Despite the storms that rolled in, music triumphed Saturday at the 2023 Montclair Jazz Festival Downtown Jamboree! Stormy weather caused a pause in the festivities, but attendees and performers refused to let it dampen their spirits. After a few hours delay, the show went on, and devoted jazz fans eagerly returned to enjoy outstanding performances.
Montclair Local photographer Kate Albright captured the highlights:
Montclair Jazz Festival Downtown Jamboree Slideshow
Gregory Meyer dances with egg shakers in the Family Jazz Discovery Zone in Wellmont Plaza during the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
As it begins to rain, Adrian and Ariel Dong take shelter beneath a tent with their dog Xena in the Family Jazz Discovery Zone in Wellmont Plaza during the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Children create collages using images of jazz musicains in the Family Jazz Discovery Zone in Wellmont Plaza during the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Narro Nicolia walks with his mother through the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
During the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree, Elise Harris colors in the booth of the Equality Education, a social and emotional learning company that creates activity books for children, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
With Brianne Ford leadies, families shake rhythmic instruments in the Family Jazz Discovery Zone in Wellmont Plaza during the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Students of Montclair Early Music perform on the Family Jazz Discovery Zone stage in Wellmont Plaza during the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Grandmaster John Meany of Glen Ridge Taekwon-Do gives mini lessons in the Family Jazz Discovery Zone in Wellmont Plaza during the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Visiting from Allentown, PA, Karla Matamoros peruses artist Andrew Nicols’ booth with her daughter, Isabela Ortiz, at the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Wellmont Plaza empties as the rain strengthens during the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Robert and Laurie Fechter stand and applaud at the Fullerton Stage during Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Attendees gather for performances at the Fullerton Stage during Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Attendees applaud as performances start up again at the Fullerton Stage after the rain intermission at the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
As the storm passes, festival volunteers, from left, Karen Hughes, Joy Barrow and Amanda Regan pose for a photo after returning merchandise to their table at the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
As the storm passes, the sun peeks out at the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Lenny Carter shouts out as the stage performances begin on the Fullerton Stage at the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Lori and Jeff Mills of Scotch Plains attend the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
At dusk, attendees and vendors fill Bloomfield Avenue during Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Nasheet Waits performs on drums with Christian McBride’s New Jawn at the Lackawanna Plaza stage during Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Violinist Regina Carter performs on the Fullerton Stage at Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Bloomfield Avenue is filled with guests at the Lackawanna Plaza stage during Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Fullerton Stage host and vocalist Andromeda Turre performs on the Fullerton Stage at Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Erica von Kleist, director of the New York branch of Jazz House Kids, shares information during Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Melissa Walker, left, founder and president of Jazz House Kids, introduces Montclair Center BID Executive Director Jason Gleason along with Montclair Jazz Festival board members and Mayor Sean Spiller during Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Celeste and Neale Rattray enjoy performances at the Lackawanna Plaza stage during Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Josh Evans performs on trumpet with Christian McBride’s New Jawn at the Lackawanna Plaza stage during Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Marcus Strickland performs on tenor sacophone with Christian McBride’s New Jawn at the Lackawanna Plaza stage during Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Nasheet Waits performs on drums with Christian McBride’s New Jawn at the Lackawanna Plaza stage during Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Festival guests seek shelter as the rain strengthens during the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Festival guests seek shelter as the rain strengthens during the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Lila Knowles visits vendoors during a break in the rain at the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Longtime Montclair Jazz Festival attendee Max Spring and recycling worker Ramcharam Gopaul wait for the rain to pass during the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Longtime festival attendees Dettyline Braham and Jojo Bernard wait for the rain to pass on Bloomfield Avenue during the Montclair Jazz Festival’s Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL) 
Longtime Montclair Jazz Festival attendee, Max Spring, shows off his long locks at the Downtown Jamboree on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023. (KATE ALBRIGHT / FOR MONTCLAIR LOCAL)