Jesus and Jazz Welcomes Bradford Hayes Trio w Radam Schwartz and Kahlil Kwame Bell at Mt Zion AME Millburn
December 6 @ 11:30 am – 1:00 pm EST
This Sunday, Jesus & Jazz at Mt. Zion AME welcomes the Bradford Hayes Trio — saxophonist Bradford Hayes, Hammond B3 organist Radam Schwartz, and percussionist Kahlil Kwame Bell — three Newark-area masters bringing straight-ahead jazz, organ groove, and percussion into the morning service.
Artist
About Bradford Hayes
Newark-based straight-ahead saxophonist Bradford Hayes has spent 30 years as a Newark public-school educator and has played with Jimmy Heath, Yusef Lateef, and Dr. Lonnie Smith. Gregory Burrus Productions has presented him at Jesus & Jazz and at Clement’s Place, where he came back by popular demand.
About Radam Schwartz
Hammond B3 organist and jazz pianist Radam Schwartz has built his reputation over more than 35 years playing with Arthur and Red Prysock, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Al Hibbler, David “Fathead” Newman, Russell Malone, and Cecil Brooks III. His recording Organized (Muse Records, 1995) is listed in the Hammond Organ Bible as one of the essential organ records of all time, and he has appeared on more than 40 recordings as a sideman and seven as a leader. A longtime jazz educator, he served as music director of the Jazz Institute of New Jersey for close to 20 years and directs the Rutgers-Newark Mosaic Jazz Ensemble.
About Kahlil Kwame Bell
Grammy-affiliated percussionist, composer, and arranger Kahlil Kwame Bell is a pioneer of the slappaphone, the nine-pitched tubular melodic instrument he has made his own in jazz. Born in the Bronx, he has played with Abbey Lincoln, Roberta Flack, Erykah Badu, Prince, Luther Vandross, Branford and Wynton Marsalis, and Bradford Hayes himself, and is credited on more than 150 recordings since 1989, with eight albums on his own label, including Gift of Forgiveness and Homeland.
About Laverne Williams
Laverne S. Williams, CSW, is Director of the Mental Health Association in New Jersey’s Promoting Emotional Wellness and Spirituality (PEWS) Program, which she founded in 2005, and a member of MHANJ’s Community Education Team. A certified social worker, she combines behavioral health with theology in pioneering work that helps faith-based communities break the stigma of mental illness, and she has brought the mental health message to past Jesus & Jazz services.
Mt Zion AME Millburn NJ
Rev. Eyesha K. Marable – Music Minister Phil Bingham – Programming Gregory Burrus
Rev. Eyesha K. Marable is an ordained Itinerant Elder in the AME Church and Pastor of Mt. Zion AME Church in Millburn, NJ. A pioneering leader in worship and liturgical dance, she founded the National Liturgical Dance Network and serves as Dance Coordinator for the AME Church’s 1st Episcopal District. She previously spent 14 years in ministry at the Greater Allen AME Cathedral of New York. Beyond the church, Rev. Marable is the Assistant Vice President of Community Engagement at NJPAC, where she leads arts, equity, and community partnership initiatives across Newark and the region. She holds degrees from NYU (B.A.), The New School (M.S. & Post‑Grad Certificate), and Drew University (M.Div.).
Phil Bingham is a New Jersey‑based pianist, conductor, educator, and music consultant whose career reflects a lifelong dedication to musical excellence, teaching, and spiritual leadership. Born in the Bronx, he began playing piano in church at just eight years old, developing an early fluency in gospel, classical, and later jazz. He studied at the High School of Music & Art and earned a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Nyack College, laying the foundation for a career that seamlessly blends performance, instruction, and mentorship. Over the decades, he has become widely respected not only as a gifted pianist but also as a thoughtful conductor, skilled arranger, and inspiring teacher whose work spans artistic, educational, and sacred music communities. His long tenure as Minister of Music Emeritus at Concord Baptist Church of Christ in Brooklyn underscores his deep commitment to intentional worship and spiritually grounded musical leadership.
A devoted student and close associate of jazz legend Barry Harris, Bingham serves as Vice President and founding board member of the Barry Harris Institute of Jazz, helping preserve and advance Harris’s influential harmonic methodology. He has taught at Jazz House Kids in Montclair and worked extensively as a teaching artist in New York City schools, nurturing young musicians and fostering meaningful musical experiences for diverse communities. His advanced piano workshops—especially at the Barry Harris Summer Intensive—are celebrated for their rigor, clarity, and compassion, with students praising his rare combination of exceptional musicianship and extraordinary humanity. Whether guiding pianists through bebop harmony, conducting choirs, or mentoring emerging artists, Phil Bingham continues to shape the region’s musical landscape with wisdom, integrity, and a lifelong commitment to artistic excellence.
Gregory Burrus is a New Jersey–based live music ambassador, cultural producer, and community connector who produces and curates more than 300 music and arts events annually across the region. Known for his ability to unite audiences, artists, businesses, and municipalities, he has become one of the most active and trusted organizers in the state’s live‑music landscape. Gregory’s productions span jazz festivals, house‑music celebrations, street fairs, cultural showcases, and multi‑town collaborations that bring neighborhoods to life through rhythm, heritage, and shared experience. His work is defined by meticulous planning, strong partnerships, and a deep commitment to elevating both emerging and established artists while strengthening the cultural fabric of New Jersey communities.
As a live music ambassador, Gregory collaborates with a wide network of respected cultural, civic, and institutional partners whose support strengthens the impact of every event he produces. His work includes ongoing relationships with Mt. Zion AME Church, New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Rutgers Institute of Jazz Studies, Clements Place Jazz, Bradley Beach Tourism, Morris Museum, and multiple municipal arts, parks, and downtown organizations across New Jersey. These partnerships reflect the trust placed in Gregory’s ability to deliver polished, community‑centered programming that uplifts artists and engages audiences. By aligning sponsors, venues, cultural institutions, and neighborhood stakeholders, he builds credibility, expands reach, and ensures that each production stands on a foundation of strong collaboration and shared purpose.
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