union, a short walk from the concert site. A shuttle bus service will also be available.
Accessible parking will be available at the venue in Hillside only for senior citizens with an I.D., and guests with disability parking privileges.
This year’s sponsors include Prudential, the Preservation Sponsor; Vermella Union, PSEG and First Bank, Premier Sponsors; the County of Union and WBGO are in-kind sponsors.
The music festival includes performances by:
Third World – one of the longest-lived Reggae bands of all time and one of Jamaica's most consistently popular crossover acts among international audiences. Mixing in elements of R&B, funk, pop, and rock and, later on, dancehall and rap, Third World’s style has been described as "reggae-fusion." The group has 9 Grammy nominations and a catalog of charted smash hits, including (Now That We Found Love, 96 Degrees in the Shade and Try Jah Love), spanning over four decades, sold-out tours, a vibrant and loyal fan base and inspirational messages.
Stefon Harris & Blackout – Educator, vibraphonist and composer Stefon Harris has been heralded as “one of the most important young artists in jazz” by The Los Angeles Times. A four-time GRAMMY™ nominee, he is a seven-time Best Mallet player by the Jazz Journalist Association, the recipient of Lincoln Center’s Martin E. Segal Award, Downbeat Critics Poll Winner for Vibraphone (2015, 2013) and 2014 Expanded Critic’s Poll for Vibes from Jazz Times. He won a 2014 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Album for Wonder: The Songs of Stevie Wonder as a member of the SFJazz Collective.
Solomon Hicks – Solomon Hicks, aka King Solomon Hicks, the 28-year-old guitar phenom from Harlem, New York City [guitarist, vocalist, and composer] invested in music from a very young age and started playing guitar at six years old. Solomon won the 2021 Blues Music Awards for Best Emerging Artist for his 2020 CD release, Harlem on Provogue Records. The set, produced/recorded by multiple Grammy Award winner Kirk Yano (Miles Davis, Public Enemy, Mariah Carey), showcases Hicks as a writer, player and interpreter.
Prince Hakim – Influenced by the sound of the '80s and today, Prince Hakim, son of Robert "Kool" Bell of "Kool & The Gang" has grown up around music and funk all his life. As a kid, Hakim would spend summers with music mogul Jermaine Dupri, who DJ’d in his garage, selling tickets for a dollar a pop. Prince Hakim has traveled from New York to Tokyo sharing his passion, and spreading his message to "Celebrate Life.” Hakim has DJ’d at a number of events including, the Bonnaroo Music Festival, Art Basel in Miami and some of the hottest clubs in New York.
For further information on directions, parking, food vendors and more, click here.
Kean University, New Jersey’s urban research university, is a national institution of higher education recognized for its diversity, innovation and the social mobility of its graduates. Founded in 1855 as a teachers college, Kean has evolved into a thriving research university that supports students as they persist to graduation, give back to their communities and launch successful careers. Kean’s six colleges offer more than 50 undergraduate programs, six doctoral degree programs and more than 70 options leading to master’s degrees, professional diplomas or certifications, across a full range of academic subjects. With campuses in Union, Toms River and Manahawkin, New Jersey, and Wenzhou, China, as well as Kean Online, the University provides students of all backgrounds an affordable and accessible world-class education.
