Dion Parson

09/12/2026

What a lineup! 🎶🔥 A full afternoon of outstanding jazz leading up to Dion Parson & 21st Century Band closing the festival at 7 PM!

1 PM — NJPAC TD Jazz for Teens / Mark Gross
2 PM — Jaleel Shaw Trio
3 PM — Montclair State University Jazz Ensemble / Oscar Perez
4 PM — Freddie Hendrix Experience & Fellowship
5 PM — Joe Locke — Songs & Stories / Solo Vibes
6 PM — The Antoinette Montague Experience
7 PM — Dion Parson & 21st Century Band 🌴🥁

Great company. Great music. One incredible day of jazz.

09/12/2026

09/12/2026

🎶 WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY - WE’RE COMING! 🥁🌴

On Saturday, September 19th, Dion Parson & 21st Century Band will close the 19th Annual OSPAC West Orange Jazz Festival:

A very special year celebrating the 25th Anniversary of OSPAC and the Grand Re-opening of the newly renovated Performing Arts Center with host Monifa Brown!

And at 7:00 PM, we’re bringing THE CARIBBEAN SOUND to the stage.

🥁 Dion Parson — Drums
🎷 Ron Blake Music - Ron Blake — Saxophone
🎺 Lee Hogans — Trumpet
🎹 Yayoi Ikawa — Piano
🎸 Kenny Davis — Bass
🛢️ Victor Provost Music - Victor Provost — Steel Pan
🪘 Alioune Faye — Percussion / Sabar Drum

PBS calls it "High-energy, sophisticated Caribbean jazz.”

Rooted in the rhythms and musical traditions of the Caribbean, shaped through more than three decades of performing together, and constantly evolving, this is music that carries the sound of the Virgin Islands into the jazz of today.

Rooted in tradition. Refined through time. Defining today’s sound.

🌴 DION PARSON & 21ST CENTURY BAND
THE CARIBBEAN SOUND

📅 Saturday, September 19, 2026
📍 19th Annual OSPAC West Orange Jazz Festival
⏰ 7:00 PM — Festival Closing Performance

🎟️ TICKETS & SEATING - www.ospacjazzfest.org

$10 General Admission — Bring your lawn chair, find your favorite spot, and enjoy an afternoon and evening of incredible live jazz!

$20 Premium Seating — Want to be closer to the stage? Purchase a premium ticket online and a chair will be waiting for you in the reserved front section near the stage.

👥 Coming with a group? Special rates are available for groups of 20 or more.

Come early for a full afternoon of incredible jazz, and stay with us as we close the festival Caribbean style!

09/08/2026

A very Happy Belated Birthday to my brother and longtime friend, Ron Blake.

Some friendships are built through years of music, shared stages, conversations, laughter, growth, and simply doing life together. Ron, ours is one of those.

I may be a little late with the birthday post this year, but never late in recognizing how much I value you, not only as the extraordinary musician and artist you are, but as a friend and brother.

We have shared a lot of music and a lot of life over the years, and I’m grateful for every chapter, and looking forward to the ones still ahead.

Wishing you another year filled with great music, good health, inspiration, and all the things that make life meaningful.

Happy Birthday, brother. Much love always. 🎶❤️

09/08/2026

Eli Yamin is an internationally renowned pianist and composer, joining us this evening at 7PM on Sounds of the Diaspora.

As the co-founder and artistic director of Jazz Power Initiative, Yamin has spent over two decades transforming lives through jazz arts education, particularly within the African American and Latin American communities central to the genre's origins.

His distinguished career includes performances at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and the White House, alongside cultural diplomacy tours across more than twenty countries. A dedicated educator and Steinway Artist, Yamin has brought music education to over 9,000 youth, authored "So You Want to Sing the Blues," and received the American Academy of Teachers of Singing award for excellence in jazz education.

Don’t miss this one - tune in at The SORC TVRadio Network - 7PM EST!

08/31/2026

🥁🥁🥁
Tuesday night at 7PM - Renowned jazz drummer Nasar Abadey on Sounds of the Diaspora!

Abadey has shaped the genre by blending avant-garde and classic jazz elements. His extensive career includes serving as a musical ambassador for the US State Department, performing alongside jazz legends, and teaching at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University.

Tune in at The SORC TVRadio Network at 7PM!

08/25/2026

🎶 TONIGHT 🎶
Sounds of the Diaspora Music and Talk Show features Richie Goods - a world-class jazz, funk, and rock bassist, composer, and producer who was the youngest person ever inducted into the Pittsburgh Jazz Hall of Fame.

After graduating from the Berklee College of Music and studying under legends Ron Carter and Ray Brown, he spent nine years touring with mentor Mulgrew Miller. This launched a prolific career recording and touring with icons like Whitney Houston, Christina Aguilera, Chris Botti, and the Headhunters, alongside contributing to Grammy-winning albums for Alicia Keys and Common. As a solo artist and rising producer, he leads The Goods Project and frequently collaborates with vibraphonist Chien Chien Lu, most recently on their album Connected.

Don’t miss out - tune in at 7PM EST over at The SORC TVRadio Network.

08/17/2026

Tuesday’s special guest on Sounds of the Diaspora Music and Talk Show is Bickley Rivera, an award-winning steelpannist and independent world music artist celebrating over three decades of global artistry. Blending reggae, chill, and world music, her catalog features 4 albums and 57 songs that have reached the Billboard charts, international radio, and national television on The Weather Channel. Formally trained from age five, Rivera transitioned from classical piano and pop keyboards to the steel pan, pioneering a signature "magnetic magic" sound. She has collaborated with legendary musicians, arranged theater productions, and competed in Trinidad's prestigious International Panorama.

Tune in tomorrow at 7PM EST for Sounds of the Diaspora : The SORC TVRadio Network!

08/11/2026

🎶🎶🎶
Arturo Tappin is a masterful saxophonist and Musical Director whose unforgettable live sets, unique sound and his contributions to the musical movement in the Caribbean, earned him the prestigious Award of Excellence in the Arts. He continues to inspire audiences worldwide and is celebrated for his immense impact on on the Jazz community within the Caribbean.

Don’t miss out on Sounds of the Diaspora Music and Talk Show - 7PM tonight over at The SORC TVRadio Network!