For the first time in its 16 year run, Edgewater’s annual Arts & Music Festival will present a wide pallet of classic, contemporary and avant garde jazz, live on stage all afternoon on Sunday, September 9.

The free festival will again be located in the Shadyside section of Old River Road. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The event features a fine arts, crafts, sculpture and photography competition that is professionally juried, plus the popular People’s Choice category in which visitors to the festival cast their votes. The five Best of Show awards total $2,600.

The festival is Edgewater’s most popular cultural event and although jazz has been part of the free music entertainment, Arts Council President Neda Rose said this year’s focus is on all that jazz.

The line up includes James L. Dean’s Haledon based Big Band; Edgewater residents Curtis Lundy and Keith Loving; Teaneck’s Lauran Hooker; John di Martino and Belden Bullock.

CURTIS LUNDY recently returned from a European tour that included Italy, Belgium and the Jerusalem Jazz Festival, in Israel. He plays contrabass in a quartet with Anthony Wonsey, Lage Land and Jason Brown – accompanying his sister, renowned jazz singer Carmen Lundy. Carmen and Curtis have both entertained at previous Edgewater Arts Council events.

Lundy is best known for his work with jazz vocalist Betty Carter’s band, and for teaching students in her Jazz Ahead program. Notably, he has also performed and/or recorded with a who’s who of jazz, including Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Charlie Persip’s Big Band, The George Coleman Octet, Johnny Griffin, Freddy Hubbard, Pharoah Sanders, Louis Hayes, Sam Rivers, Dameronia, Kenny Washington, Geri Allen, Jack DeJohnette, Dave Holland — and long time partners Bobby Watson, Kenny Washington and John Hicks.

LAUREN HOOKER is a jazz singer and composer whose critically acclaimed CD, “Right Where I Belong,” was called “One of the standout vocal releases of this year” by All About Jazz – NY. Jazz Times compared her with Nancy Wilson and Shirley Horn. And All About Jazz – LA said, “Here’s a vocalist who is going to knock you off your chair.”

She has performed or recorded with some of the best in the business, including, Michael Cochrane, Bob Devos, John Hart, Vic Juris, Paul Meyers, Bill Moring, Steve Nelson, Ed Schuller, Warren Smith, Christopher Dean Sullivan, Frederick Waites, Bobby Watson, Reggie Workman, Mal Waldron – and with John DiMartino and Beldon Bullock, who accompany her at this event. (see below)

In addition to her performing and teaching career, Hooker is Artistic Director of Festival of Arts at Cedar Lane Cinemas, a project of the Puffin Cultural Forum. She also served as Production Manager and Grants Coordinator for the Teaneck Community Chorus and helped create the Teaneck Cultural Arts Coalition.

KEITH LOVING was a fine arts major (who has exhibited at the Edgewater Arts & Music Festival) before trading his brushes for a guitar. He has toured with Harry Belafonte, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Barry Manilow, The Gil Evans Orchestra, Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson. Also with his own bands. And with Gregory Hines bands.

Loving’s 20 year bond with Hines, as musician and friend, remains strong and he remembers the band as a family. At Edgewater’s Jazz on the Edge concert he will play to tracks laid down by that former band of brothers for a new CD to be called “Family Portrait.” He has already painted the cover and his son, Max Illidge – Loving, is producing the disc.

THE JAMES L. DEAN BIG BAND is well known and highly versatile, playing a wide variety of styles. Their concerts include contemporary jazz orchestra favorites and salutes to Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Stan Kenton, Boyd Rayburn and others.

Performers who have shared the stage with Dean bands include Sol Yaged, Rio Clemente, Billy Eckstein, Etta James, Nell Carter, Shirley Bassey, Jerry Vale, Marlene VerPlanck, Keaton Douglas, Claudio Roditi, George Coleman, Julie Budd, Spanky Davis, Joe Cocuzzo, Ronnie Zito, Bill Crow, Eddie Montiero, Jack Gale, Vinnie Correo and Johnny Bello.

JOHN DI MARTINO is a straight ahead jazz pianist who has performed in venues as disparate as Carnegie Hall and The People’s Republic of China. He recorded with Kenny Burrell, Pat Martino, James Moody and Eddie Gomez. He is also a sought after musical director and has accompanied Jon Hendricks, Diane Schuur and Billy Eckstine. His talent as an arranger and keyboardist can be heard on the new release from Grady Tate, “All Love,” on the Sony label.

Di Martino continues to enjoy a long association with percussionist – musicologist Bobby Sanabria. Their joint efforts include the Grammy nominated CD, “Live and in Clave,” on the Arabesque label; three instructional videos on Warner Bros. and numerous educational clinics and seminars. He is a long time member of Ray Barretto’s “New World Spirit,” and is featured pianist/arranger on several recordings including the Grammy nominated CD “Contact.” He has also recorded with Freddie Cole and legendary percussionist Patato Valdez. On the world beat scene, he works with Paquito D’Rivera, South African bassist Bakithi Kumalo and Giovanni Hidalgo.

BELDEN BULLOCK is an accomplished acoustic/electric bassist who was an ensemble professor at the Berkley College of Music until moving to New York. Now a regular performer at most of the top clubs throughout the tri-state area, he has performed with Lionel Hampton, Ahmad Jamal, Roy Haynes, Gloria Lynn, Ted Curson, Andrew Hill, James Spaulding and George Adams. He plays with recording artists Abdullah Ibrahim (Enja); Ralph Peterson Fo’tet (Evidence); The Oliver Lake Quintet (Black Saint) and The Jay Hoggard Group (Muse).