Glimpses of the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival

Dancers at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
Dancers at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
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It took eight years for the weather gods to catch up with the Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival.

But they allowed the public to enjoy a full Saturday afternoon of high-energy jazz from the U.S. Air Force Rhythm in Blue ensemble, Bria Skonberg and LaBamba & The Hubcaps.

“Mother Nature is Mother Nature. It was a pretty successful day,” said Mayor Tim Dougherty, who helped conceive the festival prior to his first election and hopes it continues long after he calls it a career.

FACES IN THE CROWD: SLIDESHOW PHOTOS BY MARION FILLER, JEFF SOVELOVE & KEVIN COUGHLIN. HOVER OR CLICK IMAGES FOR CAPTIONS:

Mark Pender sings in the crowd at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Dancers at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
Davy Knowles, right, consoles fans at rained out 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Huddling under umbrellas, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Rainy view from stage at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Molly and Kody, two Chihuahuas from Denville, with their humans, enjoying the musicat the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Marion Filler
Rain pours onto the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Young fan sings along at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Promoter Don Smith at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Annabella, 9, from Rockland County, holds her ears. Her father, Mike Mancini, is the keyboard player for La Bamba and the Hubcaps. At the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
Alexander Hamilton enjoys the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Playing along, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival.Doug S. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Lafayette and Hamilton at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Washington listens to the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
WE ALL NEED SOMEBODY TO LEAN ON: Mayor Tim Dougherty and friend at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
Phil Fielding mans merch table at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Arlo, age 2, with Beth Turetsky of Morristown, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Volunteers Cary and Alice Lloyd of the Morristown Festival of Books at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Standing ovation at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Air Force musicians Melissa Lackore and Michael Mannella, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Mike Kostak of Basking Ridge and Diana Kidd of Ramsey dance at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Generations enjoy at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
HOLD IT RIGHT THERE: Shutterbug at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Jackie Burns and Morristown First Lady Mary Dougherty at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Morristown Green photographer Jeff Sovelove, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Suja and Susan enjoy the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Deluge at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Panorama of the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
Dancing at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
Ken and Diane Kramek drove 450 miles from Ohio for the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Panorama of the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Jeff Sovelove
HE'S GOT YOUR BACK: Jack Gavin of West Caldwell at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Marion Filler
'I believe in science, journalism, history, and truth in general. It shouldn’t be a political issue,' said Jack Galvin of West Caldwell, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Marion Filler
Keyboard player Mathis Picard of the Bria Skonberg band, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Marion Filler
Congressional candidate Mikie Sherrill at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Marion Filler
The US Air Force Rhythm in Blue band takes to the crowd, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Audience cheers Air Force band at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Mike Kostak of Basking Ridge and Diana Kidd of Ramsey dance at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Guitarist acknowledges fans at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Crowd at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Rain interrupts the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Toughing it out at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
They were ready to ride it out at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
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While disappointed that the Bernard Allison Group and Davy Knowles were rained out, “what we did produce today was very good,” the Mayor said, as a few die-hard fans packed up their umbrellas Saturday night after an announcement that the show would not go on.

Earlier, a sizable crowd lounged and danced on the historic Morristown Green, as the sun danced in and out of clouds on a warm, humid afternoon.

“It’s great music. And it’s nice to be outside. It’s one of the great events that Morristown has,” said town resident Beth Turetsky, who came with her husband, Ned Levine, and their 2-year-old mini-Labradoodle, Arlo.

In the center of the Green, Diana Kidd of Ramsey and Mike Kostak of Basking Ridge showed off some dance moves. Doug Savides of Morristown brought a guitar and strummed along with the bands.

As Jack Gavin of West Caldwell circulated with “Facts Matter” buttons, 11th District Congressional candidate Mikie Sherrill, a French horn player in her school days, waved from the stage and listened to music for awhile.

Backstage, Richie “LaBamba” Rosenberg, a former Mendham resident, and his trumpeter and vocalist, Mark “The Love Man” Pender, reminisced about playing with Southside Johnny at the now-defunct Argyles in Morristown.

“I love Morristown,” said Pender, who warmed up for his LaBamba set by fronting the Air Force band for a couple of his original tunes.

BACKSTAGE AT THE 2018 MORRISTOWN JAZZ & BLUES FEST. SLIDESHOW PHOTOS BY KEVIN COUGHLIN.  HOVER OR CLICK IMAGES FOR CAPTIONS:

Bernard Allison and Davy Knowles, rained out, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Promoter Linda Smith, left, welcomes Richie 'LaBamba' Rosenberg at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Richie 'LaBamba' Rosenberg, second from left, with promoter Linda Smith, Mayor Tim Dougherty, promoter Don Smith, Morristown First Lady Mary Dougherty, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Bernard Allison shares guitar talk with Grover Kemble, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Guitarist Gabe Schneider at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Guitarist John McGhee and bassist George Moye with Morristown First Lady Mary Dougherty, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Bassist George Moye, left, of the Bernard Allison band, chats with Davy Knowles, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Volunteer Larry Ripley, left, and former Bickford Theatre Artistic Director Eric Hafen, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Mark Pender, left, shares laugh with Richie 'LaBamba' Rosenberg, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Organizers Linda and Don Smith and Mayor Tim Dougherty check forecasts at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Bernard Allison and Davy Knowles, scheduled headliners, share an umbrella after their sets were rained out at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Richie 'LaBamba' Rosenberg, left, an Air Force musician, and Mayor Tim Dougherty at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Bernard Allison and Richie 'LaBamba' Rosenberg, with promoter Don Jay Smith, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Don and Linda Smith flank Tom Skevin, backstage at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Grover Kemble and Richie 'LaBamba' Rosenberg, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
From left: Morristown First Lady Mary Dougherty, Bernard Allison, David Knowles, Linda Kiger Smith and Mayor Tim Dougherty, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Bernard Allison, left, with Grover Kemble and Diane and Jerry Vezza, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
Headliners Bernard Allison and Davy Knowles, rained out, at the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Festival. Photo by Kevin Coughlin
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Gabe Schneider, guitarist for Bria Skonberg’s band, said the hot weather reminded him of his native Hawaii. These days, home is New York City. He enjoyed the trees and grass of the Green.

“It feels like a huge space, yet you get a full sense of the community… It’s an amazing feeling,” Schneider said.

Skonberg was making her second appearance at the festival. She said she loves its mix of jazz and blues, noting that her favorite music, New Orleans jazz, has heavy blues roots.

“I appreciate the diversity of the music, and the people that will come to play, and come to listen,” Skonberg said. 

Come back here soon for video highlights, and check out our Facebook page for more.

Morristown Green coverage of the 2018 Morristown Jazz & Blues Fest

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