Louis Prima Jr., second from left, with some of the musicians in his band The Witnesses.
(UPDATE: The Sept. 23 bands, including the Hot Sardines, have been cancelled, because of the forecast of bad weather, but the Sept. 22 bands will still perform.)’
The free, outdoor Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival will expand this year, with a Friday night program on Sept. 22 as well as an all-day slate of band on Sat, Sept. 23. The Sept. 23 bands will perform in the festival’s usual location: Morristown Green, in the city’s downtown area. But the Sept. 22 stage will be across the street at Pioneer’s Plaza, between the 1776 restaurant and the Headquarters Plaza complex.
Louis Prima Jr. & the Witnesses, who play the upbeat hits of Prima’s father (including “Sing Sing Sing,” “Jump Jive an’ Wail” and “Just a Gigolo”) as well as covers of other artists, and originals, will headline the Sept. 23 lineup, with other performers including blues-rock singer-songwriter Ana Popovic and her band, and the “hot jazz” group The Hot Sardines, which plays music influenced by Fats Waller, Louis Armstrong, Django Reinhardt and others.
The festival has been an annual event since 2011, when it was initiated by Morristown mayor Tim Dougherty.
ANA POPOVIC
Here is the lineup. For information, visit morristownjazzandblues.com.
SEPT. 22
5 p.m.: Ty Stephens & (the) SoulJaazz
6:30 p.m.: Debra Devi Group
8 p.m.: The Downtown Charlie Brown Blues Band
SEPT. 23
Noon: U.S. Navy Jazz Band — The Commodores
2 p.m.: Gotham City Latin Jazz Septet
4 p.m.: The Hot Sardines
6 p.m.: Ana Popovic Band
8 p.m.: Louis Prima Jr. & the Witnesses
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