WBGO presents All That Jazz, a unique series showcasing some of the genre’s most talented and respected performers! This month features smooth jazz musicians Brian Simpson and Jackiem Joyner. This series is a partnership between UCPAC and Smooth Jazz NJ.
Enjoy an evening of smooth jazz, beginning in the WBGO Piano Lounge. Come early to enjoy cocktails and live piano music before the performance – doors open one hour before showtime.
About Brian Simpson and Jackiem Joyner
Brian Simpson - Keyboardist and composer Brian Simpson has played alongside noted jazz musicians Gerald Albright and Norman Brown, as well as performed a world tour with Janet Jackson – all shortly after graduating from Northern Illinois University.
In 1990, Simpson received a call from George Duke that led to a decade of touring and production work with the late jazz legend. It was his tenure with George that led him to work with a variety of esteemed artists, from James Ingram and Anita Baker to Dave Koz and Wayman Tisdale.
Because his music is so popular throughout the world, Shanachie Entertainment recording artist Simpson has been on a seemingly endless world tour, which in 2019 included Japan, Australia, Korea, Indonesia, the Philippines, Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, and South Africa.
Jackiem Joyner - Contemporary saxophonist, author, and music producer Jackiem Joyner has set the bar high in his nearly two-decade-long career as a performer. With a number one jazz album, numerous Billboard chart-topping hits, and a series of critically acclaimed books to his name, Joyner has proven himself a rare artist capable of transcending his instrument and captivating mainstream audiences.
Now, as he enters the 18th year of his career amid unprecedented change in the entertainment industry, Joyner remains as dedicated to his art as ever.
“No matter how difficult things become, I’ll never stop doing what I love: playing the sax, writing music and stories, and performing live.”
Born in Norfolk, VA, Joyner demonstrated restless creativity from an early age, a trait that would later define his career. Despite his humble upbringing, he managed to acquire a saxophone as a child, which quickly became his constant companion. After years of practice, he made his debut with 2007’s ‘Babysoul.’ A masterclass in seductive smooth jazz, the album marked the arrival of a brilliant instrumentalist, paving the way for a prolific recording career that included Grammy runner-ups, hit singles, and abundant critical acclaim, extending through 2019’s ‘Touch’ and 2020’s EP, “Journey of Passion.”
As a performer, Joyner has toured over 30 countries and shared the stage with legends such as the late George Duke, Marcus Miller, Keiko Matsui, Donnie McClurkin, Angela Bofill, Najee, Kirk Whalum, Peter White, and many others.
A holiday mash-up for the whole family, The Hip Hop Nutcracker returns for another spectacular tour. Directed and choreographed by Tony and Olivier® Award-nominated Jennifer Weber, this contemporary dance spectacle is a re-mixed and re-imagined version of the classic, smashing hip hop dance and Tchaikovsky’s timeless music together into a heart-stirring and inspirational holiday event. The Hip Hop Nutcracker is brought to life by a powerhouse cast of a dozen all-star dancers, a DJ, a violinist, and an MC.
Two iconic singers perform their hits and celebrate America’s 250 birthday! Singer/songwriter Don McLean is best known for the classic hit “American Pie,” as well as “Vincent” and “Castles in the Air.” Country superstar Lee Greenwood has seven top charting singles, including “I.O.U,” “It Turns Me Inside Out,” and the patriotic favorite, “God Bless the U.S.A.”
Join us for a 35mm screening of 1955’s iconic film “Rebel Without a Cause” starring James Dean, Natalie Wood (Academy Award Nominee, Best Supporting Actress), and Sal Mineo (Academy Award Nominee, Best Supporting Actor).
Music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison
If you’re feeling all alone in the universe – or even if you’re not – Triangle’s newest musical comedy is for you! Join us as Triangle explores what it means to have friends in high – or should we say “sky”? – places. Extraterrestrial visitors, crazy conspiracy theories, and intergalactic shenanigans power this year’s annual laugh-fest of witty jokes, lavish production numbers, and, of course, Triangle’s famous kickline. Can interplanetary goodwill blossom in the dystopian desert of our current times? Get your Triangle tickets now and learn if Roswell That Ends Well!
Dunbar Repertory Company presents Ntozake Shange’s FOR COLORED GIRLS Who have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf, the groundbreaking “choreopoem” – a spellbinding collection of vivid prose and free verse narratives about and performed by Black women. Directed by Darrell Lawrence Willis, SR.
Singer-songwriter/pianist Bruce Hornsby and NJPAC Jazz Advisor/bassist Christian McBride will jam and chat on the intimate Victoria Theater stage, in celebration of Hornsby’s 2026 album, Indigo Park. The two artists share plenty in common: Musical adventurousness that transcends genre. Constant collaboration with the biggest names on the scene. And many well-earned GRAMMY® Awards between them. Pitchfork hails Hornsby as “a solitary spirit drifting through time, bringing people together and bringing out their best, finding the strange resolution in all the dissonance.”
Marvel at the abundance of New Jersey talent in this awe-inspiring annual performance. Students from high schools across the state will put their artistry and hard work on display in NJPAC’s grand Prudential Hall. Members of the 100-piece orchestra and 350-voice mixed chorus have been selected through a rigorous audition process and will be led by a professional conductor. As a longtime leader in youth arts education, NJPAC is proud to host these students. Come cheer them on!
Being over 40 and the only single person in your family is hard. Being over 40, single, and Indian? That’s a WhatsApp family chat emergency.
A meditative rock odyssey weaving reimagined contemporary songs, stream-of-consciousness poetry and live painting.
(PARAMUS, NJ) -- The Forte Piano Music Company presents a Piano Trio Concert - "Exquisite Contrasts" - Haydn & Schubert on Sunday, November 15, 2026 at 2:30pm. This program brings together two landmarks of the piano trio repertoire, revealing the evolution of the genre from the Classical era to early Romanticism.
(MAHWAH, NJ) -- Come to the Mahwah Museum on Sunday, November 15, 2026 for a discussion of a 29-year friendship, rare memorabilia, and the story behind Les Paul's home with Mahwah Mayor Jim Wysocki from his nearly three-decade friendship with legendary musician and inventor Les Paul. The event begins at 2:00pm.
(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- The Stress Factory Comedy Club presents Malik Elassal on Sunday, November 15, 2026 with performances at 7:00pm & 9:30pm. His stand-up comedy earned him a spot on Vulture's 2024 "Comedians You Should and Will Know" list.
(ATLANTIC CITY, NJ) -- You can get your holiday shopping done on Sunday, November 15, 2026 when Anchor Rock Club hosts the Atlantic City Punk Rock Flea Market - Holiday Edition. The event runs from noon to 6:00pm.
