Middlesex County Jazz Festival is back with four free jazz concerts in four Middlesex County towns, September 23 through September 26.
The producing organizations include the Borough of Carteret, Friends of Metuchen Arts with the Metuchen Arts Council, the New Brunswick Jazz Project, and Woodbridge Arts.
This year audiences will be treated to a fine selection of top jazz performers and big bands over four nights of free concerts. Also featured is a sample of several of the towns’ excellent high school music programs. An important mission of Middlesex County Jazz Festival is to encourage and promote music education.
Woodbridge Arts will open the MCJF Festival on Wednesday, September 23 at Parker Press Park, 400 Rahway Avenue. Starting at 7:00 p.m the Woodbridge High School Jazz Choir, under the direction of Lisa Romero, performs. Next, it is all about the healing power of the blues with the Eli Yamin Jazz & Blues Band followed by the additional healing power of soul and jazz with the evening’s headliner, the Shayna Steele Quintet.
Moving to Thursday, September 24, the New Brunswick Jazz Project edition of the Festival will start at 5:30 p.m. outdoors in Liberty Square Park at 150 Neilson Street, with Cocomama, an all-female salsa band specializing in a combination of Afro-Cuban rhythms and jazz improvisation. Next up the accomplished composer, esteemed saxophonist, vocalist and unique interpreter of the jazz tradition, Camille Thurman headlines with the Darrell Green Quartet by her side.
Friday, September 25 is Carteret’s night to shine starting with keyboardist and organist Jeff Levine followed by headliner Saxophonist, Lance Bryant & Shout! Big Band adding a bit of rhythm & blues and gospel overtones to the Festival. Performances start at 7:00 p.m. at the beautiful Carteret Performing Arts Center, 46 Washington Street in Carteret.
On Saturday, September 26, the Festival reaches a grand finale in Metuchen when Friends of Metuchen Arts and Metuchen Arts Council present a full evening’s entertainment starting at 5:30 p.m. with performances featuring the Metuchen Dance Centre followed by the innovative pairing of the Metuchen High School Jazz Ensemble (big band) directed by John Messengerand the Metuchen High School Orchestra directed by Chris McEwan. At 7:00 p.m. Dave Schumacher & Cubeye, the outstanding contemporary Latin American Jazz ensemble, takes the Metuchen stage with sounds that meld Cuban tradition, New York hardbop and modern jazz.  Next, the evening’s headliner, Mingus Big Band, performs the music of legendary composer/bassist Charles Mingus.  The Metuchen event takes place indoors in the comfortably refurbished Metuchen High School auditorium located at 400 Grove Avenue in Metuchen.
All Middlesex County Jazz Festival concerts are free and accessible. For concert details and up-to-date weather and performance-related announcements visit www.middlesexcountyjazzfestival.com.Â
Grant funding for the Festival has been provided by the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners through a grant award from the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund.
For bios & photos, visit www.middlesexcountyjazzfestal.com/artists
Woodbridge – Wednesday, September 23, 2026
At Parker Press Park, 400 Rahway Avenue in downtown Woodbridge
- 7:00 p.m. – Woodbridge High School Jazz Choir
- 7:30 p.m. – Eli Yamin Jazz & Blues Band
- 8:40 p.m. – Shayna Steele Quintet
New Brunswick – Thursday, September 24, 2026
Liberty Square Park, 150 Neilson Street, New Brunswick
- 5:30 – 6:40 p.m. – Cocomama
- 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. – Camille Thurman with the Darrell Green Quartet
Carteret – Friday, September 25, 2026
At the Carteret Performing Arts Center, 46 Washington Street, Carteret
- 7:00 – 7:45 p.m. – Jeff Levine
- 7:45 – 8:45 p.m. – Lance Bryant & Shout! Big Band
Metuchen – Saturday, September 26, 2026
At Metuchen High School, 400 Grove Avenue, Metuchen
- 5:30 – 6:00 p.m. – Metuchen Dance Centre
- 6:00 – 6:45 p.m. – Metuchen High School Jazz Ensemble and Orchestra
- 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. – Dave Schumacher & Cubeye
- 8:15 – 9:45 p.m. – Mingus Big Band
