“Nu Jazz” Artists Return to Bula Fridays
 New Bula owners Jackie and Ed Conrey continue to provide a hub for great food, art and culture in the heart of Sussex County, offering live music three nights a week. After a summer hiatus, on Friday September 12th the Bula Restaurant in Newton in collaboration with program coordinator, Karl Latham, will resume its position as the Northwest New Jersey hub for experiencing top level internationally acclaimed jazz artists. The “Nu Jazz” program will be in addition to Dan Hirschberg’s successful Saturday Night Singer/Songwriter Program and the Bula Thursday Open Mic Nights. The “Nu Jazz” program will feature many popular and critically acclaimed artists who regularly tour and perform on the international jazz scene, as well as many up and coming artists. The music will be predominantly electric, hip and funky modern Nu Jazz. Bula provides a wonderful opportunity for both jazz fans and students of jazz to hear and meet world class performers up close in a hip and intimate setting.
The September Bula line up features two up and coming jazz artists, Dezron Douglas and Zaccai Curtis. The program opens September 12th with Drummer Karl latham, guitarist John Hart and bassist Dezron Douglas who is the long time bassist with Cyrus Chestnut. September 19 international jazz star Mark Egan, winner of multiple Grammys, Platinum and Gold Records who has played with such luminaries as Sting, Joan Osborne, John McLaughlin, the Gil Evans Orchestra and Pat Metheny will return to Bula along with guitarist Jeff Ciampa and Karl Latham.
 On September 26 Zaccai Curtis will be making his Bula debut. Zaccai has been performing since the age of five. As a high school student, Zaccai earned many musical awards from festivals; was recognized by Downbeat as a top performer; and chosen as the pianist for the National Grammy Band small combo. Zaccai now focuses on leading his quartet headlining in Jazz Festivals such as San Jose, Oklahoma, and Hartford.They have traveled to Cuba twice to perform in the Havana jazz festival by invitation of Chucho Valdez. Zaccai performs with the Ralph Peterson septet and trio, Bill Saxton, Christian Scott, Brian Lynch, Sean Jones, Jimmy Greene, Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band, Papo Vasquez, Kendrick Oliver and the New Life Orchestra, and Donald Harrison Quintet. Zaccai was chosen as a winner of the ASCAP Young Jazz Composers competition five consecutive years through 2006. Twice Zaccai was selected by the U.S. State Department to be in the American Music Abroad (Jazz Ambassadors) program performing in Bangladesh, Calcutta, Bangalore, Mumbai, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. In 2007, Zaccai was awarded the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism's Artist Fellowship for original composition. In addition to Zaccai’s musical achievements he can be seen playing keyboards in a recent Volkswagen advertisement campaign along with Lenny Kravitz’ sidemen.
In October keyboardist Nick Rolfe will be making multiple appearances at Bula. Nick has performed with a who’s who of jazz and pop artists. Rolfe has performed with numerous jazz legends including: Frank Foster, Billy Harper, Buster Williams, Benny Golson, Winard Harper, actor/comedian Dave Chappelle, Slide Hampton, James Moody, Jimmy Heath, 2x Grammy Nominated Trumpeter Russell Gunn, T.S. Monk, Roy Hargrove, Amel Larrieux, soul singer Alison Crockett, Verve recording artist Lizz Wright, musician/poet/actor Malcolm-Jamal Warner, and currently tours with the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band. Rolfe currently co-stars with Academy Award winners Susan Sarandon and Ralph Fiennes in the February 2008 HBO Films release "Doris and Bernard" directed by Robert Balaban [2005]. Along with Nick Rolfe will be bass master Calvin Jones and drummer Karl Latham. October 3rd Bula will feature Tenor Saxophone great Don Braden. Downbeat Magazine favorite Dave Stryker will return to Bula October 10th.
 Bula is located at 134 Spring Street in Newton, NJ. The music sets are Fridays 7:30pm to 10:00pm. There is no cover charge but a food and beverage minimum is required on music evenings. Student discount is available. Bula is a B.Y.O.B.
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