Joshua Bright for The New York Times The saxophonist Jimmy Heath.The New Jersey Performing Arts Center, in Newark, has announced a lineup for the second annual TD James Moody Democracy of Jazz Festival, in November. Presented in partnership with WBGO 88.3 FM, it will feature two marquee events with a local hook: a 50th anniversary words-and-music tribute to “Blues People,†the landmark book by the lifelong Newark resident Amiri Baraka (Nov. 5); and a concert tribute to the nightclub proprietor Lorraine Gordon, who spent her childhood there (Nov. 7).
An opening-night program will feature the saxophonist Jimmy Heath (Nov. 4), and a concert titled “Sing, Swing, Sing!†will spotlight the vocalists Dianne Reeves, Al Jarreau, Jeffrey Osborne and Cyrille Aimée. (Another component of the festival is the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, which Ms. Aimée won last year; this year’s finals will take place on Nov. 10.) A 50th anniversary celebration of the album “Getz/Gilberto†will include Sergio Mendes, the pianist and vocalist Eliane Elias, the percussionist Airto, the guitarist Lee Ritenour and the saxophonist Joe Lovano.
Along with the festival, NJPAC has announced that the bassist Christian McBride is its new jazz adviser, helping to shape programming in the early part of next year. (Other concerts have been organized by the pianist Bill Charlap.) And Dorthaan Kirk, a longtime jazz advocate in Newark, will oversee Dorthaan’s Place, a jazz brunch at NJPAC’s restaurant, NICO Kitchen + Bar, beginning on Nov. 10 with a performance by the saxophonist and clarinetist Paquito D’Rivera.
For a full schedule, visit njpac.org; ticket can be purchased online, at the NJPAC Box Office at One Center Street in downtown Newark, or by phone at 1-888-466-5722.
