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To be considered for Buzzworthy , contact Cindy Schweich Handler at handler @ northjersey . com
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LOCAL MUSICIANS RECOGNI�ED AT ���� GRAMMY AWARDS
On March 1� , Montclair ’ s own CHRISTIAN M�BRIDE won a Grammy inthe Best Jazz Instrumental Album category for �rilogy � with Brian Blade and the late Chick Corea . McBride credited Corea on a�acebook post , saying “ The real truth iswhat Brian Blade and I�won ’ was the opportunity to play with Chick Corea in this trio for over 10 years .” McBride was also nominated �inthe same category �for Ro�nd�gain with Joshua Redman , Brad Mehldau and Blade .
The In Memoriam segment of the show featured several late Jersey musicians , including Ronald “ Khalis ” Bell of Jersey City , a founding member of Kool & the Gang and uncle of Hakim Bell �featured inthis issue on p . 1�� , and Montclair ’ s Adam Schlesinger , co-founder of�ountains of Wayne .
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MONTCLAIR THEATER SCENE REO�ENS
In March , �0�0 , after years ofschlepping to New York City theaters to put on productions , storing props and costumes at places like the Montclair Cooperative School , artistic director Janeece �reeman Clark signed alease for the second �oor space at 181 Bloomfield Ave . � this would behome to her �ANGUARD THEATER , which she founded in �015 .
COVID-19 has presented staggering complications since then , but fortunately for the Montclair performance scene , two state grants and a “ very generous ” donation from Lin Manuel-Miranda ’ s family foundation have saved the day . �Aheads-up from Montclair ’ s �vie Colbert , wife of Stephen Colbert and part of the Governor ’ s Restart & Recovery Commission , brought a��� , 500 grant from the New Jersey Arts & Culture Recovery �und toClark ’ s attention . � Renovations were recently completed , programs are coming back , and a grand opening event is scheduled for the weekend of June 5 . Vanguard ’ s mission is to create a cultural hub in Montclair ’ s diverse �ourth Ward community , with an emphasis on “ color-conscious ” casting , education and mentorship .
Coming as they did during renovations , the state funds , earmarked to make arts facilities COVIDsafe , have allowed the theater to install a state-ofthe-art HVAC system , anti-bacterial fogging machine , self-�ushing toilets and touchless faucets and soap dispensers . A�18,500 grant from the New Jersey state council on the arts goes to cleaning supplies , testing e�uipment and a COVID compliance officer .
MC�RIDE : RE�ECCA SA���GETTY IMAGES FOR T�E RECORDING ACADEMY ; T�EATER : COURTESY OF �ANGUARD T�EATER
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MAY 2021 MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE