b"Events That Matter February/March Andnowhesusingthat skillsettoscoremusicfor AmazonsTV-seriesadapta-tion of Scholastics book Clif-ford the Big Red Dog, which Achieve Foundation of Maplewoodaired its first episode this past and South Orange December. Withsomanyopportu-Feb 287PM 16th Annual Nights of 100 Dinners - anities to perform and create Mardi Gras soiree to kick off the annual fundraiserinNew YorkCity,itmight DETAILS The Woodland, 60 Woodland Road, Maplewood; $25/ betemptingtomovefrom person; achievefoundation.org/night-of-100-dinners Nights of 100Maplewood. But Jackson says Dinners hes quite content to stay. His SOMA Two Towns For All Ageswife, Liz Moglia, works local-D.D. at Radio City Music Hall where his orchestrally as a communications and Mar 11-3PM Community Volunteer Fair arrangements for The Roots were performed in a concert opening for Dave Chappelle. He alsomarketingconsultant.They DETAILS The Woodland, 60 Woodland Road, Maplewood;played some piano. are happy to be bringing up somatwotownsforallages.orgtheir two kids here. Jacksons most recent album, Live at Freedom of Sound, is a solo piano al-Maplewood Garden Club Speaker'sbum with a range of jazz tracks that re-Program flect both the teachings of his mentors Mar 27:30PM Historian Victoria Johnson willand his own artistry. (The album, al-ready available at bandcamp.com, and present American Eden, the story of the founding ofwill soon be offered by Apple Music Americas first public botanical gardennow the site ofand Amazon as well.)Rockefeller Center But what keeps him busiest these DETAILS Maplewood Memorial Library, 51 Baker Street,Victoria Johnson daysiswritingmusicforchildrens Maplewood; maplewoodgardenclub.org programming. He was one of the com-posers for the childrens program The Meeting Essential Needs with DignityWonder Pets and BBC Worldwide/Dis-(MEND) ney Jrs 3rd and Bird, and wrote music Mar 77PM MEND 2020 Green Bean Gala to celebratefor all 26 episodes of The Ocean Room. 40 years of making a difference together. Funds raisedHe won a 2019 Emmy for Outstand-will help strengthen and support a hunger reliefing Music Direction and CompositionD.D.'s family at a rally in Washington network of 20 food pantries and provide more fresh andfor PBSs show, Peg + Cat.Square Park. L to R: Aria, Elizabeth (back), healthy food in underserved communities throughoutI consider myself an artistic prob- Jarrett and D.D.Essex County lem solver, Jackson says. I strive to gettotheessentialconceptualtruthPlustheresanaddedbenefitof DETAILS The Woodland, 60 Woodland Road, Maplewood;of what the client is looking for, andhavingcolleaguesintown.Theres General admission is $140 per person; mendnj.org/green-bean-gala express it in an original and support- an amazing artistic and musical com-ive way. This is an important skill setmunity here, with jazz musicians and SOMA Cross Cultural Works becausechildrensmusicdirectionisorchestra players. It makes me feel at collaborative and highly creative work.home.IhaveafriendinTheRoots Mar 1511:30-5PM Lunar Fest NJ 2020, a grandwho lives here, and I like to carpool celebration of Asian arts and culture with him. DETAILS The Woodland, 60 Woodland Road, Maplewood;But it was pizza that sealed the deal. crossculturalworks.org AsJacksonexplains,Whenwefirst Lunar Fest NJ came to Maplewood, I went into the Roman Gourmet and knew I could eat SOMA Film Festival there for the rest of my life. Music and Mar 18-22 Films of all lengths, including animatedpizza. Sometimes its the basic things in life that help us know where home is. kids' movies, by independent, emerging filmmakersDETAILS The Woodland, 60 Woodland Road, Maplewood;AdriannaDonatisafreelancewriter somafilmfestival.com and childrens book author. Her most re-cent book, Mustache Fairy, is available on Amazon. She first heard D.D. Jack-D.D. conducting his arrangement of The Roots piece It Aint Fair at a rehearsalsons musical talents in 2007 as a rabid on The Tonight Show. fan of The Wonder Pets!38/ matters magazine / winter 2020"