(EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- Orchard Park by David Burke presents some high-quality original blues when respected New Jersey-based bluesman James 'JB' Barnes and his BBD Rhythm & Blues Band perform there in concert on Friday, September 25, 2026. Showtime is 7:00pm. Admission is free.
This concert is part of JB's My Mississippi Roots Summer Tour for Barnes' critically-lauded recently-released album, My Mississippi Blues. Free MMB CDs will be given to the first ten paid admissions.
Orchard Park by David Burke is located at 670 Cranbury Road in East Brunswick, New Jersey.
James Barnes — known to audiences throughout the region as JB — carries the blues in his blood. Born in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in New Jersey after his family moved east in 1965, he grew up steeped in the sound and spirit of the music. On his father’s side, JB traces his lineage back to Mississippi, the wellspring from which so much of this tradition flows. Those “Mississippi Roots” became more than just family history; they formed the bedrock of his artistic calling.
In 2016, the New Jersey Blues Hall of Fame recognized that devotion, honoring him as a “Great Blues Artist.” His first recording, JB’s Favorite Things (2023), established him as an independent artist with something genuine to say. His long-running band, BBD Rhythm & Blues, which he founded in 2012, has been carrying that message across clubs, festivals, and concert halls throughout New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware for more than a decade.
"A feast for big ears, not narrow tastes...JB's musicianship is more than solid, the bluesy spirit unquenchable, and the material -- original and borrowed -- universally first-rate." -- Living Blues Magazine
"Bassist, singer, songwriter, arranger and producer James “JB” Barnes was born in Cleveland and grew up in New Jersey. Through his family, the bassist/producer has strong musical connections to Mississippi. That’s evident in his playing, resulting in a large following...Because of that he was named by the New Jersey Blues Hall of Fame as a Great Blues Artist and is a force in the Philadelphia quad-state area." -- LA Jazz Scene
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