The 2026 OSPAC Annual West Orange Jazz Festival, produced by Pleasant Valley Productions is taking place September 19 from 1 to 8pm.
The beautiful outdoor venue, the Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center, is celebrating its 25th anniversary and the festival celebrates the venues’ grand reopening of the newly renovated OSPAC.
WBGO's own Monifa Brown is the artistic director of the festival and will again host the event. Two of the talented performers she’s booked for the non-stop, seven-hour festival are acclaimed trumpeter, composer, arranger and educator Freddie Hendrix and renowned vibraphonist, composer, bandleader and educator Joe Locke.
WBGO's Doug Doyle spoke with Freddie and Joe in advance of the festival on Saturday.
Other performers include Dion Parson & 21st Century Band, The Antoinette Montague Experience, The Jaleel Shaw Trio, The Montclair State University Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Jazz Studies Coordinator, Dr. Oscar Perez and NJPAC TD Jazz For Teens under the direction of Mark Gross.
You can SEE Doug's entire interview with Joe Locke and Freddie Hendrix below:
