Violin Virtuoso Headlines Innovative Jazz Performance

Acclaimed violinist Charisa The Violin Diva will headline an innovative performance combining musical excellence with mental wellness insights at Clement’s Place in Newark on June 28, 2025, as part of the North 2 Shore Festival. The event, titled “Jazz and Jamming — Improvising Life,” presents a unique format where musical improvisation serves as both entertainment and metaphor for navigating life’s challenges.

Curated and produced by Gregory Burrus Productions, the evening creates a distinctive fusion of concert experience and wellness workshop, bringing together elite musicianship with thoughtful discussion about resilience and adaptation in both musical and personal contexts.

Violin Virtuoso Transforms Classical Instrument

Charisa The Violin Diva, leader of Koka Strings, has established herself as an innovative presence in contemporary string performance through her ability to transform the violin from its classical associations into a versatile voice spanning jazz, rhythm and blues, and even hip-hop contexts. Her performances demonstrate extraordinary technical precision while maintaining emotional expressiveness that transcends genre boundaries.

“Charisa represents this remarkable evolution in string performance where classical training meets contemporary sensibility,” said festival artistic director Thomas Klein. “She approaches the violin with such versatility and vision that audiences experience the instrument in completely new contexts, whether she’s performing soul standards or interpreting hip-hop through her distinctive string voice.”

According to North 2 Shore Festival organizers, her bow “dances across strings with electrifying precision, blending classical training with contemporary passion to create a sound uniquely her own.” This distinctive approach has earned her recognition across diverse musical communities and enables her to serve as an ideal artist for an event exploring connections between musical and life improvisation.

Mental Health Professionals Join Musical Conversation

Between musical selections, the evening incorporates insights from the Mental Health Players of New Jersey, creating thoughtful connections between musical improvisation and strategies for navigating life’s unexpected challenges. These interludes transform a traditional concert into a more holistic experience addressing both artistic and personal development.

“The parallels between jazz improvisation and life skills are remarkably rich,” explained Sarah Thompson, community engagement coordinator. “Both require deep listening, adaptability, creativity within structure, and the courage to create something new in the moment. This event makes those connections explicit in ways that enhance both the musical experience and personal resilience.”

The Mental Health Players bring substantial expertise in translating clinical insights into accessible, engaging public presentations. Their participation creates meaningful context for Charisa’s performances while providing attendees with practical strategies they can apply in their own lives.

Historic Clement’s Place Provides Intimate Setting

Clement’s Place, located in Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall at Rutgers University’s Newark campus, provides an intimate jazz setting with significant historical resonance. The venue honors the legacy of Newark jazz legend Clement Price while creating space for both established performers and emerging talent to connect with appreciative audiences.

“Clement’s Place captures the essence of Newark’s rich jazz tradition while remaining thoroughly contemporary in its programming approach,” noted venue director Robert Washington. “It’s exactly the right setting for an event that honors musical tradition while exploring new possibilities in performance format and audience engagement.”

The venue’s connection to Rutgers University creates natural synergies with academic perspectives on both music and mental health, enhancing the interdisciplinary nature of the event. Its intimate scale ensures that audience members can fully engage with both the musical performances and discussion segments in an environment that encourages active participation.

Gregory Burrus Productions Continues Innovative Programming

The event’s curator and producer, Gregory Burrus Productions, has established a reputation for creating musical experiences that transcend conventional concert formats. Through thoughtful programming that connects diverse artistic traditions with broader social and personal themes, Burrus has developed a distinctive approach to performance curation that resonates with contemporary audiences.

“Gregory has this remarkable ability to see connections between seemingly disparate elements and bring them together in ways that create genuinely transformative experiences,” said Maria Sanchez, festival director. “His productions honor musical excellence while recognizing that great art can serve as a vehicle for deeper understanding of ourselves and our communities.”

According to New Jersey Stage, this approach aligns perfectly with the North 2 Shore Festival’s mission of creating cultural experiences that engage communities on multiple levels. The festival’s Community Arts Awards initiative has provided support for innovative local programming that might not otherwise reach broader audiences.

North 2 Shore Festival Highlights Newark’s Jazz Legacy

The “Jazz and Jamming” event forms part of the broader North 2 Shore Festival, running from June 14-29 across Asbury Park, Newark, and Atlantic City. Newark’s programming particularly emphasizes the city’s significant jazz heritage while connecting historical traditions with contemporary innovations.

“Newark’s jazz legacy represents one of the city’s most significant cultural contributions,” noted Klein. “Events like this honor that tradition while demonstrating its continued evolution and relevance through artists who are extending the music in new directions while maintaining connections to its essential qualities.”

The festival creates multiple access points for experiencing jazz across different contexts, from major concert hall performances to intimate club settings like Clement’s Place. This comprehensive approach ensures that audiences can engage with the music regardless of prior familiarity or experience.

Ticket Information and Event Details

The “Jazz and Jamming” event begins at 9:00 PM on Saturday, June 28, at Clement’s Place, located in Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall at Rutgers University, 15 Washington Street in Newark. Tickets are available through the North 2 Shore Festival website and at the venue, priced at $25 general admission and $15 for students with valid ID.

The venue offers convenient access via public transportation, including connections to Newark Penn Station and Newark Broad Street Station. Limited parking is available in nearby garages and lots for those traveling by car.

Additional information about this and other North 2 Shore Festival events can be found on the festival’s official website, which includes comprehensive details about performances across all three host cities during the two-week celebration.