Nat Adderley Jr. Trio + MPack Music Bring Jazz, R&b, Soul & Dancing To Shady Rest Country Club

Jazz • R&B • Soul • Funk • Dining • Dancing

Get ready for OLD SCHOOL VIBES, a special night where sophisticated jazz flows into classic R&B, soul and funk, the music keeps moving, and the dance floor comes alive at historic Shady Rest Country Club in Scotch Plains.

On Saturday, November 7, 2026, MPack and Gregory Burrus Productions brings together the Nat Adderley Jr. Trio, MPack Music and Scot the DJ for an old-school night out built around great live music, dining, friends and dancing.

Start the Night with Nat Adderley Jr.

This special evening begins with acclaimed pianist, composer and arranger Nat Adderley Jr., joined by bassist Belden Bullock and drummer Steve Johns.

Nat Adderley Jr. carries an extraordinary jazz heritage as the son of jazz great Nat Adderley and nephew of legendary saxophonist Cannonball Adderley. His own career also created an important bridge between jazz and R&B through his longtime musical relationship with Luther Vandross.

His extensive work with Luther Vandross included arrangements of familiar favorites such as “Superstar,” “Here and Now,” “So Amazing,” “If Only for One Night” and “Never Too Much,” along with compositions including “Stop to Love,” “Wait for Love” and the Grammy-nominated “Give Me the Reason.” That makes Nat Adderley Jr. the perfect way to begin Old School Vibes, connecting the jazz audience with generations who grew up loving classic R&B and soul.

From Jazz to R&B, Soul & Funk Then the groove expands.

MPack Music takes the room into R&B, soul, funk and old-school favorites, delivering the kind of live music meant to get people moving. Led by Clarence Conover, MPack features the vocals of Pat Walton and Clarence Conover. Now add pianist Glenn Merritt and his deep jazz musicianship which provides another natural connection between the jazz opening, R&B and a soulful celebration that is taking place.

The idea behind the night is simple:

Let the music take you back and move you.

From jazz into soul.
From soul into R&B and funk.
From listening into singing along.
And from your seat onto the dance floor.

Scot the DJ Keeps the Party Moving

Scot the DJ will be spinning old-school favorites between the live performances and keeping the energy going through the close of the night.

Jazz, R&B, soul, funk, dining and dancing all come together for a complete old-school night out.

And What a Place to Do It

Shady Rest Country Club brings another dimension to this special evening.

Recognized for its historic importance as the first African-American-owned and operated country club in the United States, Shady Rest Country Club became an important center of African American social and cultural life. Music was part of that history. Preserve Shady Rest documents performances connected with an extraordinary group of artists, including Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Count Basie and Louis Armstrong.

About Gregory Burrus Productions

Gregory Burrus is the founder of Gregory Burrus Productions, producing more than 300 live music and cultural events each year across New Jersey — from jazz clubs and churches to festivals and municipal concert series. He manages Clement’s Place in Newark in partnership with Rutgers University–Newark’s Institute of Jazz Studies, partners with NJPAC Community Engagement, the Morris Museum, and Downtown Cranford, and leads signature series including Jesus & Jazz and Blues & Blessings. As a photojournalist and arts writer, he also covers the region’s live music scene on Patch and other outlets.