The town of West Orange is a highly logical place to stage a jazz festival. Besides having a lakeside amphitheater — the Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center--it is home to a small but powerful army of jazz musicians, including the guitarists Dave Stryker and Vic Juris and the drummer Cecil Brooks III.
But the OSPAC Jazz Festival, to be held Sept. 12 and 13 this year, its seventh, attracts many of its star performers with more than just the promise of a short commute.
“A lot of jazz festivals don’t have any jazz,” Mr. Juris said in a telephone interview from Interlochen, Mich., where he was leading a workshop on jazz guitar. “At this one there’s always a good variety of music. There’s usually a Latin band, some world music. But there’s no R & B or anything outside of jazz. In this case, jazz really means jazz.”
As part of the Sept. 13 lineup, he will play a tribute to the bossa nova master Antonio Carlos Jobim alongside several other performers, including Kate Baker, the West Orange-based singer and the center’s executive director (who is married to Mr. Juris). The music on both days runs from around midday into the evening.
But the OSPAC Jazz Festival, to be held Sept. 12 and 13 this year, its seventh, attracts many of its star performers with more than just the promise of a short commute.
“A lot of jazz festivals don’t have any jazz,” Mr. Juris said in a telephone interview from Interlochen, Mich., where he was leading a workshop on jazz guitar. “At this one there’s always a good variety of music. There’s usually a Latin band, some world music. But there’s no R & B or anything outside of jazz. In this case, jazz really means jazz.”
As part of the Sept. 13 lineup, he will play a tribute to the bossa nova master Antonio Carlos Jobim alongside several other performers, including Kate Baker, the West Orange-based singer and the center’s executive director (who is married to Mr. Juris). The music on both days runs from around midday into the evening.
