Lynette Sheard: With John Lee and Friends at Morris Museum

Lynette Sheard returns to the Back Deck, this time featuring legendary bassist John Lee. Together, they will celebrate the music of Charlie Parker and Dinah Washington, both of whom have birthdays on August 29th!

Accomplished muralist and Sheard’s daughter, Monet Sheard, will capture the atmosphere of the event by live painting throughout the performance.

Lynette Sheard is a versatile vocalist. She is an award winning actor, producer, director and vocal coach, and mental health advocate. She performs Jazz, Blues, R&B, Gospel, Soul and Pop music. Theater credits include principal roles in: Dream Girls, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, and Ragtime. Broadway World declared that “she is fabulous with a voice that shakes the rafters” Lynette is also featuredin the “Encyclopedia of Newark Jazz.”

From 1984 thru 1993, John Lee was Dizzy Gillespie’s bassist. Performing and recording in the trumpet master’s various bands including the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet, Dizzy Gillespie Big Band, and Dizzy’s Grammy Award winning United Nation Orchestra. After Dizzy’s passing, his family asked John to create an ongoing tribute to the great man and his music—and the concept for the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars was born. John is the bassist and director of the Dizzy Gillespie All-Stars, Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band, and the Dizzy Gillespie Afro-Latin Experience. John has worked in the bands of Gary Bartz, Larry Coryell, Jon Faddis, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Gambarini, Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Heath, Gregory Hines, Miriam Makeba, James Moody, Claudio Roditi, Sonny Rollins, and McCoy Tyner. John is also a Grammy Award winning record producer and audio engineer. He has produced over 100 recordings and is the co-founder of the record label JLP, Jazz Legacy Productions. The Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Band’s have performed in major concert halls and jazz festivals throughout the world including; Angola, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Curaçao, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Monaco, Montenegro, Norway, Portugal, Russia, Scotland, Singapore, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Uruguay, and Wales.

Monet Sheard is a visionary muralist and public artist based in West Orange, New Jersey, whose vibrant work transforms urban spaces into immersive storytelling experiences. A proud West Orange native, Monet gained regional acclaim with her mural “Imagine”, a centerpiece of the town’s “Imagination Alley” project. Funded by a Main Street New Jersey Transformation Grant, the mural was selected from a competitive national call for artists and now serves as a beacon of creativity and community pride.

Her artistic footprint extends beyond West Orange, with installations featured at Newark International Airport and the Newark Visitors Center, showcasing her ability to blend bold color palettes with themes of hope, diversity, and imagination. Monet’s work invites viewers to engage with their surroundings in new ways, sparking dialogue and reflection through visual storytelling.

Back Deck Visitor Information and Guidelines

Attendees must bring their own chairs and are welcome to bring refreshments. Guests are encouraged to bring standard-height outdoor chairs for the most comfortable seating experience. Tickets are $63 for an 8’x8’ block that accommodates up to two patrons or $33 for a block that accommodates one. There is a $3 handling fee per block included in the price. Concerts begin at 7:30 PM. Patrons are welcome to arrive as early as 6:30 PM to enjoy their picnics. In the event of inclement weather, outdoor performances will be held in the Museum’s Bickford Theatre, general admission. For assistance and to make purchases by phone, call the box office at 973-971-3706. All programs subject to change.