b'The Neighborhood SoundTwo decades of Maplewood Community MusicBY SUE KAPLANH aveyoueverwonderedwhatfor Maplewood and Arts Maplewood, a now-defunctneed for a community jazz group, so she told Bu-became of the band nerds youarts organization, had been teaching and conductingchanan shed manage both ensembles if he agreed to wenttohighschoolwith?music for 34 years and was well-known in and aroundthe idea of a jazz band. Thus, with Buchanans bless-WhereareallthosededicatedMaplewood for his deep commitment to music anding, was born Swing Town, a 20-piece jazz ensemble musicianswhospentmostofmusical education and later as a frequent patron of(with vocalists) performing early big band, swing, their waking hours making andthe Parkwood Diner (so much so, the owners of theand dance tunesthinkingaboutmusic?Well,Parkwood named a room after him). From the start, the Maplewood Recreation De-many of them are still at itor are at it again Williams and Buchanan met at a local concert;partmentsupportedbothensembles,providing livingandworkingamongyou.Musiciansfromshe approached him with her idea of starting a com- space for them to rehearse in the community cen-Maplewood, South Orange and beyond have pickedmunity concert band that would provide local adultter at DeHart Park every Wednesday night. As their up and dusted off their instruments and are happilyandstudentmusiciansanopportunitytojoinamembership swelled, so grew their sense of purpose, making music together. community ensemble and share their love of playingnotmerelytobringmusictoMaplewood,South Twenty years ago, Susan Williams was a youngand performing while providing music to the com- Orange,andlocalcommunities,buttoperform mother of three active boys. Shed moved from themunity. Buchanan jumped onboard as director andoutreach to support student musicians and inspire city and given up her career in publishing for life inconductor. Maplewood Community Concert Bandour youth to enjoy and possibly play an instrument. the burbs. An avid musician all her life, Williamsstarted with a handful of musicians and has grownWhat had started as simply two bands with some found herself longing to play again in a musical en- to nearly 50, about a dozen of whom have been withoverlappingplayersbecameMaplewoodCommu-semble and noted the dearth of a community bandthe group since the early years. nity Music (MCM), an umbrella organization with in the otherwise culturally-rich Maplewood. Terrific, thought Williams, a community bandthe ambitious mission of partnering with other or-Jim Buchanan, then Cultural Affairs Supervisorwill be great for Maplewood, but there was also aganizations to bring music-related events to the area 28/ matters magazine / holiday 2022'