All This Jazz: A Free Monthly Concert Series at NJCDC’s Rogers Hall
October 2, 2026
Key Details at a Glance |
Free admission • Advance tickets required • Limited capacity |
Ticketed guests: Arrive by 6:45PM to guarantee entry (Doors open at 6:30PM) |
Unclaimed tickets released at 6:45PM to waitlist attendees |
Free parking: 59 Spruce St lot across from event venue [Google Maps Pin] |
Food & artisan wares available for purchase at our vendor marketplace |
Experience live jazz in the heart of Paterson — completely free of charge!
Every fourth Friday, NJCDC’s Rogers Hall comes alive with the sounds of exceptional jazz artists from New Jersey and beyond. All This Jazz is a free monthly concert series that brings the community together for an evening of world-class performances, local artistry, and shared experience in Paterson’s historic Great Falls Neighborhood.
Our 2026–27 season runs from October through June, with a new live performance each month showcasing the breadth, creativity, and cultural traditions of jazz. Along the way, we’ll present special edition concerts celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month in October, Black History Month in February, and Arab American Heritage Month in April — bringing distinctive artists, sounds, and musical traditions to the Rogers Hall stage.
Whether you’re a lifelong jazz fan or experiencing the music live for the first time, there’s a seat waiting for you. Join us on Fourth Fridays and discover what’s next at All This Jazz.
About the Series
All This Jazz is a free, monthly jazz concert series presented by New Jersey Community Development Corporation (NJCDC), in partnership with Paterson-based community arts center and creative hub Prototype 237.
Hosted at Rogers Hall in the Great Falls Historic District, the series brings high-quality live jazz to Paterson — creating space for residents and visitors to gather, listen, and experience the music together.
Each event offers a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere where neighbors and music lovers can come together to enjoy exceptional live jazz.
What to Expect
Each All This Jazz evening offers an opportunity to experience outstanding live music in a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere
At each concert, you’ll find:
A full, two-hour live performance featuring exceptional musicians in an intimate concert setting.
An exciting range of jazz styles, from traditional and contemporary jazz to inventive fusions that blend jazz with musical traditions from around the world.
Acclaimed local, regional, and international performers, including emerging talents, established artists, and musicians connected to William Paterson University’s renowned jazz program.
Special cultural celebrations honoring Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, and Arab American Heritage Month, featuring internationally recognized artists whose music brings jazz into conversation with their respective cultural traditions.
Local food and artisan vendors offering refreshments, merchandise, and more.
Completely free admission, making world-class live music accessible to everyone.
Why Jazz in Paterson?
Jazz has long been part of Paterson’s cultural fabric, shaped by Black history, migration, and everyday community life. For generations, musicians developed their craft locally — in homes, churches, social halls, and neighborhood venues — before carrying that experience outward.
All This Jazz builds on that history by creating space for live performance today, keeping jazz present, visible, and shared.
Upcoming Dates & Tickets
Fourth Friday of each month (Except for Nov. [3rd Friday] and Dec. [2nd Friday] to work around the holidays)
Rogers Hall (32 Spruce St. Paterson, NJ)
Doors open at 6:30pm | Show starts at 7:00pm
Although admission is free, tickets are required to help manage capacity and ensure a comfortable experience for all attendees.
Important Note: Please arrive by 6:45pm to guarantee entry.
Because All This Jazz is free and space is limited, we ask ticketed guests to arrive by 6:45pm. After that time, we’ll release any unused tickets to guests on the waiting list who are present. If you don’t have a ticket, we encourage you to join the waiting list and arrive by 6:45pm. We’ll do our best to grant admission to as many guests as space permits.
Meet the Musicians
All This Jazz showcases an exciting mix of emerging talent, accomplished New Jersey musicians, and internationally acclaimed performers.
Each month's lineup celebrates the diversity and evolution of jazz — from traditional and contemporary styles to innovative fusions that draw inspiration from musical cultures around the world.
Featured performers include:
Established bandleaders and accomplished musicians with regional, national, and international recognition
Emerging artists, educators, and alumni connected to William Paterson University's renowned jazz program
Working musicians helping shape New Jersey's vibrant jazz scene
Internationally acclaimed artists blending jazz with their own cultural and musical traditions, including special performances celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month, and Arab American Heritage Month
Upcoming 2026-2027 Season Performers
Join us on Fourth Friday, October 23, for Gabriel Chakarji and friends, led by GRAMMY® Award-winning Venezuelan pianist, composer, and bandleader Gabriel Chakarji.
Blending Afro-Venezuelan rhythms with jazz, improvisation, and the energy of New York City’s diverse musical landscape, Chakarji creates music that is vibrant, adventurous, and deeply rooted in tradition. He’ll be joined by a stellar quartet featuring a fellow Venezuelan percussionist bringing traditional instruments and rhythms to the stage.
Chakarji has performed at Carnegie Hall, Blue Note, Dizzy’s Club, and festivals around the world; received honors from ASCAP, The Jazz Gallery, and Chamber Music America; and contributed to the GRAMMY-winning album Fandango at the Wall in New York with the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra.
And the timing couldn’t be better: Gabriel will release his newest album just one week before joining us in Paterson, making this special Hispanic Heritage Month feature a celebration of both his Venezuelan roots and his newest music.
Come experience one of New York’s most exciting voices in contemporary Latin jazz — live in Paterson and completely free.
Friday, November 20, 2026
WPU STUDENT JAZZ COMBOS
Two top-level student jazz combos from William Paterson University's Jazz Program, coached by Bill Charlap (“The Bill Charlap Ensemble”) and Mike LeDonne (“The Montgomery Brothers Ensemble”).
Friday, December 11, 2026
A REAL HUMAN JAZZ BAND
An innovative jazz quartet, the band features Tom Monda (guitar), John Lenis (bass), and Audra Mariel (vocals), each coming from a unique musical background, thus infusing their interpretations of standards and somewhat-less-standards with unique energy and insight.
Friday, January 22, 2026
BILLY CARRIÓN'S HIGHER STANDARDS
After a severe nerve disorder halted leader Billy Carrión’s two-decade career as an elite woodwind specialist, this ensemble became both the heartbeat of his physical recovery and his definitive pivot to the bass, alongside Joshua Mercado (trumpet), Campbell Charshee (piano), and Jarrett Walser (drums).
Friday, February 26, 2027
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
WINARD HARPER & JELI POSSE
Harper is a virtuoso on the drum set and the balafon, the West African equivalent of the marimba. He has played with Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin, Betty Carter and formed Jazz sensation The Harper Brothers. Harper has been the leader and musical inspiration for the ensemble Jeli Posse for more than a decade, mentoring many young jazz musicians.
Friday, March 26, 2027
YVONNICK PRENÉ
A Paris-born, New York based chromatic harmonica virtuoso and founder of the New York Harmonica School, Prené is known for lyrical improvisations, innovative approach, and commitment to education. He’s widely recognized as a leading voice of his instrument in modern jazz.
Friday, April 23, 2027
ARAB AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH
FIRAS ZREIK
A GRAMMY recognized songwriter, Zreik is a Palestinian-born New Yorker, who has transformed global perception of the Kanun, preserving its identity as a vital part of the Maqam tradition, particularly with regards to its improvisation-driven legacy.
Friday, May 28, 2027
BAKLAVA EXPRESS
A New York City-based cross cultural ensemble led by award winning composer and oud player, Josh Kaye, the group performs original compositions, drawing strongly from the liturgical music of Ashkenazi and Mizrahi communities, Ottoman classical music, and the folk traditions of the wider Mediterranean and Levant.
Friday, June 25, 2027
CLOSING PARTY
JOY ON FIRE
Originally from Baltimore, Joy on Fire is a saxophone led, punk jazz trio featuring a heavy metal rhythm section. Get ready to dance so hard, you jump out of your own skin.
Past Performers
PARKER CHEEK QUARTET
June 2026
Trumpeter Parker Cheek led a quartet of emerging New Jersey artists blending contemporary and modern jazz through original compositions and jazz standards. Joined by Brook Mulugeta on keyboard, Paterson native Ahmod Bradley on bass, and Chris Paredes on drums, the group shares roots at New Jersey City University and represents a new generation of musicians bringing fresh energy to the jazz tradition. Cheek has been recognized through the New Jersey Jazz Society’s Rising Stars Concert Series and the New Jersey Inter-Collegiate Jazz Band.
KOHLER, CHERTKOFF & RILEY
May 2026
With deep swing, soulful grooves, and decades of collective experience, Koehler, Chertkoff & Riley brought the timeless energy of organ trio jazz to the All This Jazz stage. Featuring organist Kyle Koehler, guitarist Matt Chertkoff, and drummer Jonathan Riley, the accomplished trio drew on careers performing alongside some of jazz’s most respected names, delivering a dynamic set that blended tradition, improvisation, and modern artistry.
MARIO GIORDANO TRIO
April 2026
Drawing on New Jersey’s rich jazz tradition while bringing a fresh perspective to the music, guitarist Mario Giordano and his trio delivered a thoughtful, expressive tribute to Miles Davis in celebration of his centennial. Joined by Avishai Seguel (bass) and Beckett Diehl (drums), Giordano reinterpreted Davis’ music for a modern guitar trio — spanning the full arc of his career and tracing the evolution of one of music’s most influential artists. Moving through bebop, cool and modal jazz, post-bop, and funk, the performance balanced precision and freedom, honoring Davis’ legacy while bringing a distinctive new voice to his music.
MIKE NOORDZY TRIO
March 2026
Bassist and composer Mike Noordzy led this Rutgers Mason Gross School of the Arts-based trio, joined by saxophonist Jeremy Leon and drummer Logan Bogdan, through a dynamic set of standards and originals fueled by loose grooves and adventurous improvisation. Drawing from Noordzy’s wide-ranging musical background — spanning jazz, avant-garde, Afro-Cuban, and experimental projects — the trio balanced tradition with spontaneity, allowing the music to unfold in unexpected directions.
NAOMI SMITH & THE STONE FLOWER APOSTLES
February 2026
Bassist and bandleader Naomi Smith brought her debut project, Naomi Smith and the Stone Flower Apostles, to the Rogers stage alongside Glenn Merritt (keyboard) and Payton Teague (drums). The trio delivered a performance shaped by deep listening, expressive improvisation, and a shared musical language. A recent graduate of William Paterson University’s Jazz Performance and Music Entertainment Industry program, Smith drew on a decade of experience performing across genres as a collaborator and side musician, stepping into the spotlight as a bandleader with a sound distinctly her own.
Looking Ahead: The Great Falls Arts Center
All This Jazz is part of a broader effort to expand access to arts and performance in Paterson.
NJCDC is leading the transformation of the historic First Presbyterian Church into the Great Falls Arts Center — Paterson’s first dedicated performing arts center, with a focus on youth development, creative expression, and community access.
As a regular live music series, All This Jazz helps build audiences, support artists, and establish patterns of participation that will carry forward as new cultural spaces come online.
Get Involved
All This Jazz is more than a concert series — it’s an opportunity for Paterson artists, entrepreneurs, and community members to be part of what we’re building. Whether you want to take the stage, showcase your business, or lend a hand behind the scenes, there are several ways to get involved.
Perform
Are you a Paterson musician, poet, or other performer interested in opening an upcoming show ahead of the main act? We’re looking for local talent to help kick off select All This Jazz concerts and share their work with new audiences.
Vend
Interested in joining our vendor marketplace? Local food and merchandise vendors are invited to submit their businesses for consideration for upcoming concerts.
Volunteer
Want to help make All This Jazz happen? Volunteers can support the series while helping us create a welcoming, memorable experience for performers and guests.
Submissions indicate interest and do not guarantee participation. Our team will follow up as opportunities become available.
Join Us
Whether you’re a longtime jazz listener or hearing it live for the first time, All This Jazz offers an easy way to spend a Friday evening with great music and good company.
Practical Information
LOCATION:
Rogers Hall
32 Spruce St.,
Great Falls Historic District, Paterson, NJ
(Behind the preschool playground, up the stairs near Burger King)
PARKING:
In lot at 59 Spruce St., directly across from NJCDC headquarters and Rogers Hall at 32 Spruce St. [Google Maps Pin]
Accessibility: The venue is ADA accessible. For specific access needs, please contact us in advance.
Questions?
📞 973-413-1460