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Woodbridge News
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Barron Arts Center Presents Black History Poets, Jazz
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Jan. 24, 2006
Black History Month takes center stage at February’s PoetsWednesday, as the Barron Arts Center presents poetry and jazz with the Jeanie Bryson Trio, Mayor Frank G. Pelzman has announced.
The free reading and concert starts at 8 p.m., Feb. 8, at the Barron Arts Center, 582 Rahway Avenue in Woodbridge. Call (732) 634-0413 for information.
Raised in East Brunswick, Jeanie Bryson is the daughter of songwriter Connie Bryson and jazz titan Dizzy Gillespie. Ms. Bryson has recorded three albums for Telarc Records and toured extensively in the United States, Asia, South America and Europe. Her subtle yet intense vocal style has been compared to that of Billie Holiday and Peggy Lee.
Ms. Bryson will be joined by pianist Ted Brancato and guitarist Coleman Mellet, both of whom have lengthy jazz rćsumćs.
Featured poets are Gary Lloyd James, Gretna Wilkinson and Charles Johnson. Mr. James is a native of Jamaica whose poem, A Woman’s Tears, won a 2004 Poetry.com Editor’s Choice Award. A native of Guyana, Dr. Wilkinson directs the Creative Writing Academy at Red Bank Regional High School and is an NJPAC/United Way Artist-in-Residence. Mr. Johnson is a Pushcarrt Prize poetry nominee and former first-place winner of the Allen Ginsberg Poetry Awards.
“PoetsWednesday has brought outstanding literary talent to Woodbridge since 1978,” says Mayor Pelzman. “We are thrilled that they are hosting programming that highlights the diversity of our township.”
Barron Arts CenterExecutive Director Cynthia Knight says the show will acquaint Woodbridge audiences with some of the artistic gems in their own backyard. “All these performers were raised or live in New Jersey, and the Jeanie Bryson Trio are world-class artists,” she says. “People will be astonished by the outstanding talent in this area.”
The event is sponsored by the Woodbridge Township Cultural Arts Commission chaired by Dr. Dolores Capraro Gioffre with support from the Woodbridge Township Arts Council and Mayor Frank G. Pelzman.
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MIS Department
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