NEWARK, NJ — Celebrating the heart-pumping, foot-stomping soul of New Orleans are two of today’s leading artists: trombonist Trombone Shorty and his acclaimed brass band Orleans Avenue graced by the vocals of Grammy Lifetime Achievement Winner Mavis Staples. Together they unite on the iconic stage at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) on Friday, October 23, 2026, at 8:00 p.m., in a highly anticipated one-night only concert.
Breathing new life into the brass band tradition, Trombone Shorty’s sound swirls together funk, rock, blues, jazzy improvisational genius and all the joyful swagger of hip hop. This year, the GRAMMY® winner received a fifth nomination for his exhilarating album Second Line Sunday. Wherever he performs — the White House, the Super Bowl, MSG, even Sesame Street — New Orleans is in the house!
Mavis Staples is a national treasure. And she’s unstoppable! In 2026, the R&B and gospel powerhouse added two more GRAMMY® Awards to her shelf, thanks to her 15th solo album, Sad and Beautiful World.
Tickets are no now sale and can be purchased by visiting NJPAC.org or calling 888.GO.NJPAC (888.466.5722) or by visiting the NJPAC Box Office at 1 Center Street, Newark, New Jersey.
About Trombone Shorty
Born Troy Andrews, Trombone Shorty got his start (and nickname) earlier than most: at four, he made his first appearance at Jazz Fest performing with Bo Diddley; at six, he was leading his own brass band; and by his teenage years, he was hired by Lenny Kravitz to join the band he assembled for his Electric Church World Tour. Shorty’s proven he’s more than just a horn player, though. Catch a gig, open the pages of the New York Times or Vanity Fair, flip on any late-night or morning TV show and you’ll see an undeniable star with utterly magnetic charisma, a natural-born showman who can command an audience with the best of them.
Since 2010, he’s released five chart topping studio albums (his most recent being 2022’s Lifted); toured with everyone from Jeff Beck to the Red Hot Chili Peppers; collaborated across genres with Pharrell, Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson, Foo Fighters, ZHU, Zac Brown, Normani, Ringo Starr, and countless more; played Coachella, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Newport Folk, Newport Jazz, and nearly every other major festival; performed four times at the GRAMMY Awards, six times at the White House, on dozens of TV shows, and at the star-studded Sesame Street Gala, where he was honored with his own Muppet; launched the Trombone Shorty Foundation to support youth music education; and received the prestigious Caldecott Honor for his first children’s book.
Meanwhile in New Orleans, Shorty now leads his own Mardi Gras parade atop a giant float crafted in his likeness, hosts the annual Treme Threauxdown shows that have drawn guests including Usher, Nick Jonas, Dierks Bentley, Andra Day, and Leon Bridges to sit in with his band, and has taken over the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival’s hallowed final set, which has seen him closing out the internationally renowned gathering after performances by the likes of Neil Young, the Black Keys, and Kings of Leon.
In addition to touring across the globe nearly year-round, Trombone Shorty has started a very special tradition: a cultural exchange trip to Cuba with his Trombone Shorty Foundation. The fourth trip of his kind took place in January of 2025, and included an ever-expanding group of special guest artists who joined Shorty and his Foundation to host workshops and play concerts in Cuba over 5 days, as well as nearly 100 students. These exchange programs have previously been featured on NPR and CBS Mornings.
About Mavis Staples
Mavis Staples is one of America’s most enduring musical figures. Now 86, Mavis has been performing since the age of eight. Beginning with her father Roebuck “Pops” Staples and her siblings in The Staple Singers, she remains the group’s last surviving member—still carrying her family’s legacy of music and activism. Inducted into the Blues, Rock, and Gospel Halls of Fame, a Kennedy Center Honoree, and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Mavis has collaborated with Dylan, Prince, Aretha, Willie, and countless artists across generations.
After more than 70 years, Mavis remains one of the most recognizable and revered voices in music—an artist whose moral authority and musical artistry are inseparable. She lived through the Jim Crow South, marched for freedom, sang for Dr. King, and helped shape the soundtrack of the civil rights movement.
Though she once considered retiring, Mavis still tours and records, returning to festivals like Newport Folk, where younger artists kneel before her in reverence. But she’s not waiting to be worshipped—she’s too busy leading the charge. Still evolving, still believing, still singing the truth: Mavis Staples is making music and history just when we need her most.
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About NJPAC
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), a nonprofit arts organization, is a collaborative leader in Newark’s cultural and civic life, a catalyst of the city’s revitalization and a champion of its artistic spirit. The Arts Center produces and presents world-class performances by music, dance, spoken word poetry and comedy artists, and hosts insightful conversations with creators and changemakers, on its own stages and in venues across the region. Through real estate development, NJPAC advances Newark’s economic growth and cultural vitality. In addition, the Arts Center collaborates with local partners to deliver social impact initiatives that nurture the well-being and creativity of the communities it serves. These offerings include arts education and career development opportunities for students and educators, programs that support community health and well-being through the arts and free creative experiences in neighborhoods across Newark and throughout the state. NJPAC has attracted more than 12 million visitors (including more than two million children) since opening its doors in 1997. Visit njpac.org for more information.