Exit Zero International Jazz Festival brings crowds back to the Shore

November 11, 2012
  • <p><p>Frazier's youngest son Derek poses next to a likeness of the boxing legend who died of liver cancer in Nov. 2011. (Courtesy of Derek Frazier)</p></p>

    <p>Frazier's youngest son Derek poses next to a likeness of the boxing legend who died of liver cancer in Nov. 2011. (Courtesy of Derek Frazier)</p>

  • <p><p>The Frazier family said this weekend that boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. helped them cover the cost of the tomb. (Courtesy of Derek Frazier)</p></p>

    <p>The Frazier family said this weekend that boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. helped them cover the cost of the tomb. (Courtesy of Derek Frazier)</p>

  • <p><p>A tomb in which the remains of late boxing legend Smokin' Joe Frazier will rest was unveiled at Ivy Hill Cemetery in Cedarbrook on Saturday. Pictured: Frazier's sons River and Derek. (Photo courtesy of Derek Frazier)</p></p>

    <p>A tomb in which the remains of late boxing legend Smokin' Joe Frazier will rest was unveiled at Ivy Hill Cemetery in Cedarbrook on Saturday. Pictured: Frazier's sons River and Derek. (Photo courtesy of Derek Frazier)</p>

  • <Mark Lach, Creative Director of Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition opening this weekend at the Franklin Institute, describes his 2.5 mile dive to the wreck site. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

  • Lowell Lytle, an actor portraying Titanic Captain Edward John Smith welcomes visitors to the Franklin Institute's new exhibit. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

    Lowell Lytle, an actor portraying Titanic Captain Edward John Smith welcomes visitors to the Franklin Institute's new exhibit. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

  • The Franklin Institute's new exhibit features more than 300 artifacts recovered from the wreck. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

    The Franklin Institute's new exhibit features more than 300 artifacts recovered from the wreck. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

  • Each visitor to the Franklin Institute's new Titanic exhibit receives a boarding pass containing information about a real passenger. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

    Each visitor to the Franklin Institute's new Titanic exhibit receives a boarding pass containing information about a real passenger. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

  • Ordinary objects like this leather suitcase and trolley tickets became extraordinary after surviving the sinking of the Titanic and years beneath the sea. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

    Ordinary objects like this leather suitcase and trolley tickets became extraordinary after surviving the sinking of the Titanic and years beneath the sea. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

  • Franklin Institute volunteer Karen Knodel portrays the Countess of Roth sitting in the recreation of a first class cabin. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

    Franklin Institute volunteer Karen Knodel portrays the Countess of Roth sitting in the recreation of a first class cabin. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

  • Franklin Institute volunteer Jaclyn Scarborough, portraying silent film actress Dorothy Gibson, descends a replica of the Titanic's grand staircase. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

    Franklin Institute volunteer Jaclyn Scarborough, portraying silent film actress Dorothy Gibson, descends a replica of the Titanic's grand staircase. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

  • Third class dishes recovered from the wreck of the Titanic were marked with the logo of the White Star Line to discourage theft. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

    Third class dishes recovered from the wreck of the Titanic were marked with the logo of the White Star Line to discourage theft. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

  • An electric light bulb recovered from the wreck of the Titanic is among 300 artifacts on display at the Franklin Institute's new exhibit. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

    An electric light bulb recovered from the wreck of the Titanic is among 300 artifacts on display at the Franklin Institute's new exhibit. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

  • After receiving their boarding passes, passing the grand staircase and walking down a hall of first class cabins, visitors to the Franklin Institute's new Titanic exhibit descend a dark ramp to the boiler room. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

    After receiving their boarding passes, passing the grand staircase and walking down a hall of first class cabins, visitors to the Franklin Institute's new Titanic exhibit descend a dark ramp to the boiler room. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

  • Victor Ung and his 5th grade classmates from Meredith Elementary School touch a representation of the iceberg that sank the Titanic. The wall is refrigerated to conjure the frigid conditions at the time of the sinking. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

    Victor Ung and his 5th grade classmates from Meredith Elementary School touch a representation of the iceberg that sank the Titanic. The wall is refrigerated to conjure the frigid conditions at the time of the sinking. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

  • A 5th grader from Meredith Elementary School sits in a lifeboat of light at the Franklin Institute's Titanic exhibit. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

    A 5th grader from Meredith Elementary School sits in a lifeboat of light at the Franklin Institute's Titanic exhibit. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

  • Some of the objects in the Titanic exhibition at the Franklin Institute, like this deck bench, are displayed as they were found on the ocean floor. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

    Some of the objects in the Titanic exhibition at the Franklin Institute, like this deck bench, are displayed as they were found on the ocean floor. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

  • A silver mesh hadbag is one of many delicate items that survived a journey to the ocean floor with the Titanic. More than 300 objects recovered from the wreck are on display at the Franklin Institute. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

    A silver mesh hadbag is one of many delicate items that survived a journey to the ocean floor with the Titanic. More than 300 objects recovered from the wreck are on display at the Franklin Institute. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

  • A pair of glasses recovered from the wreck of the titanic is on display at the Franklin Institute. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

    A pair of glasses recovered from the wreck of the titanic is on display at the Franklin Institute. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

  • A visitor's boarding pass matches the list of casualties that concludes the Titanic exhibit. A disproportionate number of first class passengers survived the sinking, but Mrs. Isidor Straus and her husband did not. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

    A visitor's boarding pass matches the list of casualties that concludes the Titanic exhibit. A disproportionate number of first class passengers survived the sinking, but Mrs. Isidor Straus and her husband did not. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

  • Joanne Concepcion, chaperoning a group of 5th graders from Meredith Elementary School, tries to find the name on her boarding pass in the list of passengers and crew that concludes the exhibit. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

    Joanne Concepcion, chaperoning a group of 5th graders from Meredith Elementary School, tries to find the name on her boarding pass in the list of passengers and crew that concludes the exhibit. (Emma Lee/for NewsWorks)

  • <p><p>Philadelphia's Orrin Evans leading his Captain Black Big Band. (Howard Pitkow/For Newsworks)</p></p>

    <p>Philadelphia's Orrin Evans leading his Captain Black Big Band. (Howard Pitkow/For Newsworks)</p>

  • <p><p><strong style="color: #010101; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 12.727272033691406px;"></strong></p> <p>Special guest Nicholas Payton playing trumpet with Orrin Evans and The Captain Black Big Band. (Howard Pitkow/For Newsworks)</p> <p><strong style="color: #010101; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 12.727272033691406px;"> </strong></p></p>

    <p><strong style="color: #010101; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 12.727272033691406px;"></strong></p> <p>Special guest Nicholas Payton playing trumpet with Orrin Evans and The Captain Black Big Band. (Howard Pitkow/For Newsworks)</p> <p><strong style="color: #010101; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 12.727272033691406px;"> </strong></p>

  • <p><p><strong style="color: #010101; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 12.727272033691406px;">Orrin Evans leading The Captain Black Big Band from Philadelphia, PA.  (Howard Pitkow / For Newsworks)</strong></p></p>

    <p><strong style="color: #010101; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 12.727272033691406px;">Orrin Evans leading The Captain Black Big Band from Philadelphia, PA.  (Howard Pitkow / For Newsworks)</strong></p>

  • <p><p>Inside the new $10 million Cape May Convention Hall. (Howard Pitkow/for NewsWorks)</p></p>

    <p>Inside the new $10 million Cape May Convention Hall. (Howard Pitkow/for NewsWorks)</p>

  • <p><p>The jazz festival is at Cape May Convention Hall, which opened in May 2012. (Howard Pitkow/for NewsWorks)</p></p>

    <p>The jazz festival is at Cape May Convention Hall, which opened in May 2012. (Howard Pitkow/for NewsWorks)</p>

  • <p><p><strong style="color: #010101; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 12.727272033691406px;"></strong></p> <p>WRTI host Jeff Duperon introducing the Captain Black Big Band from Philadelphia. Howard (Pitkow/For Newsworks)</p></p>

    <p><strong style="color: #010101; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 12.727272033691406px;"></strong></p> <p>WRTI host Jeff Duperon introducing the Captain Black Big Band from Philadelphia. Howard (Pitkow/For Newsworks)</p>

If you drive all the way south on the Garden State Parkway you’ll end up in one of the most celebrated shore towns in America; Cape May. While there is no exit zero on the GSP if there was one it would be here. It’s that idea that the first ever Exit 0 International Jazz Festival takes its name.

This festival might not have happened had the eye of Hurricane Sandy hit further south. But Cape May got lucky because the eye hit just north in Ocean City and points south of the eye got high winds and rough waves but nothing like the extensive flooding seen on the barrier islands in Central and Northern Jersey.

The festival features more than 20 bands and performers. The headline acts included Philadelphia native son and Grammy award winner jazz bassist, Christian McBride and his quintet – Inside Straight on Friday night and three-time Grammy Award Winner Ramsey Lewis and his Electric Band last night.

The festival ends today with two performances by The Pedrito Martinez Group at 12:30 and 2:30 p.m.

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Check back here on Monday for Howard Pitkow’s complete set of photos of this weekend’s Exit 0 International Jazz Festival. 

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