Last year, with music venues closed by the pandemic, Verona music teacher Max Morden invited some of his many musician friends to his front lawn to jam for a few hours, free of charge.
Though New Jersey’s limits on indoor gatherings were lifted earlier this month, Morden has decided that the music on his yard should stay. So he’s bringing back the Morden Music Manor on Mondays, beginning June 21 at 7 p.m. with a night of what he is calling “Brazilian Smoothie”–smooth jazz, funky and classic Brazilian. Among the musicians will be fellow Veronan Anders Bostrom, along with Craig Yaremko, Courtney Sappington, Belden Bullock, Matt King and Jonathon Peretz. “Musicians tend to not be as busy on Mondays,” Morden says.
Morden has some of the rest of the schedule roughed out. There will be a “SousaBration” on July 5 with the music of John Philip Sousa, “Max & Company” on July 12 playing music that Morden and his friends like, and “CubanoBop” with Latin jazz on July 19.
This year’s concerts will also be free and if you can’t get to Brookside Terrace between Linden and Woodland avenues in person, the first one will also be live-streamed through Morden’s personal Facebook page.
Photo by Sam Moqadam on Unsplash
