Our next Jazzy Nights Event will be at the historic South Orange Blanchard Mansion where we’ll enjoy another swinging night of jazzy live music, fun and fellowship with friends and neighbors. This event is being held to celebrate our buddy CC Minton as the recently appointed president of Harlem World Magazine…
Read moreJazzy Nights Presents “R&B Music Nights” Led by Clarence Conover and the MPack Band
By Gregory Burrus | Posted Sunday, April 24, 2022
We have had some absolutely fabulous Jazzy Nights events this year, and one of the bands that's become a favorite and will be returning often is the MPack band.
MPack brings an explosive energy to the stage, guaranteed to rock the house all night long! MPack is a band, a brand, and a musical production enterprise, consisting of multiple elements in an ever-evolving flow. It is the musical brainchild of bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, drummer and vocalist Clarence 'Groove Master' Conover.
M-Pack Music Productions Motto
“Life Changing Sounds”
This cross-genre musician is creatively talented, and he has gathered other like-minded musicians and vocalists that will join him on occasion:
Vocalist Patricia Walton
Vocalist Lynette Sheard
Pianist/keyboardist Larry Greenberg
Drummer Kevin "Natz" Moore
Guitarist Kenny Robinson
Guitarist Brett Calder
Thankfully, we can go back inside and this year Jazzy Nights is happy to present MPack Music Live at South Valley BBQ & Lounge. Here's an introduction to the band because this year’s Jazzy Nights repeat performance will have our favorite musicians returning, plus a few of Clarence’s friends. We also list a few performances so you can get a feel of why you should come on out.
Groove Master Clarence Conover
Clarence Conover, also known as the ‘Groove Master’, is a bandleader, bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, drummer and vocalist. Clarence founded M-Pack Music productions over 4 decades ago with the motto “Life Changing Sounds”. Clarence has performed and recorded with Patti Labelle, Teddy Pendergrass, Grover Washington Jr., The Delfonics, Bo Diddley and more. Clarence is currently performing at numerous venues across the Tri-State area such as Morris Museum, South Orange Performing Arts Center, South Valley Lounge, Jazz On Sloan, S.O. Crossroads, and is a highly requested performer at many NJ towns annual live music outdoor series. When he’s not on stage, he’s in the studio devising new music for his fans. And here's a taste from our last event so you can enjoy it.
Vocalist Patricia Walton
Born in Germany, raised in New York and currently residing in New Jersey, Patricia has been singing since she can remember. Her singing career started in school choir, while still in Germany. She was a soloist and member of the Mt. Sinai UCC choir, a member of One Accord, and as a lead vocalist for several party/dance bands and has performed at various venues in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Currently she performs both as a Solo Jazz singer and is featured artist in Jazz, Blues and R&B Band as the lead vocalist of MPack! Her warm voice is sure to put a smile on your face and set your feet tapping!
Vocalist Lynette Sheard
Lynette Sheard is a gifted versatile vocalist with a five octave range. She is an actor, producer and director. She is the unseated “West Orange Idol”. Her performances have been acknowledged in numerous publications including, NY Times, The Record and the Chronicle. The Star Ledger proclaims that “Her voice reaches deep into one’s soul and finds a soft spot” She performs Jazz, R&B, Gospel, Soul and Pop music throughout the tri-state area. From our last event here's Lynette Sheard leading on Rufus & Chaka Khan - Sweet Thing.
Keyboardist Larry Greenberg
Multi-keyboardist and synthesist, composer/arranger, bandleader, and studio musician performs in multiple genres of Funk, Jazz, Jazz Fusion, R&B and Latin Rock. A former Skyy band member “Call Me” topped Billboard’s R&B chart and was No. 26 on the pop side. Larry is a regular on the New Jersey live music scene and has performed in many local venues at the Morris Museum, South Orange Performing Arts Center, Roxy and Dukes, Crossroads and more.
Drummer Kev "Natz" Moore
Kev Moore is a Jersey boy through and through. He's been making music since he was a teenager, and his drum performances have won him fans all over the Garden State. This Master Drum from East Orange High School has performed in numerous venues across the industry, was part of the popular Band Aurra – Interviewed by Don Cornelius and has performed on the cutting edge of music, dance and culture Nationwide TV Show "Soul Train". Kev Moore is a local musician who has performed in many venues throughout New Jersey. Kev loves playing drums and interacting with audiences, and he always gets the crowd involved in the show. He has performed regularly at the Morris Museum, South Orange Performing Arts Center, Roxy and Dukes, Crossroads, and many other local spots.
Guitarist Kenny Robinson
Newark Arts High School Alum, Kenny Robinson is an in demand guitarist. He's a former longtime band member of The Black Widow Blues Band along with Ricki Lewis. Kenny has played at numerous venues , churches and special events around the Tri State area.
Guitarist Brett Calder
This veteran soulful guitarist list a Guitar Center Hero, a regular performer around Northern NJ venues such as The Vintage Edge Wine bar, Jazz in the Loft at South Orange Performing Arts Center, the South Orange Village Juneteenth Events along with regular performances Downtown After Sundown and at the memorable Roxy and Dukes. Along with being in MPAC Brett, performing in Harlem Nights fundraiser and is also a member of the very cool The Groove Syndicate band.
What's Next?
As you can see the musicians are heavy hitters playing across many venues throughout the Tristate and beyond…
South Valley BBQ & Lounge
South Valley BBQ Live Music By Gregory Burrus
MPack sings “Aint Nobody”
Take a listen above and note folks were singing along, sitting dancing, talking with friends, eating and just enjoying the moment all night long. The last sold-out Jazzy Nights event was packed at the beginning and full throughout the night and just like last year folks came to enjoy themselves. Inside we will be in the blue room of South Valley BBQ & Lounge under new ownership, so come find us.
Going Forward
The Blue Room
We are going to have a number of events as we move forward including one this Sat April 30. Read more: https://gregoryburrusproductions.com/events/ and https://www.facebook.com/jazzynightslive
About the Writer 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 Northern NJ and New York Area.
He sits on a number of local boards and committees and is currently serving as a Board Member of Maplewood Community Music and is a Board Member of Harlem World Magazine Advisory Board.
Year-round Gregory Burrus also curates, books 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, and Cranford NJ Summer Sounds.
In addition to producing events, Gregory Burrus Productions also showcases, photographs, videotapes events annually such as the annual NYC John Jay College Friends of Myrna Bain Scholarship Fundraiser, the Orange NJ Farmers Market, numerous local bands at various local venues.
Gregory Burrus has a passion for making live music happen anywhere and everywhere he can whether locally around town or around the world while living life every day to the fullest.
Learn more at Gregory Burrus Live Music Ambassador.
Jazzy Nights Kicks Off 2022 Live Music Season
By Gregory Burrus | Posted Friday, April 22, 2022
Tapping into the region’s top live music talent, Jazzy Nights hosts live music performances from big-name local artists drawn from all over Northern New Jersey and nearby New York City, Produced by Live Music Ambassador Gregory Burrus of Gregory Burrus Productions.
Jazzy Nights is not just about jazz but all genres of jazzy live music. It's jazz, it's R&B, and it's jazzy. The Jazzy Nights Live mission is focused on keeping the community of summertime live music lovers enjoying live music throughout the Fall, Winter and Spring, whenever possible.
Following is a post about how Jazzy Nights made it to this season. Back in the day, just a few years ago, the South Orange live music season would run June ‘til September and stop. However, so many local folks and attendees from around the various towns wanted more and more. So, we extended the end of the 2019 season by going indoors and kicked off Jazzy Nights Live at The Fox & Falcon restaurant to keep the wonderful vibe going that was established all summer long. Following is a year-by-year recap of previous years up until this year.
2019 November Jazzy Nights at The Fox & Falcon
2019/11/14 Inaugural Season Kickoff in the Essex Room with DC Fusion Band.
The 2019 Jazzy Nights Live Music season was led by our buddy and bassman Darryl Clark. We ran monthly live music sessions from November to April with the wonderful DC Fusion instrumental band led by Darryl Clark on Bass, Howard Hall on piano, and Bill Bang (Mauricio de Souza this night) on drums. We augmented each event with special guest singers (Shadiyah and Joy Topping-Mann this night), folks came out strong, and we packed the Essex Room of The Fox & Falcon. We were moving along nicely each month right up ‘til April 2021 and then the COVID Pandemic shut the world down, including our Jazzy Nights.
In tribute to our buddies.
Sadly, this season was also marked by the passing of many musicians including two of our friends from our Live music community. Community champion and jazz lover Lee Boswell May aka Boz passed before the South Orange Summer Season started. After the 2020 Summer season in November, our beloved Jazzy Nights Bandleader and Bassman Darryl Clark passed on. May they both RIP in musical heaven.
Jazzy Nights (Afternoons) 2021 South Orange NJ
2021 March Season Opener — Outdoor COVID Sessions.
Enter 2021, and because we were all still under a Pandemic watch from 2020 we started the Summer Season early on a beautiful sunny day in 2021 on March 21st. With a live music community starving for entertainment, we came back out in March of 2021, and due to COVID Pandemic Social Distancing guidelines, the world had moved outside and so did Jazzy Nights as “Jazzy Afternoons.”
Jazzy Nights Presents MPack Band at The Fox & Falcon
Thanks to The Fox & Falcon restaurant owner, Jazzy Nights Live became Jazzy Afternoons Live in the Sloan Street Parking Lot on March 21. We moved from Thursday nights to Sunday Afternoons.
As you can see, lots and lots of people came out with family and friends to enjoy the live music of the MPack Band and the community.
We continued our performances throughout April, which is Jazz Appreciation Month. We planned for live music every weekend. Weather canceled one weekend, but we did produce some very well-attended and swinging live music weekend performances.
Mike Lee Trio with Billy Drummond and Mike Kane in Jazz Appreciation Month 2021.
Radam Schwartz Trio with Gene Ghee Sax in Jazz Appreciation Month 2021.
The season continued throughout the Summer, we extended it and worked to extend the live music through October.
October Live Music Fest 2021
Also in 2021, after the Summer Live Music Season we produced the October Live Music Fest.
Take a listen to this event. Performances were 2 times a day every Saturday and Sunday throughout the month.
You can read all about it here: South Orange, NJ October Live Music Fest Takes Over the Sounds In Spiotta Park and Jazz On Sloan Street.
We created live music sessions all year from March thru October, so 2021 was a good year.
Jazzy Nights 2022 at South Valley BBQ & Lounge
Enter 2022, and this year we are back and in a new location and already have produced two extremely successful Jazzy Nights events.
2022 Feb. 18 Jazz Season Opener in the Blue Room.
South Valley BBQ and Lounge Presents John Lee and Friends
We are starting off the 2022 Jazzy Nights Live Music Scene in a really nice new location, and we started earlier this year with our first event on Feb. 18th in the new South Valley Lounge. In their newly remodeled Blue Room, we kicked off the season with world-renowned bassist John Lee and his awesome friends.
2022 Apr 9th R&B Season Opener in the Blue Room.
Jazzy Nights Presents MPack Music Live at South Valley BBQ and Lounge
We started off the Jazzy Nights R&B Live Music Scene in the new South Valley Lounge on April 9th in the newly remodeled Blue Room. We kicked off the season with the extremely popular R&B Band MPack.
Our first Jazzy Nights R&B performance was literally off the chain!!! Folks came to dine and dance and had fun all night long.
Jazzy Nights — Next Steps
For 2021, all of these veteran professionals came to perform and they delivered big time. So, a great start over 3 years through a pandemic, and we are continuing on throughout 2022.
At Gregory Burrus Productions, we always have something going on to get you, your family and your friends involved, so take a look at our events calendar and come join in the live music party.
Check Out Our Upcoming Events Calendar! We'll See You Soon.
About the Writer 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 Northern NJ and New York Area.
Gregory Burrus sits on a number of local boards and committees and is currently serving as a Board Member of Maplewood Community Music and is a Board Member of Harlem World Magazine Advisory Board.
Year-round Gregory Burrus also curates, books 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, and Cranford NJ Summer Sounds.
In addition to producing events, Gregory Burrus Productions also showcases, photographs, videotapes events annually such as the annual NYC John Jay College Friends of Myrna Bain Scholarship Fundraiser, the Orange NJ Farmers Market, numerous local bands at various local venues. Gregory Burrus has a passion for making live music happen anywhere and everywhere he can whether locally around town or around the world while living life every day to the fullest. Learn more at: Gregory Burrus - Gregory Burrus Live Music Ambassador
Darryl Clark Tribute in the 5th Annual 24 Hours Of Music Jamboree
Darryl Clark Tribute in Spiotta Park, South Orange, NJ in the 5th Annual 24 Hours Of Music Jamboree
By Gregory Burrus | Posted Wednesday, November 10, 2021
On September 26th, the Live Music Community came together with friends, family and fellow musicians to celebrate the life of local West Orange resident Bass Man Darryl Clark. Folks came from as far as Massachusetts, New York and more to express their sentiments. Folks who could not make this event in person, joined in and viewed the livestream from New York, Florida, California and more.
We had tried this in July, but the 2nd time was a charm as on a perfect weather day the community came together for the 5th Annual 24 Hours Of Music Jamboree Sunday that celebrated the life of bass player, father and community member Darryl Clark. Darryl became a fixture on the live music scene as he performed in numerous live music events in and around South Orange NJ. Always friendly, always helpful, Darryl jammed with us, produced some truly swinging performances and enjoyed playing bass all over the area.
It was a beautiful day, the weather was great as we recreated a number of environments Darryl performed in.
The South Orange Farmers market where Darryl jammed numerous times.
His band DC Fusion with former band members Howard Hall and Alex DeLazzari.
The Nat Adderley Jr. Trio as Nat was one of his biggest supporters and played with Darryl Clark many times in Spiotta Park.
We also live streamed events overnight with submitted performances by his college buddy saxophonist Marshall McDonald and vocalist Lynette Sheard, amongst others, who performed with him in the past.
Below is a taste of each of the live music tribute events that reflected Darryl’s musical life in and around South Orange with friends and family.
Full events will be found at https://vimeo.com/gregoryburrus.
South Orange Farmers Market Jam led by Peter Lin
A taste of the Peter Lin Trio Tribute to Darryl Clark in the 5th Annual 24 Hours Of Music Jamboree in Spiotta Park, South Orange NJ.
A huge thank you to Peter Lin Trio with Gordon Kuba on Drums, Billy Smolen on Bass and led by Peter Lin on Trombone for leading off Day 2 of the 24 Hours Of Music Jamboree. It was a perfect and fitting tribute of live music for our buddy Bass man Darryl Clark as we recaptured the South Orange Farmers Market Jazz Jams.
Jazzy Nights DC Fusion Band led by Howard Hall
Here we have a little bit of Darryl’s original band, DC Fusion, in Tribute to Darryl Clark in 5th Annual 24 Hours Of Music Jamboree in Spiotta Park, South Orange NJ.
Thank you to DC Fusion Jazz, led by the Howard Hall Quartet, in celebration of the DC Fusion Band, Darryl Clark Rides Again on Day 2 of the 24 Hours Of Music Jamboree.
DC Fusion rode one more time in honor of Darryl Clark with Coo Moe Jhee on Bass, band member Alex De Lazzari on Sax, filling in Errold Lanier Jr. on Drums, and led by Howard Hall on Keys. Thank you all for replaying the tunes he loved and for recreating the Jazzy Nights scene. Especially nice was calling up the folks he loved to play with as they came through. Just fabulous live music all around, all day on a beautiful sunny day.
Family and Friends Tributes led by Gregory Burrus
Folks came from as far as Massachusetts to express their sentiments.
Folks who could not make this event in person joined in and watched the livestream from New York, Florida, California and more.
The tributes were amazing.
Fellow Musicians Led by Neighbor Nat Adderley Jr.
A taste of the Nat Adderley Jr. Tribute to Darryl Clark at the 5th Annual 24 Hours Of Music Jamboree with Chris Berger & Jerome Jennings.
A big thank you goes out to the Nat Adderley, Jr. Trio for headlining the day and closing out our 5th Annual 24 Hours Of Music Jamboree. From the 1st tune to the end, your trio with Bassist Chris Berger and Drummer Jerome Jennings was slamming.
A Great Tribute and Great Day of Live Music
The live music was smoking hot, made everyone feel welcome, and I know it made Darryl Clark proud as the music flowed hard, fast and friendly. Thank you for having fun with all of Darryl‘s Friends and Family and audience members who clearly enjoyed themselves while paying tribute to Darryl.
Darryl William Clark (1962 – 2020)
Darryl Clark and wife Michele Clark.
We commemorate our buddy Darryl Clark who now resides in musical heaven.
“A year ago today my world stopped and it felt like I’d never breathe again. But you, our amazing sons, the love that surrounds us and God, have been the source of my strength. You were and still are a blessing to me, and for that, I am thankful. I miss you everyday. Rest in peace my bass man, my captain, my love.” —Michele Clark