Community Corner

County's SummerMusic Concert Series Begins Tonight

Essex offers a whole host of live music events this summer.

 

Craving some good live local music that you can enjoy outdoors? Then this is your lucky day.

The 2012 Essex County Free SummerMusic Concert Series launches tonight, Saturday, June 16, with a Gospel Festival in Essex County Monte Irvin Orange Park.

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It's just the first of 26 different performances, featuring some of the best local and international acts in jazz, rock and roll, big band, and reggae, that will play out over the course of the summer.

In addition to great music, the series also includes two fireworks spectaculars.

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“Our Free Concert Series offers a diverse line-up of performers who will take center stage in venues throughout our historic Essex County Park System. Pack a blanket, enjoy the cool evening breeze and dance to the sounds of classical, rock and roll, jazz, big band, Latin and more. We have an amazing line-up that is sure to entertain and impress,” said Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr.

So mark your calendars. The 2012 concert series schedule is as follows: 

  • Saturday, June 16th, 2 to 5 p.m., Essex County Monte Irvin Orange Park, Orange: Gospel Festival
  • Saturday, June 23th, 12 Noon to 8 p.m., Essex County Weequahic Park, Newark: House Music Festival (rain date is Saturday, June 30th)
  • Tuesday, June 26th, 7 p.m., Essex County Veterans Memorial Park, Newark: Gordon James
  • Wednesday, June 27th, 7 p.m., Essex County Irvington Park, Irvington: Layonne Holmes Quintet
  • Thursday, June 28th, 7 p.m., Essex County Independence Park, Newark: Jose Chavarria Quintet
  • Friday, June 29th, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Branch Brook Park, Newark: Concert by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and Fireworks Spectacular
  • Monday, July 2nd, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair: Concert by The Duprees and Glenn Miller Orchestra, and Fireworks Spectacular
  • Friday, July 6th, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair: The Happenings & Kenny Vance and The Planotones
  • Tuesday, July 10th, 7 p.m., Essex County Vailsburg Park, Newark: Bradford Hayes
  • Wednesday, July 11th, 7 p.m., Essex County Monte Irvin Orange Park, Orange: Denise Hamilton
  • Friday, July 13th, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair: A Tribute to Journey & The Four Tops featuring Separate Ways and Standing in the Shadows
  • Tuesday, July 17th, 7 p.m., Essex County Riverbank Park, Newark: Son 9 Quintet
  • Wednesday, July 18th, 7 p.m., Essex County West Side Park, Newark: Cross Culture Club
  • Friday, July 20th, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair: Jazz Under the Stars featuring the Muzzy Mercado Group and Ken Navarro
  • Tuesday, July 24th, 7 p.m., Essex County Kip’s Castle Park, Montclair/Verona: Broadway Extravaganza
  • Wednesday, July 25th, 7 p.m., Essex County Yanticaw Park, Nutley: The Dalton Gang
  • Friday, July 27th, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair: Springsteen Tribute with the B Street Band and The Infernos
  • Tuesday, July 31st, 7 p.m., Watsessing Park, Bloomfield/East Orange: Carrie Jackson
  • Wednesday, August 1st, 7 p.m., Essex County Grover Cleveland Park, Caldwell/Essex Fells: The 70’s Project
  • Friday, August 3rd, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Brookdale Park, Bloomfield/Montclair: The Hitmen
  • Tuesday, August 7th, 7 p.m., Essex County Ivy Hill Park, Newark: Jazz by Gradie Stone
  • Wednesday, August 8th, 7 p.m., Essex County Weequahic Park, Newark: Lonnie Youngblood
  • Friday, August 10th, 7:30 p.m., Essex County Eagle Rock Reservation, West Orange: The Garden StateConcert Band
  • Sunday, August 12th, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Essex County Monte Irvin Orange Park, Orange: Spanish Festival
  • Saturday, September 8th, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Essex County Monte Irvin Orange Park, Orange: Caribbean Festival
  • Sunday, September 9th, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Essex County South Mountain Reservation, West Orange: Mike Griot presents the South Orange International Blues Festival

Concerts are held at accessible sites. Persons who require special accommodations or assistance are asked to call at least two weeks prior to the concert to alert staff as to their needs. Admission to the concerts is free. For more information, please call the Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs at 973‑239-2485.

The SummerMusic Concert Series is being sponsored by Filippo Berio Olive Oil, Rose Squared Productions, TD Bank and the Branch Brook Park Alliance. The series is also made possible, in part, by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.


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