2025 James Moody Scholars Event at Bradley Beach Jazz Festival

Join us for an unforgettable experience and enjoy the James Moody Scholars, presented and produced by Gregory Burrus Productions. This event will take place at the Bradley Beach Jazz Festival one of the notable jazz festivals in the northeast produced by Bradley Beach Tourism Department.

2025 Bradley Bach Jazz Performers are:

James Moody Scholars

• Jalin Shiver -sax – jam leader
• Mecadon McCune- drums
• Andrew Wagner – trumpet
• Rayner Perez – trombone

Scholars will jam with :

• Digba Ogunbiyi-piano🎹
• Paul Cuffari- bass🎻
• Alex De Lazzari – Sax

The James Moody Scholars performance is another Gregory Burrus Productions’ celebration of talented young musicians, their dedication to jazz and the legacy of saxophonist James Moody. Each year since 2015,  the James Moody Jazz Scholarship for New Jersey, recognizes and awards an outstanding high school senior who embodies some of the qualities expressed by NEA Jazz Master James Moody. Throughout his life and works he emphasized musicianship, creativity, leadership and community involvement. 

This is the fourth year that Gregory Burrus Productions with the blessings of his widow Linda Moody, invites you to experience the excitement as individual musicians recognized in different years come together to “jam”  around the region.  The performances help support these aspiring and emerging musicians on their journey to becoming professional artists.

James Moody was an American jazz saxophonist and flutist known for his work in the bebop and hard bop styles. Born on March 26, 1925, in Savannah, Georgia, Moody moved to Newark, New Jersey at a young age where he began his musical journey. He served in the United States Army during World War II, where he played in an army band. Moody gained international recognition in 1949 with his hit “Moody’s Mood for Love,” an improvisation on the song “I’m in the Mood for Love.” He collaborated with several jazz legends, including Dizzy Gillespie. Throughout his career, he was celebrated for his virtuosic playing and ability to blend distinctive styles. He passed away on December 9, 2010, but his legacy lives on and he is honored by the NJPAC  through his music and the annual NJPAC TD Moody Jazz Festival held in Newark and now Annual James Moody Scholars Winners Performance. .

 “I am honored and excited to come to the TD James Moody Jazz Festival every year.  I have life long friends here and it feels like home. I know that my husband would be thrilled at this being the 10th anniversary of the festival. He would love the diversity of it because there is something for everyone. I especially love meeting with the James Moody Scholars from Purchase College and New Jersey.  I thank Jazz House Kids for their hard work facilitating The James Moody Jazz Scholarship for New Jersey. Having the Scholars play together for the first time was heartwarming. I live in a constant state of gratitude and  sometimes I just have to pinch myself.”

— Linda Moody

Learn more Moody and Dizzy, side by side | National Museum of American History

Jalin Shriver – Bandleader is a talented young jazz musician from Newark, NJ. As an instrumental music major at Arts High School, he plays the alto and tenor saxophones. Significant achievements include being selected for the 2018 National Peer-to-Peer All Star Jazz performance at the Kennedy Center, where he performed alongside jazz greats like Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter. He also won the prestigious James Moody Jazz Scholarship for New Jersey in 2019. This scholarship is granted to outstanding high school seniors who demonstrate exceptional musicianship, creativity, leadership, and community involvement.

Alex Wagner is an accomplished trumpet player known for his significant contributions in the jazz music scene. He was a recipient of the James Moody Jazz Scholarship for New Jersey in 2017, which is presented to outstanding high school seniors who demonstrate musicianship, creativity, leadership, and community involvement. Growing up in Mendham, NJ1, Wagner studied at William Paterson University with the renowned trumpeter Jeremy Pelt. He has performed at notable venues such as Birdland and has been recognized as a dedicated and inspiring musician in the jazz community.

Mecadon McCune, a talented drummer from New Jersey, has been awarded the prestigious James Moody Jazz Scholarship in 2023. This scholarship is named after the late jazz saxophonist and composer James Moody, who was known for his contributions to the world of jazz music. McCune has been playing drums since he was just six years old. He started out by tapping on pots and pans in the kitchen and quickly fell in love with the instrument. His passion for jazz music has only grown over the years, and he has dedicated countless hours to honing his craft. McCune is continuing his jazz studies at Montclair State University, studying under jazz instructors Alvester Garnett and Billy Hart. His dedication to the art of jazz drumming has earned him recognition and respect in the music community.

Reyner Perez is a talented trombone player who won the James Moody Jazz Scholarship for New Jersey in 2020. This scholarship recognizes outstanding high school seniors with exceptional musicianship, creativity, leadership, and community involvement. Perez, originally from New Jersey, has made significant contributions to the jazz community with his trombone skills. His dedication and passion have set him apart as an inspiring figure in the jazz world. Part of his recognition includes performing at 1st James Moody Scholars Performance at Blanchard Mansion in South Orange, NJ along with many other notable events and venues, He is like others continuing to honor the legacy of the legendary jazz musician James Moody.

Alex De Lazzari – Originally from Italy but growing up in the Washington D.C. area, saxophonist, multi-instrumentalist, and composer Alex De Lazzari first picked up the saxophone at age 12. Shortly after hearing a few John Coltrane records he was hooked and began delving deeper into jazz, winning awards and competitions while still in high school. Alex made the move to the New York City area in 2017 to attend the renowned jazz program at William Paterson University, where he studied under jazz greats such as Mike LeDonne, Bill Charlap, Vincent Herring, Rich Perry, and the late great Harold Mabern. Over the past number of years, Alex has established himself as one of the strongest young voices on the tenor saxophone today. He has performed at countless venues along the east coast and overseas, such as the Umbria Jazz Festival, Dizzy’s Club, Smalls Jazz club, and the Blue Note in New York City, among other places. Alex now keeps up a busy schedule of performing and educating in the New York City area, while pursuing a Master’s degree in jazz performance.

Digba Ogunbiyi is a Nigerian Jazz musician from Lagos, Nigeria. He gained his first musical experiences in his parent’s local church where he was active in the choir from an early age.  Digba completed his Diploma at the Peter king college of Music in 2011 and obtained a Doctorate degree from the Eastman School of Music in 2024.  Since his move to the United states in 2017, the Nigerian Jazz pianist and composer Digba Ogunbiyi is slowly becoming a household name in the jazz community in the NJ/NY area. For Digba, a composer, performer and educator who has delved deeply into the interactions between jazz and the Yoruba folk song, improvised music is not merely about playing the right notes, but as a means of self-exploration and a way of expressing his identity. His captivating performances 

takes the audience on a journey through different sonic worlds as he creatively combines west African nuances with jazz and classical musical elements.  

In 2020, Digba released his debut album titled Ade’digba. The album has been described as an exploration of Jazz and classical harmonies fused with West African musical elements.  Digba has performed in several festivals across the nation leading his quartet the Digba Ogunbiyi quartet and other times playing as a sideman. Some of these festivals includes the Rochester Jazz Festival, Count Basie celebration concert (Red Bank), Syracuse jazz festival etc. 

Paul Cuffari is a versatile musician, songwriter, and composer based in New York City. His work spans a wide range of genres, including Jazz, R&B, Indie Rock, Pop, and Film Scoring. Originally from Central New Jersey, Paul grew up in a musical household. His father played drums, while his mother and sister sang, leading to his first live collaborations in church performances with his family. Alongside the church band, he was shaped by the sounds of Led Zeppelin, Earth Wind & Fire, Chick Corea, Whitney Houston, and Natalie Cole. At just 19, Paul was honored to be hired as the bassist in the legendary Wallace Roney Quintet, and was the bassist on Roney’s final album. He is also grateful for the mentorship of renowned bassist Buster Williams, whose guidance has deeply impacted his musical journey. Paul earned a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Bass Performance and an MBA in Music and Entertainment Industries from William Paterson University.  In addition to his performance career, he is a dedicated music educator, teaching bass, piano, guitar, drums, songwriting, music theory, and production. He also provides music copyist and transcription services. Currently, Paul is the bassist for several recording artists in New York’s new music scene. In constant evolution, he’s excited to explore new possibilities and connect with his community.

James Moody Jazz Scholars

Gregory Burrus Productions collaborates with the James Moody Jazz Scholarship for New Jersey to celebrate and showcase the achievements of the James Moody Jazz Scholars since 2015. These celebrations often take place at the historic Blanchard Mansion in South Orange, NJ. Since 2015, the James Moody Jazz Scholars have been an integral part of these events, which include performances of jazz standards and original compositions.

Past Winners of the James Moody Jazz Scholarship for New Jersey

• 2015 Birsa Chatterjee – Tenor Saxophone
• 2016 Iyonna Herbert – Drums
• 2017 Andrew Wagner – Trumpet
• 2018 Caelan Cardello – Piano
• 2019 Jalin Shiver – Alto Saxophone
• 2020 Rayner Perez – Trombone
• 2021 Paul Reinhold – Electric & Acoustic Bass
• 2022 Ryoma Takenaga – Bass
• 2023 Mecadon McCune – Drums
• 2024 Alex Kavlakian  – Drums
  
  At these events, scholars come together to perform, celebrating their achievements and contributions to the jazz community. Their performances reflect the qualities promoted by the scholarship: musicianship, creativity, leadership, and community involvement.

Past James Moody Scholars Performances Produced by Gregory Burrus Productions

https://gregoryburrusproductions.com/2024/12/16/james-moody-scholars-performers

About Gregory Burrus Productions

Gregory Burrus Productions collaborates with the Linda Moody and the James Moody Jazz Scholars to celebrate and showcase the achievements of the James Moody Jazz Scholarship recipients. These celebrations often take place at unique and inviting locations.

The inaugural event was conducted at the historic Blanchard Mansion in South Orange, NJ, followed up by successive performances at the Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies Clements Place during he period of the TD Moody Jazz Festival.

Click t review past performances:

This year for 2025, the first performance produced by Gregory Burrus Productions will be at the Bradley Beach Jazz Festival. Thank you Amy Hall of Bradley Beach Tourism for your support.

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