Escape to Hear a Modern Jazz Master in Watchung

Each week, we’ll tell you about one great idea to give you a much deserved break, and make your life a little easier, maybe a whole lot easier.

This week, up your cultural intake with an evening of inventive music, courtesy of Watchung-native Kenny Werner and the Watchung Arts Center at 18 Stirling Road in Watchung.

Werner's book on jazz performance "Effortless Mastery–Liberating the Musician Within" has become a staple of teaching beyond his own department at New York University, where he is a faculty member. He was the recipient of a 2010 Guggenheim Fellowship Award for Music Composition for his work, “No Beginning, No End.”

Werner played at the Watchung Arts Center early in his career — then also shared the stage with jazz greats Charles Mingus, Archie Shepp, Rufus Reid, Bobby McFerrin, Marian McPartland, Toots Thielemans and Joe Lovano among many others, according to information from the Watchung Arts Center. He has also served as pianist, arranger, and musical director for the noted film, television and Broadway star, Betty Buckley.

All in all, Werner is recognized as one of modern jazz's most innovative pianists—Quincy Jones called his performance "Perfection," with "360 degrees of soul and science."

So what does Quincy Jones know? You decide: head to the WAC at 8 p.m. Saturday and find out what's behind the buzz. Tickets are $18 in advance, and $22 at the door—order yours online to save and be sure to get a good seat.