Maceo Parker will present a tribute to Ray Charles at the Exit 0 Jazz Festival in Cape May, April 21.
Saxophonist and singer Maceo Parker has played with everyone from James Brown to Parliament-Funkadelic and Prince, but it was Ray Charles who launched him on his musical journey.
“My brother and I went absolutely crazy listening to (‘What’d I Say’) on the radio,” said Park of Charles’ 1959 hit last year, in an interview with Billboard. “The beat and all that percussion in there? It was like wow because nothing like that had been recorded before. Ray really lived what he was singing, that soul thing. And that’s what I try to do with my playing — get close to that.”
Parker will perform with the Ray Charles Orchestra and Charles’ backing vocalists The Raelettes at the Exit 0 Jazz Festival, which will present music all over New Jersey’s southernmost town, April 21-23.
The festival has both spring and fall editions, and has attracted artists such as Wynton Marsalis and his Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Pat Metheny and Ron Carter in its first few years.
Here is the schedule of this year’s performers, along with videos to give you an idea of what to expect. For information, visit exit0jazzfest.com.
APRIL 21
Cabanas Beach Bar and Grill, 429 Beach Ave.
9:30 and 11:45 p.m.: Philly Gumbo
Carney’s Main Room, 411 Beach Ave.
8 and 10 p.m.: Stooges Brass Band.
Carney’s Other Room, 411 Beach Ave.
9 and 11 p.m.: Brianna Thomas
Convention Hall, 714 Beach Ave.
6 p.m.: Charnett Moffett’s Nettwork Trio with Brian Jackson, Jeff “Tain” Watts and Scott Tixier.
Ebbitt Room at the Virginia Hotel, 25 Jackson St.
6:30 p.m.: Paula Johns and Paul Sottile
Iron Pier Craft House, 429 Beach Ave.
9 and 11 p.m.: Daisy Castro
Schmidtchen Theater at Lower Cape May Regional High School, 687 Route 9
8 p.m.: “To Ray With Love,” starring Maceo Parker and featuring The Ray Charles Orchestra and The Raelettes.
APRIL 22
Cabanas Beach Bar and Grill, 429 Beach Ave.
1 and 3 p.m.: Philly Gumbo (see April 21, Cabanas Beach Bar and Grill)
10 and 11:50 p.m.: PhillyBloco
Carney’s Main Room, 411 Beach Ave.
12:30 and 3:30 p.m.: Stooges Brass Band (see April 21, Carney’s Main Room)
8 and 10 p.m.: Frank Bey
Carney’s Other Room, 411 Beach Ave.
1:30 p.m.: Brianna Thomas (see April 21, Carney’s Other Room)
3 and 4:30 p.m.: Daisy Castro (see April 21, Iron Pier Craft House)
9:15 and 11 p.m.: Brian Betz and Denis Diblasio Quartet
Convention Hall, 714 Beach Ave.
Noon: Michael Pedicin
3 p.m.: Kenny Barron
9 p.m.: Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah presents Stretch Music
Iron Pier Craft House, 429 Beach Ave.
8:45 and 10:45 p.m.: Charnett Moffett (see April 21, Convention Hall)
Schmidtchen Theater at Lower Cape May Regional High School, 687 Route 9
7 p.m.: Robert Glasper Experiment
APRIL 23
Cabanas Beach Bar and Grill, 429 Beach Ave.
12:30 p.m.: Daisy Castro (see Iron Pier Craft House, April 21)
3 and 5 p.m.: PhillyBloco (see Cabanas Beach Bar and Grill, April 22)
Carney’s Main Room, 411 Beach Ave.
2:30 and 4:30 p.m.: Frank Bey (see Carney’s Main Room, April 22)
Carney’s Other Room, 411 Beach Ave.
1:15 and 3:45 p.m.: Brian Betz and Denis DiBlasio Quartet (see Carney’s Other Room, April 22)
Convention Hall, 714 Beach Ave.
Noon: Freddie Hendrix
1:30 p.m.: Christian Sands Trio
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