Flemington DIY is honored and excited to bring more and more live jazz to our space in Hunterdon County. Upcoming line ups feature some familiar acts as well as some up-and-comers, all conveniently performing in downtown Flemington, New Jersey. We are big believers that you shouldn’t have to trek to the city to enjoy quality jazz – so join us! As always, all shows are all ages (no alcohol permitted inside).
>>>Announcing COOL CAT JAZZ DEAL!
Become a COOL CAT CARDHOLDER when you purchase 6 or 12 tickets to Flemington DIY’s 2025 Jazz Series. Not only will you support the artists and the space, but you will save money! And in this economy, that’s hard to beat, especially for quality jazz performances. If you’re a DIY Member, you will save even more. WOW! We will mail you an exclusive laminated punch card to present at any jazz show(s) of your choice in 2025. Great for a gift or a treat for yourself!
January 17: Nate Tota Quartet
Nate Tota is an up and coming saxophonist and composer from Clinton, New Jersey. He has appeared across NJ, NY, PA, CT, and beyond, playing as a bandleader and as a sideman in a variety of styles from Jazz to Pop and Ska. Nate has appeared Chris’s Jazz Cafe, Vic’s Jazz Loft, and is a regular at the Space Lounge in New Brunswick. His style draws from a variety of influences, both old and new, including Lester Young, Phil Woods, and Braxton Cook. He is currently studying at William Paterson University under Vincent Herring.
The Nate Tota Quartet includes: Nate Tota on saxophone, Isaac Felix, guitar, Killian Winn playing bass, and Jackson Bernstein on drums. They play a tasteful mix of original music, jazz standards, and modern classics.
Doors 7:30pm, Music 8pm. Tickets: $15 advance // $20 door // 15% off for Members!
January 25: Winard Harper & Jeli Posse
Featuring Winard Harper (drums), Ted Chubb (trumpet), Anthony Ware (saxophone), Charlie Sigler (guitar), Anthony Perez (bass), and Nicholas Masters (piano) with Megha Vadehra tap dancing.
Constantly in reverence of his predecessors while remaining innovative in his own right, Harper has been among the celebrated drummers in jazz for many years. He is a virtuoso on the drum set and the balafon, the West African equivalent of the marimba, he is a sought after collaborator at home and abroad, a band leader of his quartet, his quintet and his exciting band the Jeli Posse, a regular with the legendary New York clubs, an educator of future jazz professionals, an educator through his kids programs, an events organizer – successfully running the weekly Fish Fry Jazz Jam and the Sunday “Meet the Artist” Series at Moore’s Lounge in Jersey City. Bringing Jazz to the community from which it originated, relating the story of The Great American Art Form, the only music that is 100% “made in America”, spreading the joy that Jazz brings is the quest to which Winard Harper is dedicating himself.
Doors 7:30pm, Music 8pm. Tickets: $18 advance // $22 door // 15% off for Members!
February 22: Marel Hidalgo Quartet
w/Joe Peterson, Joe Brown Jr., and Radam Schwartz
Marel Hidalgo is a sixteen-year-old guitarist from Bradley Beach, New Jersey. He began learning music at the age of four, under the instruction of guitar teacher Jerry Franklin at Big Beat Music Studio in Neptune City and within a few months, he had his first presentation as a guest of a renowned reggae artist, Tim P-Dub.
At the age of six, Marel formed his first band “Marel Hidalgo & Friends,” a unique multicultural and multi-generational project that explored a wide variety of music genres, including classic rock, soul, blues, funk, reggae, country, bluegrass and Latin jazz. After his band’s debut in a packed local venue, Marel started building a name in the Jersey Shore music scene, and continued performing in numerous festivals and venues in the tri-state area such as The New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark, “Art All Night” and “The Levitt Amp Music Series” in Trenton, “South Mountain International Blues Festival” in West Orange, the “Camden Jam Arts and Music Festival” in Camden, the “MAC Fest” in East Orange, Marel has also played at the The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music in New York and The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio. Marel has been continuing his career in the jazz guitar world playing in the style Joe Pass, Johnny Smith, Ernest Ranglin and Jimmy Ponder also reinventing standards completely unaccompanied on the guitar, and playing in venues such as the City Winery in Pittsburgh. Marel has been featured in multiple newspaper articles and TV interviews and performances including The USA Today, Scholastic News and The Harry Connick Jr. Talk Show.
Doors 7:30pm, Music 8pm. Tickets: $18 advance // $22 door // 15% off for Members!
March 16: Sasha Berliner Quintet
w/Alonzo Demetrius, Taylor Eigsti, Ben Williams, and Jongkuk Kim
Sasha Berliner is a musician, composer, producer, and band leader from San Francisco, CA. A rock drummer turned vibraphonist, Sasha was first introduced to the instrument through her high school Oakland School for the Arts as part of the jazz program. While she had multi-faceted interests throughout her adolescence that spanned academia and the arts, the vibraphone swept the lead in becoming her life passion.
In addition to performing with her own band, her recent notable performances and recordings have been with musicians such as Tyshawn Sorey, Nicholas Payton, Christian McBride, and Cecile Mclorin Salvant. She is an endorsing artist for Marimba One and Vater Drumsticks. She has been a guest lecturer at esteemed universities and programs like University of Champaign-Illinois, UC San Diego, Stanford Jazz Workshop, and Berklee College of Music, and is currently a Professor of Jazz and Jazz Composition at UC Irvine.
Doors 7:30pm, Music 8pm. Tickets: $18 advance // $22 door // 15% off for Members!
April 19: Olli Soikkeli NY Trio
w/Paul Sikivie and Ben Zweig
Born in Nurmes, Finland and based in NYC, Soikkeli was introduced to the music of great Django Reinhardt and Gypsy Jazz, which has been his primary focus since. Olli played in jazz clubs and festivals across Finland, and toured Europe with Sinti Guitarist Paulus Schäfer. While still young, he’s already played with notable artists such as Bucky Pizzarelli, Stochelo Rosenberg, Tommy Emmanuel, Andreas Öberg, Cyrille Aimee, Antti Sarpila and Marian Petrescu.
After moving to New York City in 2014, Olli has played legendary venues such as Town Hall, Herbst Theatre, Birdland Jazz Club, Blue Note, Iridium and the Lincoln Center.
Doors 7:30pm, Music 8pm. Tickets: $18 advance // $22 door // 15% off for Members!
May 17: Heyman
Michael Hudson-Casanova w/Mike Lorenz, Matt Scarano, and Sandy Eldred
HeyMan explores a vast sonic territory of jazz and improvised music. This is a band of innovative improvisers who are all accomplished individuals and long-time musical partners. Michael Hudson-Casanova’s compositions have been praised for being “complex and nuanced, inventive and accessible.” While Hudson-Casanova now leads this band from his permanent musical home-base in Chicago, all of these musicians spend a great deal of time on the Philadelphia music scene, not to mention touring the country with other renowned musical acts.
Mike Lorenz hails from Bethlehem, PA. For over a decade, Mike has kept a busy schedule as a freelancing performer and educator, leading his trio/quartet in performances up and down the Northeast Corridor on many festivals and club stages.
Matt Scarano is a drummer, composer, and educator living in Philadelphia, PA. Over the years he has established himself as one of the Philadelphia region’s most sought after drummers for both live and studio performance in a wide variety of styles. Matt has performed throughout the world, sharing the stage with numerous world-class musicians and artists including Chris Brubeck, Time For Three, Ben Schachter, Matisyahu, Dick Oatts, John Swana, Larry McKenna, and Dave Allen.
Sandy Eldred is an internationally acclaimed bassist, composer, producer, and music educator residing in Philadelphia, PA. He is known for his inventiveness and command across music genres. Eldred is the founder of record label, Each and Only, and is a recording artist for Ukrainian record label, LabelWhoAble.
Doors 7:30pm, Music 8pm. Tickets: $18 advance // $22 door // 15% off for Members!
Flemington DIY jazz is supported by New Brunswick Jazz Project
Past Jazz
