Saturday April 23rd
Smooth Vocals. R&B and All that Jazz – 8PM
Maysa Leak (Deep Waters) brings her extraordinary 8-piece ensemble to the Woodland for a rare New Jersey performance. Her honey-toned vocals have won her three # 1 albums on Billboards Top 100 Adult Contemporary charts as well as a Grammy nomination, and the prestigious Soul Train Centric award.
Opening the show is award-winning flutist Alexander Zonjic (Motor City Sway) with his band that features the incredible keyboardist James Lloyd of the famed Pieces of a Dream and introducing violin phenom Evan Garr. Just 13 miles from Manhattan, The Woodland is easily accessible from New York’s Penn Station door to door in only 39 minutes on NJ Transit (Dover line) Mid-Town Express.
Maysa Leak
Maysa, the former backup singer in Stevie Wonder’s female group Wonderlove, quickly made the leap to lead singer in the British mega group Incognito. Now with 14 highly charted solo albums, this Grammy Nominee, and Soul Train “CENTRIC” award winner will release her 2022 “Music for Soul” album this summer. Maysa, who has performed for Machelle Obama, has distinguished herself as a vocalist in the Jazz and R&B worlds.
James Lloyd
Master keyboardist James Lloyd is founder, and current member of the internationally acclaimed Contemporary Jazz and R&B super group Pieces of a Dream. James has performed and co-produced 20 albums with the group on Electra and Shanachie labels. He currently has released his first solo album on the Schanachie label entitled “Here We Go”. James transforms his “George Duke- like” energy into a unique dynamic of his own, sure to be one of many highlights in the show.
Alexander Zonjic
Discovered by Bob James, leader of the group Fourplay, Alexander Zonjic has released 12 solo albums, served as morning drive host for the long time Smooth Jazz station WVMV Detroit, and currently hosts a half hour TV show that airs Sundays at 10PM on WADL TV-38. His latest 2020 release “Playing It Forward” enjoyed its first single “Motor City Sway”, an infectious R&B groove, was the most added on the Billboard charts. The album was produced by 2019 Grammy winner Jeff Lorber.
Meet and greet Maysa, James, and Alexander, and enjoy a glass of wine at the JESPY House wine bar after the show in the upstairs Woodland Parlor.
OPEN WINE BAR TO BENEFIT JESPY HOUSE
The South Orange-based nonprofit JESPY House, which supports adults with Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, will be providing a wine bar in the second floor Parlor, where the meet and greet and merchandise sales will also take place. $20 access to VIP area to support Jespy House includes open wine bar.
