2026 Central Jersey Free Jazz Festival

Written By Mike Greenblatt
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Anyone in or around Watchung Avenue in Plainfield on Sunday October 4 is in for a treat. Starting at noon for six hours, WBGO Personality/Author/Newark Museum of Art Jazz Curator  Sheila Anderson will host the 2026 Central Jersey Jazz Fest…and it’s free. Jazz House Kids will open. Rain or shine. Complete with food, art and vendors. For more information, visit https://centraljerseyjazzfestival.com/.

The Lineup

Plainfield composer-arranger Anthony E. Nelson started out as a singer before mastering sax, flute, clarinet and bass clarinet for his stints in the bands of Ellington, Basie, Ray Charles and The O’Jays. He will bring his own INCREASE band to the fest.  

Curtis Lundy is a bassist, composer, producer, arranger and choir director who backed up the late Betty Carter. It was his arrangement of The ARC Gospel Choir’s “Walk With Me” that won a Grammy.  He will bring his own UMOJA band to the fest.

Trenton-Born Pianist-Composer-Producer Orrin Evans hip-hops between swing, blues, soul and the avant-garde.

Mike Greenblatt

MIKE GREENBLATT has been writing for Goldmine magazine and New Jersey's Aquarian Weekly for more than 35 years. His writing subjects fill the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

He's interviewed Joe Cocker, Graham Nash, David Crosby, Carlos Santana, Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Johnny Cash, and members of The Rolling Stones and The Beatles. He was 18 when he attended Woodstock in 1969.

In addition to writing about music, Greenblatt has worked on publicity campaigns for The Animals, Pat Benatar, Johnny Winter, Tommy James and Richard Branson, among others. He is currently the editor of The Jersey Sound.

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