Jazz, Rhythm & Blues

Winner of the 2021 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Lionel Hampton Big Band returns to SOPAC as part of this season’s Jazz ’n the Hall Concert Series presented by Seton Hall University’s Arts Council. For this anticipated event, high-level student Jazz musicians perform alongside the Grammy Award-winning members of the Lionel Hampton Big Band.

The United States Military Veterans All Stars present a lively program of beloved standards and patriotic tunes in tribute to U.S. veterans of every generation. Join the celebration and share in the honor, joy, and gratitude!

The Bad Plus shares new music from their November 2024 release Complex Emotions live at SOPAC! Engaging audiences through a shared originality among band members and a fierce commitment to invention, this critically acclaimed quartet rivets each new generation of listeners. For more than two decades, the band has delivered thrilling live performances that center improvisation, a bold sense of creativity, and the spirit of adventure. Help celebrate the release of Complex Emotions on the SOPAC Mainstage!

Join us for what has become a legendary event in South Orange, featuring the convergence of countless Jazz greats in an unforgettable evening of music. Curated by Jazz legend and South Orange resident John Lee, this celebration of Jazz music is the perfect event for Jazz lovers everywhere.

Fueled by the belief that classic Jazz feeds the heart and soul, the Hot Sardines are on a mission to make old sounds new again and prove that joyful music can bring people together in a disconnected world.  Praised by The Times London as “simply phenomenal,” The Hot Sardines’ brassy horn arrangements, rollicking piano melodies, and nostalgic vocals will transport viewers to a different Jazz era.  Get your tickets today!

Valerie Simpson is back at SOPAC! One half of the iconic song-writing duo Ashford & Simpson, she and her late husband Nick Ashford spent their lives together writing chart-topping anthems for Motown and beyond. The duo penned timeless hits such as, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” “Reach Out and Touch Somebody’s Hand,” and “I’m Every Woman” for Chaka Khan, Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, and other icons before embarking on a performing career of their own.