The Director of Music & Worship at the APC Church in Monmouth County has recorded and self-released his sixth album, The Book of Enoch Volume #1, his first in eight years. Pianist Enoch Smith, Jr, bassist Kai Gibson and drummer David Hardy convened at Teaneck Sound in Bergen County. The result is a glorious seven-track master class in how to make traditional and modern hymns swing like crazy.

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark has announced who the five finalists are for the 2025 Sassy Awards. The 14^th Annual Sarah “Sassy” Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition will culminate November 23 as part of the James Moody Jazz Festival. (Vaughan and Moody were both from Newark.) Almost 200 singers from 27 countries vied for the honor.