14th Annual TD JAMES MOODY JAZZ FESTIVAL Comes to NJPAC in November

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) will present the 14th annual TD James Moody Jazz Festival from November 8–23, 2025. Co-curated by NJPAC's Jazz Advisor Christian McBride, the festival will once again transform Newark into a citywide stage for jazz, celebrating the music’s cultural legacy and its power to inspire social change.

This year’s festival features a wide-ranging lineup that includes Arturo Sandoval, Stanley Clarke, Savion Glover, Carlos Varela with special guests Jackson Browne and Diana Fuentes, Stanley Jordan, Nat Adderley Jr., Omar Sosa, Christian McBride with Andra Day, José James and Ledisi, plus hip hop greats Chuck D, Rakim, and Slick Rick in the annual Represent! concert. Events will be presented at multiple Newark venues including NJPAC, Bethany Baptist Church, the Newark Public Library, and Clement’s Place.

The festival also features free concerts and community programming, educational initiatives, and performances that highlight jazz’s intersections with hip hop, poetry, spoken word, R&B, Latin jazz, blues, and global sounds. Eligible TD Bank cardholders will receive special perks throughout the festival.

Highlights of the 2025 TD James Moody Jazz Festival:

• George Cables Trio at Bethany Baptist Jazz Vespers (Nov. 8)

• Omar Sosa Quarteto Americanos (Nov. 8)

• Stanley Clarke N•4ever with Ben Williams (Nov. 9)

• Arturo Sandoval (Nov. 13)

• Savion Glover: PROjECt.9 (Nov. 15)

• Blues Is Alright featuring Tucka James, King George, Pokey Bear, Lenny Williams, Theodis Ealey, and West Love (Nov. 15)

• Rachael & Vilray (Nov. 16)

• Represent! A Night of Jazz, Hip Hop, and Poetry featuring Chuck D, Rakim, Slick Rick, Raina Simone, DJ Spinna, and poets from the Nuyorican Poets Café (Nov. 20)

• Carlos Varela with Diana Fuentes, Jackson Browne, and Rodrigo Toscano (Nov. 21)

• Christian McBride Big Band with Andra Day, José James, and Ledisi (Nov. 21)

• Stanley Jordan Plays Jimi (Nov. 22)

• Nat Adderley Jr. Quartet at Dorthaan’s Place Sunday Jazz Brunch (Nov. 23)

• Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition (Nov. 23)

Ticket Information