Sparky J's

Last updated

Sparky J's, previously known as the Cadillac Club, [1] was a popular jazz club in downtown Newark, New Jersey. [2] Sparky J's often featured soul jazz or funky jazz best exemplified by the organ combo, a band usually consisting of a Hammond B-3 organist, a saxophonist, a drummer, and a guitarist. [3] The club was located in downtown Newark, on the corner of Halsey and William streets. [4] This area known locally as the "Jazz Corner of the World" in the 70s because it contained two jazz clubs: Spark J's and Key Club. [3] Both clubs closed in the 1970s, [5] and they were the last full-time jazz clubs in the area at the time of closing. [6] While Key Club was free entry, Sparky J's charged admission. [7]

Contents

In the 1990s, the Newark Jazz Festival held annual Organ Jams, which were also known as "The Key Club and Sparky J's Reunion", which featured bands that played soul jazz as they did in the 70s. [8] Many of the same musicians that played in the 70s played in these Festivals. Proceeds from the organ jam benefited the Black United Fund of New Jersey. [9]

It was one of the jazz clubs featured on the "A Tribute to Newark Jazz Clubs" painting, a large-scale outdoor mural in Newark completed in 2013. [10]

Musicians and bands

Below is a selected list of musicians and band who played at least once at Sparky J's:

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newark, New Jersey</span> Largest city in New Jersey

Newark is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 311,549, an increase of 34,409 (+12.4%) from the 2010 census count of 277,140, which in turn reflected an increase of 3,594 (+1.3%) from the 273,546 counted in the 2000 census. The Population Estimates Program calculated a population of 305,344 for 2022, making it the 66th-most populous municipality in the nation. Newark is a principal city of the Greater New York metropolitan area.

The American state of New Jersey is located in the Northeastern United States and is part of the Mid-Atlantic region.

<i>The Star-Ledger</i> New Jersey newspaper

The Star-Ledger is the largest circulation newspaper in New Jersey. It is based in Newark, New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cendant</span> Defunct American company

Cendant Corporation was an American provider of business and consumer services, primarily within the real estate and travel industries. In 2005 and 2006, it broke up and spun off or sold its constituent businesses. Although it was based in New York City, the majority of its headquarters employees were in Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey.

The Institute of Jazz Studies (IJS) is the largest and most comprehensive library and archives of jazz and jazz-related materials in the world. It is located on the fourth floor of the John Cotton Dana Library at Rutgers University–Newark in Newark, New Jersey. The archival collection contains more than 100,000 sound recordings on CDs, LPs, EPs, 78- and 75-rpm disks, and 6,000 books. It also houses over 30 instruments used by prominent jazz musicians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Morgan (musician)</span> American jazz saxophonist

Frank Morgan was a jazz saxophonist with a career spanning more than 50 years. He mainly played alto saxophone but also played soprano saxophone. He was known as a Charlie Parker successor who primarily played bebop and ballads.

Newark Arts High School is a four-year magnet public high school, serving students in Ninth through twelfth grades in Newark, in Essex County, New Jersey, United States, operating as part of the Newark Public Schools. The school is located in the University Heights section of Newark. Starting in 2011-12, the 7th graders of William Brown Academy were housed there as its venue was being built.

<i>The Spin</i> 1989 studio album by Yellowjackets

The Spin is an album by the American jazz band Yellowjackets, released in 1989. The album title refers to the Earth's rotation. The band supported the album with a North American tour.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newark Symphony Hall</span> United States historic place

Newark Symphony Hall is a performing arts center located at 1020 Broad Street in Newark, New Jersey. Built in 1925, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. It was known for many years as The Mosque Theater, and is the former home of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, New Jersey State Opera and the New Jersey Ballet Company.

The McDonald's Gospelfest is an annual gospel music festival, talent competition, and fundraiser in Newark, New Jersey. The event, inaugurated in 1983, and sponsored by McDonald's, takes place in spring and has been held at the Prudential Center since 2008. The closing night contest and ceremony is produced, directed, and hosted by A. Curtis Farrow. The event, which can take several hours, has been recorded and broadcast variously on WABC-TV and WWOR-TV. Involving more than a thousand performers, it has been described as the "largest collection of gospel talent ever assembled" and the "most spectacular gospel celebration in the nation". The event is followed up by McDonald's Inspiration Celebration which makes a national tour.

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Newark, New Jersey, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Newark mayoral election</span>

The 2014 Newark mayoral election took place in Newark, the most populous city in New Jersey, on May 13, 2014. The race was characterized as a contest between two candidates, Ras Baraka and Shavar Jeffries, both from Newark's South Ward. Elections for all seats on the nine member Municipal Council of Newark also took place. Luis A. Quintana, who had become Mayor of Newark following the resignation of Cory Booker, did not seek the seat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fort Lee lane closure scandal</span> Scandal involving the closure of lanes leading to the George Washington Bridge

The Fort Lee lane closure scandal, better known as Bridgegate, was a political scandal in the U.S. state of New Jersey in 2013 and 2014. It involved a staff member and political appointees of then-governor Chris Christie colluding to create traffic jams in Fort Lee, New Jersey by closing lanes at the main toll plaza for the upper level of the George Washington Bridge.

The Key Club was a jazz club in Newark, New Jersey. It closed in the 1970s, along with other jazz clubs on Halsey Street, such as Sparky J's.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guy Sterling</span> American journalist, author and historian

Guy Sterling is an American journalist, author and historian. He spent most of his 35-year newspaper career as a reporter with The Star-Ledger in Newark, New Jersey, primarily covering the courts and criminal justice matters, the Meadowlands sports complex and the New Jersey Mafia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Halsey Street (Newark)</span>

Halsey Street is a north-south street in Downtown Newark, New Jersey, which runs between and parallel to Broad Street and Washington Street. It passes through the city's four historic districts: James Street Commons-Washington Park at the north, the abutting Military Park and Four Corners and, after a two block break, Lincoln Park at the south.

<i>Rhythm People (The Resurrection of Creative Black Civilization)</i> 1990 studio album by Steve Coleman

Rhythm People (The Resurrection of Creative Black Civilization) is an album by the American saxophonist Steve Coleman, released in 1990. He is credited with his band, the Five Elements.

References

  1. ↑ Gourse, Leslie (5 August 2009). Sassy: The Life of Sarah Vaughan. Da Capo Press, Incorporated. p. 67. ISBN   978-0-7867-5114-3.
  2. ↑ William R. Bauer (1 March 2003). Open the Door: The Life and Music of Betty Carter. University of Michigan Press. p. 69. ISBN   0-472-06791-5.
  3. 1 2 George, Kanzler. "Newark Celebrating '70s Nightclub Scene." Star-Ledger, The (Newark, NJ) 22 Nov. 1992: NewsBank - Archives. Web. 18 Aug. 2014.
  4. ↑ Venutolo, Anthony (1 December 2007). "Celebrating a jazz legend". NJ.com. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  5. ↑ Sterling, Guy (28 September 2003). "Jazztown USA For generations, Newark was a musical mecca". NJ.com. Retrieved 17 August 2014.
  6. ↑ GEORGE, KANZLER. "Three Courses of Newark Jazz Festival, Quite Heavy on the Jazz." Star-Ledger, The (Newark, NJ) 21 Nov. 1995: NewsBank - Archives. Web. 18 Aug. 2014.
  7. 1 2 Barbara, Kukla. "Hot jam: Benson returning for jazz fest's final event." Star-Ledger, The (Newark, NJ) 31 Oct. 1996: 1. NewsBank - Archives. Web. 18 Aug. 2014.
  8. ↑ George, Kanzler. "Newark Jazz Fest Sparks Club Revival in City." Star-Ledger, The (Newark, NJ) 21 Jan. 1993: NewsBank - Archives. Web. 18 Aug. 2014.
  9. ↑ George, Kanzler. "Jazz-Pop Gala, Organ Jam Highlight Newark Festival." Star-Ledger, The (Newark, NJ) 20 Nov. 1992: NewsBank - Archives. Web. 18 Aug. 2014.
  10. ↑ "'A Tribute to Newark Jazz Clubs' unveiled". Essex News Daily. Archived from the original on 31 August 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  11. 1 2 "Wynton Marsalis Brings Horn of Plenty to Venue that's Intimate, Note." Star-Ledger, The (Newark, NJ) 27 Jan. 1994: NewsBank - Archives. Web. 18 Aug. 2014.
  12. 1 2 Barbara, Kukla. "Friends recall joy of Etta Jones' music." Star-Ledger, The (Newark, NJ) 25 Oct. 2001: 1. NewsBank - Archives. Web. 18 Aug. 2014.
  13. 1 2 3 4 George, Kanzler. "Newark Ready to Host Second Annual Festival." Star-Ledger, The (Newark, NJ) 13 Sept. 1992: NewsBank - Archives. Web. 18 Aug. 2014.
  14. ↑ George Kanzler and Jay, Lustig. "Pop-Jazz 'Dream,' Baraka Series Sound Appealing." Star-Ledger, The (Newark, NJ) 07 Oct. 1993: NewsBank - Archives. Web. 18 Aug. 2014.
  15. ↑ George, Kanzler. "Newark Festival Celebrates Glory Days of Jazz." Star-Ledger, The (Newark, NJ) 26 Oct. 1993: NewsBank - Archives. Web. 18 Aug. 2014.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.