Jazz, Rhythm & Blues

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 the 25th Anniversary of what has become a legendary South Orange event featuring the convergence of countless master practitioners in an unforgettable evening of spontaneity and swing. Curated by Grammy Award-winning producer and bass player, South Orange resident John Lee, Giants of Jazz delights audiences of every generation. This year, to commemorate 25 years of this iconic series, SOPAC honors one of the music’s most recorded artists: master drummer and band leader Lewis Nash.

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.