By Gregory Burrus | Posted Friday, October 8, 2021

As the 2021 Summer Saturdays season ended, audiences and a number of community members continually asked what's next in terms of live music. After much thought through September, the idea is to continue the music every Saturday and Sunday through the month of October, with a lot of help from a lot of our musician friends and a local live music production group.

This month, the October Live Music Fest is off and running. The newly formed October Live Music Fest aims to continue the Summertime live music weekend excitement and also produce some unique, lively and engaging performances at Sounds In Spiotta Park, Jazz On Sloan, and in South Orange, NJ.

We hope you can come join us every Saturday & Sunday in the month of October, as the following lineup contains some wonderful performers looking to entertain you.

Events - Every Sat. 3- 5 PM & 6:30-9:30 PM; Sun. 3-5 PM & 6:00-9:00 PM.

Sat 10/2 - 3-5 PM Tim Rodner / Bruce Tyler, Swing Jazz, Jazz On Sloan
Sat 10/2 - 6:30 - 9:30 PM Tara Layne Blues & Rock n Roll Band, Spiotta Park

Sun 10/3 - 3-5 PM Michele Fiorindo, Jazz Guitarist, Spiotta Park

Sat 10/9 - 3-5 PM Acute Inflections - Is This Love? Bob Marley Tribute, Spiotta Park
Sat 10/9 - 6:30 - 9:30 PM Andy Lackow & Mess Around, Blues, Rock, Spiotta Park

Sun 10/10 - 3-5 PM Kenita Alani Hopper, Opera In the Park, Spiotta Park
Sun 10/10 - 6:00 - 9:00 PM Jacqueline Harmon Johnson Quartet, Jazz on Sloan

Sat 10/16 - 3-5 PM Tim Rodner / Bruce Tyler, Swing Jazz, Jazz On Sloan
Sat 10/16 - 6:30 - 9:30 PM Los Traficantes del Amor, Latin Tribute, Spiotta Park

Sun 10/17 - 3-5 PM SPK Trio Salt, Pepper, Ketchup, Spiotta Park
Sun 10/17 - 6:00 - 9:00 PM Laredo, The Band, Rock Covers, Spiotta Park

Sat 10/23 - 3-5 PM Hal Keshner, Piano / Vocals, Jazz On Sloan
Sat 10/23 - 6:30 - 9:30 PM BlackWax, Original Funk and Soul, Spiotta Park

Sun 10/24 - 3-5 PM Michele Fiorindo, Jazz Guitarist, Spiotta Park
Sun 10/24 - 6:00 - 9:00 PM Jacqueline Harmon Johnson Quartet, Sing with Jacque, Spiotta Park

Schedule subject to change and updates, check for latest updates at https://gregoryburrusproductio...

We hope you continue to come on out, support the musicians and enjoy the October Live Music Fest while the weather is still nice. Remember, music is life so take it all in and feel the relief in these troubling times.

Tell a friend, grab a jacket, a lawn chair, a local meal, the kids and come join us. Don't forget to Mark Your Calendars & Save The Dates.

Hosted/supported by South Orange Downtown, South Orange Village and Gregory Burrus Productions.

By Gregory Burrus | Posted Sunday, August 22, 2021

Have you heard about the brand new MAPSO Funk Fest? Well, MAPSO Funk Fest will be a really cool family-friendly festival targeted at helping local Black / Minority-owned restaurants, artisan businesses and the community recover and thrive through these pandemic times. The other day we caught up with MAPSO Funk Fest Founder Lexi Hellerman who was being interviewed by Gregory Burrus Productions Interviewer Lynette Sheard.

That’s right, MAPSO Funk Fest Founder Lexi Hellerman has proclaimed: “MAPSO Funk Fest is going to be a family event created to celebrate the diversity of MAPSO through food, music, and the arts!

MAPSO Funk Fest will be showcasing & supporting Black & minority-owned restaurants and artisan businesses in the greater Maplewood & South Orange area. There will be music all day by local DJs and live performers.”

MAPSO Funk Fest

Lexi stated that "Many small brands have been faced with big challenges and this day is an opportunity to revive the flavor of our neighborhood, invigorate local hand-picked restaurants, and remind people of the rich culture that we are surrounded by." So here's a little about the day’s planned activities.

Food

Food Trucks and Restaurants

There will be food vendors sourced from local restaurants along with food trucks that will be secured from the local communities. Food vendors will ring the park in strategic easy to reach locations for fast and easy access. There will also be a food tasting selection that local restaurants will be participating in for which attendees may purchase tickets and sample a number of the vendors' menu items.

Beer Garden

In addition, I am very happy to announce there will be a beautiful MAPSO Funk Fest beer garden hosted by our exclusive craft beer provider, Montclair Brewery. This minority-owned business will provide a host of home grown brews to our attendees all day. Please bring ID in order to be wristbanded and purchase beer garden tickets.

Live Music

“One good thing about music, when it hits you you feel no pain”

What's a festival without some funky music? From setup to shut down, there will be music highlighting the various genres representing the diversity of MAPSO, or as Lexi stated in the interview: “there will be house music, funk music and soul music.“ Throughout the day, there will be local DJs and a few live performances at the Springfield Gazebo.

Kids Zone

There will be kid-friendly vendors, educational readings and activities as well as mini workshops throughout the day. Please visit the website for additional activities being added on a periodic basis.

Wellness Activities

According to the experts, our folks are not looking for an average wellness experience. They’re looking for wellness practices that invigorate them, that allow them to find community, and that speak to their unique sense of culture and identity. MAPSO Funk Fest Wellness events are designed with our core audiences in mind.

Funk Fest Yoga

Stressed? - Then come on out with the kids, or not, and enjoy the vibe and engage in a relaxing yoga session, gain more flexibility and energy flow. If high energy is your thing, don't worry we got you covered. You will leave totally refreshed, relaxed and reinvigorated to take on your day. We have Funk Fest Yoga for All Ages, Yoga & Stretch Practice #Yogaworld365

Sponsorships and Supporters

The event will boost local talent, businesses, and restaurants. The event is being sponsored by Blackstock & Weber, Springfield Avenue Maplewood, and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate agent Maria Morrison Heningburg. Learn more about then here.

Other community partners include Inspired Dream Real Estate, Maplewood Bike Shed, Words Bookstore, Finlay + Gage Music Instruments, Blue Life Karate and Gregory Burrus Productions.

Additional Sponsorships are available for you to support the MAPSO Funk Fest and you can learn more here.

Volunteers

That's right, all MAPSO Funk Fest volunteers are happy people. Yup, you feel real good so why not let's get happy together. We need your support and it takes a village. Volunteers are what makes events like this successful. If you're interested in helping make this day possible, please visit the MAPSO Funk Fest Support page or click here for more information.

About

MAPSO Funk Fest Founder Lexi Hellerman

Born and raised in Maplewood & South Orange, Lexi graduated from CHS in 2012 where she had started Diversity Rocks Club at CHS in order to educate and celebrate the diversity of the student body addressing issues of racism in the school district and the goal of creating a unified sense of community among students of different backgrounds. She graduated from Rutgers Newark in 2016 where she studied Sociology & International Affairs. With a never ending appetite for travel and a passion for all things creative and expressive, Lexi loves exploring new places, trying new things, and meeting and connecting with new people.

“With a passion for people and self-expression, I consider myself a multifaceted creative curator. I've always been proud of growing up in such a multicultural place, whose identity is shaped by a wealth of creatives and entrepreneurs of all backgrounds. I truly love crafting a vision and bringing it to life. Inspired by community projects and social impact work, my mission is to continue strategizing and organizing programs, events, and initiatives that truly make a difference for people."

I believe that small business is the very fabric of any community like ours, representing the passion, creativity, and entrepreneurship of its residents, providing a meaningful service, safe space, or hub for people to connect.”

Contact Information Lexi Hellerman, Freelance project manager, event producer, and brand strategist.

Won’t You Join Us?

And now, a final word from our Funk Fest Creator and Founder Lexi Hellerman:

“The day will be a magical celebration of diversity and community with food, wellness and artisan vendor booths surrounding the park with live entertainment and folks enjoying themselves.”

“This is a highly inclusive event that supports businesses of all kinds. We’ve worked diligently to prioritize inclusion of Black, minority, women, and LGBTQ+ owned entities for optimal representation. Please know this event will follow all state-mandated COVID-19 guidelines. So bring your friends and family for good food, good music and great vibes!”

About the Author Gregory Burrus

Gregory Burrus with MAPSO Funk Fest Founder Lexi Hellerman 2021 — Gregory Burrus with MAPSO Funk Fest Founder Lexi Hellerman, 2021

Whether it’s MAPSO or SOMA, Gregory Burrus is writing about his first love: the creative people, towns and events all around South Orange and Maplewood, NJ. Gregory continually observes, participates in, reports and writes on local community news, live music and the arts and entertainment scene of the Jersey/NYC landscape and beyond, right here as JI blogger Gregory Burrus.

Contact Gregory Burrus Productions to promote your event, business or nonprofit across various social media and blogging platforms. https://gregoryburrusproductions.com or 8622057660.