By Gregory Burrus | Posted Tuesday, February 11, 2020
The 24 Hours of Music Jamboree, in its 3rd year, is a nonstop live music event that is much anticipated by the local music community, performers, supporters, volunteers and attendees from the community.
The community was encouraged to come on out and enjoy this 24 Hour Non Stop Music Jamboree that happened all across South Orange, NJ from 12 Noon on Saturday to 12 Noon Sunday, September 2019.
24 Hour of Music Line-Up
Two months prior to the event, an Open Call was conducted, asking for volunteer musicians who wanted to perform in our jamboree at one of the following locations:
1. Jazz on Sloan at the South Orange Gazebo,
2. Sounds in Spiotta Park or
3. Somewhere Around South Orange.
Musicians and other performers were slotted into the various locations; an overall lineup was developed and released. The Sounds in Spiotta Park schedule for last year’s 2019 performances was a good one.
The Sounds in Spiotta Park venue has a larger stage presence and so it became a venue for bands small and large. Bands from three-piece bands to 20-piece big bands can be accommodated very easily. The park can also hold over a 100 folks and can accommodate families with children and those who want to spread out. This venue also has built-in natural seating from rock seats, to the steps, to a surrounding wall, and of course lots of grass to sit upon and enjoy the live music performances.
Sounds in Spiotta Park Events
Spiotta Park, South Orange, NJ
We started off the event in Spiotta Park with New Jersey DJ Services arriving early at 11 AM. DJ Jimmy Buttros was spinning the vinyl and warming us for the 12 noon opening. New Jersey DJ Services stayed onsite all day, spun tunes between performances, and kept us moving and grooving all day long.
Soul Xpressiion School of Dance
The festivities started at noon as Kenyani Shanai Henderson of Soul Xpressiion School of Dance was live in Spiotta Park. Kenyani led a Free ZUMBA Dance Session which was designed to get folks up, working out and feeling good. It was a great way to kick off the Sounds In Spiotta park 24 Hour Live Music Jamboree.
Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira
It was absolutely wonderful for the 2nd year in a row to have Grupo Liberdade de Capoeira join us in the 3rd Annual 24 Hour of Music Jamboree. If you don’t know, Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, and music. It is known for its acrobatic and complex maneuvers, often involving hands on the ground and inverted kicks. Capoeira is known to give your body physical strength, power and flexibility and your mind self-confidence, concentration, courage and creativity. When you watch Professora Amazonas leading the group, it is simply beautiful and everyone, especially the children, grow and become confident while all enjoy themselves.
Dan Ogden Music
The music was a beautiful mixture of rock, funk, jazz and more. Click to listen to Dan Oden Live.
Party Girl Yoga NY
It’s yoga-time, it’s party time, according to the The Tvrnvp Gawd who, according to her Instagram profile, is known for providing networking opportunities for entrepreneurs and socialites in the entertainment industry. For 24 Hours of Music, Party Girl YOGA NY provided a Yoga to Music session. Her mission, from the dance floor to the yoga mat, is to focus, breathe and feel the heat. The goal is to allow students to experience the same excitement and energy they have when they hit the dance floor. Attendees reported that they enjoyed themselves tremendously.
During this event, SOMA TV was out on site and Dustin Dumas of Dustin’s Kaleidoscope interviewed the owner of Party Girl Yoga. You can watch the interview at here:
As the afternoon progressed, we enjoyed performances by a popular local favorite band, Howlin’ Poets. They are a funky collective of musicians which started out as a weekly get together for local musicians, playing almost every genre imaginable, and developed into a more coherent band focused on funk and funky takes of classic reggae, rock, R&B, and disco tunes, with the occasional original thrown in to boot. They tag themselves as: TO MAKE ROCK AND MAKE IT FUNKY!! They funked it up and the audience loved it.
Carlos Frias and Circulo Social
To Listen, click Carlos Frias and Circulo Social.
Later, we connected with some Latin Music from Carlos Frias. With roots in the Dominican Republic, Carlos Frias is a singer, songwriter, visual artist, drummer, percussionist, and the front man of the world music band, Carlos Frías & Circulo Social. Based out of Bloomfield, NJ, they play mostly original music that’s blended with rock, jazz and Latin rhythms. In their music you can hear the heart of the Caribbean, the peasant chant, and the voices of those speaking against injustice accompanied by Afro Caribbean rhythms.
With Diego Lopez on Drums, Ben Rubens on bass, Yaram Eilam on guitar and led by Carlos Frias on voice and percussion, these cats made some sweet Latin sounds. The performance was a hit with all as Circulo Social put out the perfect sound waves on a beautiful summer night.
Black Wax Band
Vid 1 Black Wax 1 - Vid 2 Black Wax 2. Black Wax Band Dancers kicking it during the 24 Hours Of Music Jamboree in South Orange Spiotta Park. Thank You @Victoria A for coming out and thank you Asad Waheed for bringing a great performance. #24hoursofmusicjamboree #southorangenj
The main event of the evening was produced by Black Wax Band. From live music sets led by Bandleader Asad Waheed, to his DJs with Freestyle dancers, rappers and more, they had us toe tapping and dancing while enjoying some awesome R&B music. We danced the night away, and our attendees enjoyed themselves tremendously.
Vin Mott Rhythm and Blues
Bright and early at 10 AM Sunday morning, Vin Mott of Vin Mott Rhythm and Blues Band came on stage and performed some down home New Orleans harmonica, vocals, and drums.
Andy Lackow and Mess Around Band
Closing out the festival at 11 AM was our very own Blues Jam Master Andy Lackow of the Andy Lackow and Mess Around Band. He was joined today by drummer Jim Hart and bass player Coo Moe Jhee. They played some wonderful tunes and closed out the 3rd Annual 24 Hours of Music Jamboree in Spiotta Park with a bang.
Sponsor Persaud Entertainment LLC
We give a big thanks to Persaud Entertainment LLC and CEO Valerie Persaud in helping make this event happen in the park this year. It should be noted that the Ricky Persaud Jr. band always attracts the largest Downtown After Sundown audience when they hit our stage..
Support South Orange Rescue Squad
Last year, the nonstop music jamboree hoped to bring town-wide awareness to the needs of the South Orange Rescue Squad. Most folks do not know that the South Orange Rescue Squad is a completely volunteer organization. These folks are a full-time support organization, providing selfless service, and are always there when we need them. All are invited to contribute to the South Orange Rescue Squad by making a donation at https://www.southorangerescuesquad.org.
And now thank you to all of you who performed in the 3rd Annual 24 Hours of Music. Over 120 musicians performed in 31 events across 16 musical genres to a couple hundred visitors that came to town and had some fun with us. It was a blast and we hope we can do it again next year. See you all around South Orange, NJ. Thanks to South Orange Village Center Alliance, South Orange Village, the musicians, supporters and volunteers that helped make it happen.
About Gregory Burrus
Gregory Burrus is a local live music ambassador, event planner, live music ambassador and community partner that curates, manages and promotes live music events in the local SOMA (South Orange, Maplewood) community, Northern NJ and New York Area. Year-round Gregory Burrus also curates and produces: the Jazz973 live music jazz series at Clements Place Jazz for the Rutgers University Institute of Jazz Studies, the Jazzy Nights Live Music performances at the Speakeasy Style Essex Room of The Fox and Falcon Restaurant in South Orange NJ and produces Live Music entertainment for South Orange’s Inkosi Cafe. During the Summer months Gregory manages and promotes the South Orange Downtown After Sundown summer long live music concerts, the annual South Orange 24 Hours of Music Festival and the June thru October South Orange Farmers Market Jazz Jam.
Tags: Gregory Burrus Around Town, 24 Hours of Music, Persaud Entertainment LLC, South Orange Village Center Alliance, Live Music Ambassador, South Orange Rescue Squad, CC Minton.Jazz On Sloan at the South Orange Gazebo, jazz, blues , 3rd Annual 24 Hours of Music