Published by New Jersey Stage
originally published: 11/27/2025
(MORRISTOWN, NJ) -- The Water Gap Jazz Orchestra returns to the Morris Museum to perform Duke Ellington's iconic Nutcracker Suite and their very own Grinch Suite. Performances take place Saturday, December 20, 2025 at 3:00pm & 7:00pm.
This 17-piece big band is comprised of the highest caliber professional musicians in the tri-state area and is joined by vocalist Nancy Reed and Duke Ellington’s grandson, Edward Ellington II as narrator.
Tickets are $33 for the public and $28 for Morris Museum Members. Tickets are available for purchase online. The Morris Museum is located at 6 Normandy Heights Road in Morristown, New Jersey.
Directed by Matt Vashlishan and previously known as the COTA Festival Orchestra and Phil Woods Big Band, the large ensemble was renamed in 2015 to honor the musicians that have traveled to, lived in and performed in the Delaware Water Gap of Pennsylvania.
The first generation of the big band was in the 1970s as the "Delaware Water Gap Civic Band" under the direction of Ralph Hughes. The Festival Orchestra made its debut appearance at the local Celebration of the Arts Festival in 1988 to perform a tribute to the great Al Cohn and was called the "Al Cohn Memorial Orchestra."
1989 marked it's new leadership under composer and arranger Dick Cone, and the ensemble became "Grandma's Soup," featuring the music of Dick Cone, or "Uncle Dickie" as the musicians and DWG locals new him. In 1991 the band became the "Festival Orchestra," playing a tribute for Dick Cone, and also featured Phil Woods, Urbie Green, Dave Liebman, and many other local artists. Over the years the band has performed several educational initiatives such as Library Alive, the ESU Jazz Synergy Series, and Scholastic Swing to hep expose high school musicians to the music of the Al Cohn Memorial Jazz Collection.
Later in the 1990s the band toured Europe as the Phil Woods Big Band (see videos below!) and featured music written almost exclusively by Phil. In 1997 Phil Woods wrote and recorded "Celebration!" with the ensemble and was nominated for a Grammy Award for best large jazz ensemble. In the later years, the band became better known as "Phil Woods and the Festival Orchestra," and became musically focused on Phil's interests, playing music written by Al Cohn, Thad Jones, Benny Carter, Bob Brookmeyer, Billy Byers, Bill Potts, and more.
Upon Phil Woods' passing in 2015, Matt Vashlishan (who had been a regular member for several years) began directing the band. Personal conversations between Matt and Phil ensured that the music would be safe and that the band would continue. Needless to say, Matt feels a responsibility to Phil and the music to continue rehearsing and performing with the band to ensure this wide variety of music is heard.
Renamed in 2015 upon Matt's leadership, the now Water Gap Jazz Orchestra is a full large jazz ensemble comprised of the highest caliber professional musicians from the tri-state area. The ensemble features five saxophones, eight brass (trumpet and trombone) and a full rhythm section of guitar, piano, bass and drums with Erica Golaszewski as administrative director.
Much of the material performed by this ensemble consists of original and arranged music by master composers Phil Woods, Al Cohn, Thad Jones and Dick Cone, and is further augmented by many pieces written by local musicians. It is truly a group dedicated to preserving the rich musical heritage cultivated over decades in the Pocono Mountains that has been home to so many world class musicians.
Matt's mission is to bring the music of the Pocono Mountains to the world via professional concerts and educational initiatives. The extensive libraries of the WGJO, many of which cannot be found anywhere else in the world, include: Al Cohn, Dick Cone, Phil Woods, Kenny Soderblom, Al Porcino Big Band, COTA Cats Commissions, Ramblerny Jazz Camp, and Matt's personal Collection.
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