The Festival Roundup September 2021

MIKE’S JAZZ GATHERING  (Denver, CO)  September 11, 2021

This one day gathering will be in the mile high city with beautiful mountain views.  There will be four local bands who are known from many festivals around the country.  Performing will be the Queen City Jazz Band, After Midnight, La Pompe, Joni Janek & Centerpiece Jazz.  This one-of-a-kind event will be at the Radisson Hotel in Aurora, CO from 1:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.  Bring your dancing shoes as there is a large dance floor!  Afternoon session is $20, evening session is $20, all day will be just $40.  For more information and to register contact Mike Wilson at [email protected].

HOT JAZZ JUBILEE (Postponed to 2022)

The Hot Jazz Jubilee Board of Directors met recently, and, after lengthy discussion and much weighing of pros and cons, the decision was reluctantly made to postpone the 2021 festival to 2022. Watch out! We will be back and so will all those wonderful Musicians and Bands, as promised! (Yes, they have already put us on their calendars!) So mark YOUR calendars for Labor Day weekend, September 2nd-5th, 2022! In the meantime, stay safe!! hotjazzjubilee.com

PENTASTIC JAZZ & MUSIC FESTIVAL (Penticton, BC, Canada) Cancelled

The 24th Annual Jazz Festival is scheduled for September 10, 11, and 12, 2021 has been cancelled. We will return in 2022.

For further information, visit Pentastic online at www.pentasticjazz.com, or call toll-free (866) 599 3494. Purchase tickets online at www.valleyfirsttix.com.

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REDWOOD COAST MUSIC FESTIVAL (Eureka, CA) Postponed

The Redwood Coast Music Festival Board of Directors voted this week to postpone this year’s events due to Covid-19 concerns and the rapid spread of the delta variant in Humboldt County. The 30th RCMF festival had been scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 30 through Sunday, Oct. 3 in eight Eureka venues.

“Our primary concern is for the safety of our audience, musicians, everyone connected to the festival and our local community,” said RCMF Board of Directors President Carol Lorentzen. “We had a great roster of American roots acts booked. We are working on re-scheduling the festival for Sept. 29 through Oct. 2, 2022.”

“We’re saddened to have to postpone, and our thoughts are with all of you that are impacted,” said Mark Jansen, RCMF board member and the booker of the musical acts. “They include friends, our community, the hard-working musicians that are struggling once again with cancellations, the sound crews and venues that have been severely impacted throughout this pandemic, our volunteers and sponsors who’ve been so supportive. Our dedicated RCMF team has been working on this event non-stop and we are all equally disappointed but we all also realize that safety is always the most important concern.”

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Anyone who has purchased tickets for this year’s festival will automatically have them rolled over for admission to next year’s events. “We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you in 2022 with a safe return to live music and dance,” Jansen said.

Please consider allowing your tickets to rollover to next year. You don’t need to anything and they will automatically transfer. If you need a refund, we understand completely and please contact us at the emails below:

Ticket holders or anyone with questions can email [email protected] or [email protected]. (707) 445-3378; rcmfest.org.

FRENCH QUARTER FESTIVAL (New Orleans) Rescheduled Sept. 30 – Oct. 2 CANCELLED

French Quarter Fest 2021 had been rescheduled from it’s normal April week toe September 30 – October 3, but now it has been cancelled. The French Quarter Festival  is a free event with several stages around the French Quarter and scores of local bands, many of which play traditional jazz. Information can be found on their website. frenchquarterfest.org

COLORADO SPRINGS JAZZ PARTY (Colorado Springs, CO) CANCELLED

Musicians scheduled for the 2021 jazz party were Syncopated Times favorites Adrian Cunningham, Danny Coots, Dennis Litchman, Richard Moten, Nate Najar, Nicki Parrott, Ben Polcer, Alex Raderman, Chuck Redd,, Dalton Ridenhour, and Rossano Sportiello. Call 719-471-3124 for reservations. Mail check to P.O. Box 2257, Colorado Springs, CO 80901. csjazzparty.com

Nauck

JAZZ FEST AT SEA (Caribbean) October 3rd-10th 2021

If you’re a fan of Traditional Jazz, Classic Jazz, Chicago Jazz, Swing, in fact just about any style which emerged during the first half of the 20th century, plan to attend JazzFest at Sea – one of the premier jazz cruises of the year. We will be departing from Port Canaveral, Florida for an amazing jazz cruise to the Bahamas and Western Caribbean on the MSC Divina for 7-nights. Not only will you have your choice of amazing evening performances on our jazz cruise, but you are also invited to the afternoon sessions as well. All presented in an intimate jazz club atmosphere limited to 250 guests! Scheduled artists:

Allan Vaché, Houston Person, Warren Vaché, John Allred, Scott Robinson, Danny Tobias, Banu Gibson, Ted Rosenthal, Bob Draga, Yve Evans, Charlie Silva, Paul Keller, Brian Holland, Eddie Metz,  and Jim Lawlor

With pricing starting at only $999 per person including taxes and fees, this makes the perfect vacation getaway for all jazz lovers. Contact us today at 1-800-654-8090. www.jazzfestatsea.com

NEW ORLEANS JAZZ & HERITAGE FESTIVAL (New Orleans, LA) October 8-10th & 15-17th CANCELED

Rescheduled for  its normal time in the spring, April 29th through May 8th, 2022 Jazz Fest is now canceeled. www.nojazzfest.com

2ND ANNUAL GLENN JENKS RAGTIME REVUE   (Camden, ME)

The Glenn Jenks Ragtime Revue returns to honor the life and legacy of Camden’s own ragtime pianist and composer, Glenn Jenks. Hosted by Aaron Robinson, performers include Ethan Uslan, DaPonte String Quartet, young fiddler Owen Kennedy, singer-dancer Susan Boyce, vocalists Erin Chenard and David Myers, Jr. and the Ragtime Revue Chorus. Benefits Glenn Jenks Musical Scholarship. For wheelchair accommodation, please email dernest (at) camdenmaine.gov or call (207) 236-3154. Comfortably distanced seating; mask use requested in the building. Tickets available at www.camdenoperahouse.com

SUN VALLEY JAZZ & MUSIC FESTIVAL (Sun Valley, ID) – Oct. 13-17

Sales limited to 1,500 Five-Day Passes

The 31st anniversary edition of Idaho’s Sun Valley Jazz & Music Festival covers five days and offers bands from all around the U. S., with over 180 shows to choose from. It will be headquartered at the Sun Valley Inn at the Sun Valley Resort. Performance venues include the Limelight Ballroom, the Continental Room, the Opera House, the Duchin Bar, Satchmo’s, Village Gate and Ketchum Town Square. Music starts on Wednesday at 3:30 pm, and the last set ends on Sunday at 3:30 pm, with an Afterglow Dinner offered on Sunday evening (extra ticket required).

Performers at the festival include Clint Baker’s Hot Jazz w/ Katie Cavera, Blue Renditions, Blue Street Jazz Band, Sherri Colby’s Racket Makers, Bob Draga w/ Friends, Boise Straight Ahead, Bruce Innes Trio, Carl Sonny Leyland & Friends, Carolyn Martin Swing Band, Clint Baker’s Hot Jazz w/ Katie Cavera, Gator Nation, GROOVUS/Holland & Coots, Hallelujah Chorus w/ Yve Evans & Carole King, Shaymus Hanlin Quartet, High Street Party Band, Hot Jazz Collective, Bruce Innes Trio, Kings of Swing, Jerry Krahn Quartet, Midiri Brothers Septet, Pearl Django, Professor Cunningham & His Old School, Side Street Strutters w/ Meloney Collins, Tom Rigney & Flambeau, U. S. Coast Guard Dixie Band, Yve Evans & Co., Brian Casserly, Josh Collazo, Bobby Durham, Tom Hook, Davy Jones, Marilyn Keller, Terry Myers, Russ Phillips and Gary Ryan.

Special sets include: Banjomaniacs, three All Star Big Bands, Clarinet Clambake, Dance Through the Decades, Dueling Pianos, Free Dance Lessons, Gospel Services, Grand Finale, Hall of Fame Legends Series w/ multiple artists’ salutes, Ladies Sing, Pianorama, Patriotic Set, Rhythm & Blues and Zydeco Hurricane.

Extra ticketed events include: Festival Kickoff Roaring 20’s Party—costumes welcome! (Tues. 6:30-9:30 pm, $30*), Intimate Private Party with Tom Hook & Friends (Sat. 12:30-2:00 pm, $60*), Intimate Private Party with Yve Evans & Co. w/ special guest Shaymus Hanlin (Sat. 3:30-5:00 pm, $60*). The Tom Hook Private Party scheduled for Thursday is sold out. Afterglow Dinner (Sun. 7:30-10:00 pm, $75*)

Early Bird Special Five-Day General Admission Pass is $185* through June 30. Beginning July 1, the pre-purchase price is $205* through Oct. 4. If available, the at-the-door price will be $230*.
*plus 10% tax

Tickets available by telephone or at website; (877) 478-5277; sunvalleyjazz.com. Write for brochure (with full ticket pricing information) at Sun Valley Jazz, PO Box 2745, Sun Valley, ID.

ROSWELL JAZZ FESTIVAL (Roswell, NM) – Cancelled

We’re already putting the wheels in motion for 2022 RJF events. Invited artists from the cancelled 2021 show included; Allen Vache, Ehud Adsherie, Harry Allen, Dan Barrett, Roger Dickerson, Larry Fuller, Charles Gordan, Michael Francis, Eddie Metz Jr., Chuck Redd, Ricki Malachi, Houston Person, Richard Simon, Hillary Smith, Randy Sandke, Johnny Varro, and Rossano Sportiello. You can expect a similar line up next year.

Please call or write for more information: (505) 359-4876 or (575) 808-9336; roswelljazz.org; email: [email protected].

JUBILEE BY THE SEA (Pismo Beach/Arroyo Grande) – Cancelled

The Basin Street Regulars, hosts of the Jubilee by the Sea, have been hosting wonderful monthly online events. Follow them on social media to learn about the fall festival as announcements are made. The October Festival will feature: Tom Rigney and Flambeau, Barrelhouse Wailers, Blue Street, Creole Syncopators, Crescent Katz, C.J. Sams Jammers, Gator Nation, Gino and the Lone Gunmen, High Street Jazz Band, The Sierra Seven, Mariachi Autlence, Midiri Brothers Septet, Cornet Chop Suey, Groovus plus Cunningham, Holland Coots Swingin’ West, Molly Reeves Quartet, Professor Cunningham and His Old School, Riptide Big Band, & Larry, Dawn and Friends

Badge sales: PO Box 356, Pismo Beach, CA 93448; 805-539-5696. For badges and more information, please visit pismojazz.com. Information: [email protected].

32n annual ARIZONA CLASSIC JAZZ FESTIVAL (Chandler, AZ) – Nov. 4-7

The only major festival to go off as planned during the pandemic the ACJF will be back this fall. Bands may include: Howard Alden, B.A.D. Rhythm, Dick Maley’s WYSIWYG, Cheryl’s vintage Jazz with special guests Dan Levinson and Katie Cavera, Groovus, Queen City Jazz Band, Stephanie Trick & Paolo Alderighi, Sun City Stomperz, We 3 +1, Tom Rigney & Flambeau, Wildcat Jazz Band, Wolverine Jazz Band, and the St. Louis Stompers.

Howard Alden, “Big” B.AD. Rhythm, Brian Holland, Andy Weiss, Danny Coots, Sam Rocha, Cheryl’s Vintage Jazz with special guests Dan Levinson & Katie Cavera, Queen City Jazz Band, Big Little Ragtime Band, Tom Rigney & Flambeau, Groovus, St. Louis Stompers Classic Jazz Band, Sentimental Breeze, Something Doin’, Stephanie Trick & Paolo Alderighi, Sun City Stomperz, Dick Maley’s WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) Leader: Dick Maley, drums; Herb Bruce, trombone; Steve Pikal, bass; Randy Morris, piano, WE 3 + 1 (Patrick, Lansford, Pesce, Early), Wildcat Jazz Band, Wolverine Jazz Band, ACJS JAMMERS.

For details, go to azclassicjazz.org or call 480-620-3941. Send checks or credit card orders to ACJF, 10918 E. Michigan Ave., Sun Lakes, AZ 85248.

MIKE DURHAM’S INTERNATIONAL CLASSIC JAZZ PARTY (Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK) – Delayed to 2022

We are very sorry to announce that the 2021 Classic Jazz Party is being postponed until November 2022. All of us on the organizing committee have really tried to stay optimistic through the summer, hoping that the Covid-19 situation would quieten down now, but with cases once again on an exponential rise, the chances of us putting on a safe festival have gone down by the day.
The continuing travel restrictions mean we would not have been able to bring you the “international” part of the Classic Jazz Party with musicians from overseas, and it is financially better for us to cancel now rather than risk the plug being pulled closer to November with any potential restrictions/lockdowns being brought back in.
Everyone at the jazz party knows how disappointed you will be to read this. We were really encouraged by the amount of you who asked us to hold on to your ticket money from 2020 (which feels like a lifetime ago) but we are just going to have to hope that next year will bring us the wonderful music we have all been missing, and a long-overdue chance to pay tribute to our friend Keith Nichols.
As with last year, we are happy to refund your ticket money in full, or we will hold on to it for 2022. To obtain a refund, please write to us at [email protected], telling us how many places you’d like refunded and how you paid. We will also be in touch with everyone directly to double-check everyone’s wishes. This will be a big task, so please be patient if you don’t hear from us initially.
Please contact the village hotel directly to sort cancellation and refund questions. The best number for this is 0191 270 6491. Do make sure you speak to someone who is actually at the Village Hotel, as we found a few people had problems sorting refunds when they were directed to the national central booking line last year who didn’t know about the jazz party.

We are aiming to host the 2022 festival around the same time, with the first weekend in November pencilled in. Let’s pray to the jazz gods that it can finally happen!

For tickets and other information, please visit whitleybayjazzfest.com[email protected].

WEST COAST RAGTIME FESTIVAL (Online Event) Nov. 19-21st

The 35th annual West Coast Ragtime Festival will take place November 19 – 21st, 2021!  Due to the on-going uncertainties with the pandemic, the festival is planning a full 3-day on-line festival only that weekend.   We’ll miss all of you in person, but hope that you can tune in during our festival weekend to a full program of special shows and concerts for you to enjoy on-line.  Further detailed information about our programs will be posted in the Fall.   We sincerely hope that we can resume the in-person festival in November, 2022.

For more  information, please visit: www.westcoastragtime.com

SUNCOAST JAZZ FESTIVAL (Clearwater Beach, FL) – Nov. 19-21

Professor Cunningham & His Old School, Dave Bennett Quartet, Tom Rigney & Flambeau, Ed Metz Trio with Rossano Sportiello and Nicki Parrott, Brubeck Brothers Quartet, Bill Allred and The Suncoast Festival Allstars – Johnny Varro, Allan Vache, Davy Jones, Jay Mueller and Eddie Metz, Tom Rigney and Flambeau, Heather Thorn and Vivacity, La Lucha, Diego Figueirdo, Nate Najar, Daniela Soledade, Bakey and Betty, Betty Comora and Mike Evans, Amateur Jams with Dr. Jim Gover and His Naples Pals, Cat’s Meow, Swing Dance Lessons, and More To Be Announced!

For tickets and information, visit us online at suncoastjazzfestival.com; or write: PO Box 395, Largo, FL 33779; (727) 248-9441.

39th ANNUAL SAN DIEGO JAZZ FEST (San Diego, CA) – Nov. 26-28

There will be a lot to be thankful for this November! Invited bands and artists include; Dave Bennett Quartet, Dave Stuckey & The Hot House Gang, Gino & The Lone Gunmen, High Society Jazz Band, Katie Cavera & the Lost Boys (feat. Clint Baker & Dawn Lambeth), Mission Bay High School Preservationists, Mad Hat Hucksters, Sierra 7 Jazz Band, Sue Palmer & her Motel Swing Orchestra, Titanic Jazz Band, and the Uptown Rhythm Makers. With Special Appearances by: Stephanie Trick, Night Blooming Jazzmen (feat. Chet Jaeger) and more bands and artists yet to be announced!

Contact: AFCDJS, P.O. Box 880387, San Diego, CA 92168-0387; 619-297-5277.
Email: [email protected]; Website: http://www.sdjazzfest.org/

NORTH CAROLINA JAZZ FESTIVAL (Wilmington, NC) Feb. 3-5

One of the oldest Traditional Jazz Festivals in the country, the North Carolina Jazz Festival, will return February 3, 4 & 5, 2022. This 3 day event, held in the ballroom of the Hotel Ballast (formerly Wilmington Hilton Riverside), features internationally known jazz musicians from across the United States, Australia, and Italy.

Thursday is Special Event Night featuring different styles of jazz.

Thursday night will be an EXTRAVAGANZA – a celebration of our all being together again, to enjoy live jazz with our friends, at the home of the North Carolina Jazz Festival – The Hotel Ballast! We will open the evening with vocalist Steve Washington, whose style and voice are reminiscent of Nat “King” Cole and Billy Eckstine. Backing him are Herman Burney on bass, Rossano Sportiello on piano, and on drums Chuck Redd.

The next set will feature internationally renowned and award winning jazz pianist Lenore Raphael, who is a Steinway artist and radio host (Lenore Raphael’s Jazzspot) where she interviews and performs with famed jazz musicians. With her tonight is vibist extraordinaire Steve Hobbs and NCJF’s Herman Burney on bass.

Our third set for the evening will be a tribute – 2022 marks 60 years of Jazz Samba – the landmark 1962 album by Charlie Byrd and Stan Getz that launched Bossa Nova to international Stardom. Joined by Jeff Rupert on tenor saxophone, Herman Burney on bass and Chuck Redd on drums, Nate Najar pays homage to the spirit and iconic repertoire of that classic recording with songs like Desafinado, Samba Dees Days and of course One Note Samba. To help celebrate this 60th anniversary, Nate’s new album Jazz Samba Pra Sempre will make its’ debut here at our festival. It is a cd “coming out party”!

Rounding out the evening will be our Traditional Jazz Jam featuring some of our International All-Stars, who will be featured on Friday and Saturday nights.

On Friday and Saturday nights we will have thirteen jazz all-stars playing seven sets of traditional and classic jazz each night, with a different leader on each set. Invited musicians include Rossano Sportiello, Johnathan Russell, Dion Tucker, Ehud Asherie, Emily Asher, Nicki Parrott, Herman Burney, Nate Najar, Houston Person, Kevin Dorn, Steve Washington, Shaye Cohn, Chuck Redd, Adrian Cunnigham, and Bruce Harris. All concerts begin at 7:30 pm, Thursday is a three hour concert, while Friday & Saturday concerts go until midnight.

Ticket are $45 for Thursday, and $65 for each night Friday & Saturday. Each night $25 military, $15 students. Patron tickets are $215, and include Fri. & Sat. evening concerts plus the special patron brunch at 10:30 Sat. morning, where the all-star musicians will play and socialize with patrons, then patron/musicians will be invited to “sit in” with the all-stars. Patrons receive preferred, reserved seating plus their names in the program. The $240 patron tickets include all of the above plus tickets to Thursday evening’s Special Event. Tickets may be purchased from the festival website, E-Tix, or at the AudioLab at 5732 Oleander Dr., Wilmington.

For more information visit www.ncjazzfestival.org, e-mail [email protected], or call 910-793-1111.

2022 Announced Dates

Jan. 13-23 Tucson Jazz Festival (AZ)

Feb. 25-27 San Diego Jazz Party (Del Mar, CA)

March 4-6 Jazz Bash by the Bay (Monterey, CA)

April 8-10 Three Rivers (CA) JazzAffair

June 1-4 Scott Joplin Ragtime Festival (Sedalia, MO)

Sept. 2-5 Hot Jazz Jubilee (Sacramento, CA)

Joe Bebco is the Associate Editor of The Syncopated Times and Webmaster of SyncopatedTimes.com

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