NJPAC Expands Free Summer Concerts

Newark, NJ (PRWEB) June 21, 2012

This summer, NJPAC is busier than ever, kicking off with the previously announced hit NBC alternative series "America's Got Talent" broadcasting live two nights a week beginning July 2. With the nation?s spotlight on the Center, NJPAC offers more free events all week long, including the new concert series Friday Night Live and a star-laden lineup for the Newark summer tradition Sounds of the City. Both summer concert series are free and open to the public and feature musical genres that give audiences a taste of what?s coming to the Arts Center?s mainstage in the new season.

NJPAC?s Friday Night Live, a new series of four Friday night concerts (July 6, July 20, Aug. 3 and Aug. 17), features funk royalty The Family Stone with founding members Jerry Martini, Cynthia Robinson and Greg Errico, and ?the greatest horn band ever,? Blood, Sweat & Tears, as well as two nights co-presented with TEMPO Networks, featuring some of the hottest names in Caribbean music, including New Jersey-born reggae songstress Alaine and roots reggae singer Luciano. Through Friday Night Live, NJPAC is able to offer additional free concerts to thousands in the community and the surrounding metro-area, further activating the Downtown Arts District.

Sounds of the City, NJPAC?s free, outdoor concert series, has been expanded and reimagined as a community event that gives attendees a taste of what they can expect to see on NJPAC?s mainstage in the upcoming season. With reggae, Latin music, hip hop, soul and R&B on the bill, Thursday evenings (5-10pm) at NJPAC between July 5 and August 30, 2012 will showcase some of the hottest artists in various genres each week in Theater Square. The always-popular Rhythm Revue Dance Party with Felix Hernandez jumpstarts Newark?s favorite festival on July 5, complete with a dance floor and all the grooves that listeners to Hernandez? popular weekly radio show know and love. On July 12, The Wailers, the legendary reggae band that backed Bob Marley, headlines an evening of Jamaican sounds along with the return to NJPAC of Brooklyn-based soul reggae group Judah Tribe. Latin and Caribbean sounds are featured all summer long, with performances by Latin Jazz legend Ray Mantilla Spac e Station (July 19), Afro-Cuban producer/pianist Larry Harlow and the Latin Legends Band featuring Luisito Rosario, Alfredo de le Fe and Emo Luciano with special guests Bobby Sanabria and others (Aug 23), as well as two Sounds of the City nights co-sponsored with TEMPO Networks, the Pan-Caribbean media and entertainment company, featuring Kevin Lyttle, Kerwin Du Bois and others. Also on the bill for the series are two nights of hip hop, headlined by industry pioneers Big Daddy Kane (Aug 2) and Rakim (Aug 16). The R&B/neo-soul husband and wife group Kindred the Family Soul (Aug 9) brings its smooth songs and celebration of family and love to the Theater Square as well. Each Sounds of the City concert features one or more bands and an extended DJ set from 8-10pm to keep the party going. Featured DJs include Rich Medina, DJ Rey-Mo, Selector Kay Gee, Tony Touch, and DJ Spinna, among others.

For the most up-to-date performance information on the two series, patrons may visit the NJPAC Web site at http://www.njpac.org/summer.

Sounds of the City and Friday night Live are sponsored by Chase, Berkeley College, Richmond County Foundation, BD, Verizon Wireless, Remy, Heineken, Newark Downtown District, New Jersey State Council on the Arts and Discover Jersey Arts. WBGO Jazz88.3 FM is a media partner for the July 5 and 19 concerts. TEMPO Networks co-presents four nights.

NJPAC?s Sounds of the City (SOC) & Friday Night Live (FNL) Concert Calendar

Thursday, July 5, 2012 (SOC)
Rhythm Revue Dance Party with Felix Hernandez and Special Guests
Felix Hernandez's Rhythm Revue Dance Parties are New York's biggest and longest-running classic soul events. Felix's mix of classic soul, disco and funk consistently draws thousands. WBGO Jazz88.3 FM is a media partner for this performance.

Friday, July 6, 2012 (FNL)
TEMPO presents Caribbean sounds with Alaine, Laza Morgan and Jamere Morgan
Reggae singer/songwriter, Alaine Laughton released her first single, ?No Ordinary Love? in 2005 which topped the charts in Jamaica and the UK. Jamaican-American reggae singer and rapper, Laza Morgan is best known for his single "This Girl" which was featured in the film Step Up 3D. Most recently, Laza released two viral music videos on YouTube for his singles "Ballerina" and "Ya Sey Mi." Jemere Morgan, the 16-year-old son of Gramps Morgan, balances school and music, recently releasing his first two singles ?First Kiss? and ?Sunshine Glow.?
lazamorgan.com/
jemeremorgan.com/
http://www.gottempo.com/home

Thursday, July 12, 2012 (SOC)
Reggae with Judah Tribe, The Wailers and DJ Rich Medina
The Wailers, best known for their work with Bob Marley, have sold 250 million albums worldwide. As the greatest living exponents of Jamaica?s reggae tradition, the Wailers have completed innumerable tours after working with Marley, playing to an estimated 24 million people across the globe. Brooklyn-based Judah Tribe returns to NJPAC with their blend of soul and reggae that is often compared to sounds from Bob Marley, Steel Pulse and Peter Tosh. The band?s members come from Cameroon, Africa, Jamaica, France, Haiti and America. DJ Rich Medina has taken multi-ethnic crowds on a sonic journey through hip hop, house, Afrobeat, funk and soul for almost 20 years.
http://www.judahtribe.com
http://www.wailers.com
richmedina.com

Thursday, July 19, 2012 (SOC)
Latin Jazz with Nicki Denner Latin Jazz Trio, Ray Mantilla Space Station/ Good Vibration Band and DJ Rey-Mo
Leader of the Space Station/Good Vibration Band, Ray Mantilla describes his music as "Latin jazz with authentic Latino rhythms." He has played with everyone from Max Roach to Gato Barbieri, Tito Puente to Charles Mingus, and can be heard on over 200 albums. Pianist/composer/arranger Nicki Denner has been a part of the New York Latin and jazz music scene since 1999. Since 2001, she has led her own trio featuring Jennifer Vincent on bass, and Willie Martinez on drums. In 2006, the trio released their debut recording, "Moliendo Caf