MAJOR JAZZ FESTIVALS
Here’s a selected list of prominent jazz festivals around the country. Only festivals with at least some straight-ahead jazz are listed. Other sites we’ve found on the Internet listing festivals are generally out of date; this one was updated as of April 1, 2011. If you think jazz is dead or dying, google “jazz festivals”; there are many more than could be listed here.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Fillmore Jazz Festival, San Francisco.
Fillmore Jazz Festival, San Francisco. July 7-8, 2012. Past performers have been Marcus Shelby, Kim Nalley, Lavay Smith, et al. Free street festival.
Healdsburg Jazz Festival, Healdsburg. June 3-12, 2011. This year with Bobby Hutcherson, Julian lage, George Cables, Charles Lloyd.
Monterey Jazz Festival, Monterey Fairgrounds. Sept. 16-18, 2011. 2011 is led by Joshua Redman, Artist in Residence.
Russian River Festival, Guerneville. Now combined with "Jazz On The River" September, 2011?
Sacramento Jazz Festival & Jubilee, Sacramento. May 27-30, 2011. Mostly Dixieland and New Orelans, but usually a few straight-ahead slots.
San Jose Jazz Festival, San Jose. August 12-14, 2011. Another great time, with top names in downtown San Jose: Dena DeRose, Arturo Sandoval, Ramsey Lewis, et al..
Sonoma Jazz+, Sonoma. May 2-22, 2011. Very little jazz.
Stanford Jazz Festival, Stanford University. June - August, 2011. 40th season. One of the country's major jazz festivals with top players.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Bakersfield Jazz Festival, Bakersfield. May 6-7, 2011. Pete Escovedo, New York Voices, etc.
Big Bear JazzTrax Summer Festival, Big Bear Lake. June 24-26, 2011.
Idyllwild Jazz in the Pines, Idyllwild. Aug. 27-28, 2011. Big bad Voodoo Daddy, Lisa Haley this year.
JazzTrax Catalina Island Jazz Festival, Avalon, Catalina Island. Oct 7-9, 14-16, 21-23, 2011.
Long Beach Jazz Festival, Long Beach. Aug. 12-14, 2011.
Newport Beach Jazz Party, Newport Beach (Marriott Hotel). Feb. 17-20, 2011. Fabulous lineup of all-stars always put together by Rothman/McClure.
Newport Beach Summer Jazz Festival, Newport Beach Hyatt Regency. May 13-15, 2011. Dave Koz, Trombone Shorty, et al.
Playboy Jazz Festival, Los Angeles. At the Hollywood Bowl—one of the big ones. June 11-12, 2011. Diane Reeves, Lee Konitz, Terence Blanchard, many more.
San Diego Jazz Party, San Diego. Feb. 24-26, 2012! This year (2011) honored Bucky Pizzarelli. next year Houston Person. At Hilton San Diego/Del Mar.
Sweet and Hot Music Festival, Los Angeles. Sept. 2-5, 2011. LA Airport Marriott. Gina Eckstine, Jack Sheldon, Herb Jeffries, etc.
OTHER WESTERN STATES
Bellevue Jazz Festival, Bellevue, Washington. June 1-5, 2011. Regina Carter, Chris Potter, Charles Lloyd, Tierney Sutton.
Chandler Jazz Festival, Chandler, Arizona. April 1-2, 2011 with Mike Vax, Papa John De Francesco, etc.
Earshot Jazz Festival, Seattle, Washington. Oct 14 - Nov 6, 2011. 2010 had Bill Frisell, James Carter, Scott Amendola.
Jazz Aspen at Snowmass, Snowmass Village, Colorado. June 24 - July 2, 2011. Monty Alexander, Wynton Marsalis.
Jazz at The Britt, Jacksonville, Oregon. Huge summer arts/culture festival, not far from Ashland and Medford. Some jazz.
Jazz at Newport, Newport, Oregon. Sept 30 - Oct 2, 2011. John Clayton, Benny Green, Bruce Foreman, Houston Person, many more.
Jazz Port Townsend, Port Townsend, Washington. July 24 - 31, 2011. 2010 performers included Dee Daniels, Ingrid Jensen, Benny Green, Wycliffe Gordon, Jeff Clayton, Taylor Eigsti, many more.
Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival, Moscow, Idaho. February 22-25, 2012. 2011 artists included Manhattan Transfer, Jimmy Heath, Jeff Hamilton, Charlap, Rosnes, et al.
Paradise Valley Jazz Party, Phoenix, Arizona. Apri. 16-17, 2011. Jeff Hamilton Trio, John Clayton Trio w/Lewis Nash and Gerald Clayton, Wycliffe Gordon, Bruce Forman, Scott Hamilton, Houston Person, Herlin Riley, Bobby Shew, Waren Vache.
Reno Jazz Festival, U. of Nevada, Reno. April 7-9, 2011 with Ravi Coltrane, et al.
Portland Jazz Festival, Portland, Oregon. Feb 18-17, 2011. Joshua Redman, Gerald Clayton, Poncho Sanchez, Regina Carter, Dave Frishberg, et al.
Sitka Jazz Festival, Sitka, Alaska. February 2-4, 2012. 2011 had Mary Fettig, Kathy Cousins.
Telluride Jazz Celebration, Telluride, Colorado. Aug 5-7, 2011. Clayton Brothers, Allen Toussaint, Tower of Power, Paquito D'Rivera.
University of North Colorado Greeley Jazz Festival, Greeley, Co. April 28-30, 2011. with NY Voices, Chick Corea & Gary Burton, Benny Green, et al.This year has Clayton-Hamilton Orch., Patti Austin, Woody Herman Band.
Vail Jazz Party, Vail, Colorado. At Vail Marriott Mountain Resort. Sept 1-5, 2011. Monty Alexander, Bill Cunliffe, Dena DeRose, Shelly Berg, Clayton Brothers, Wycliffe Gordon, Byron Stripling, many others.
THE REST OF THE COUNTRY
Artsplosure Spring Jazz and Art Festival, Raleigh, North Carolina. May 21-22, 2011. Downtown Raleigh.
Atlanta Jazz Festival, Atlanta, Georgia. May 28-30, 2011. Warren Wolf, Regina Carter, Gerald Clayton, Stefon Harris.
Berklee Beantown Jazz Festival, Boston, Massachusetts. Sept 24, 2011.
Berks Jazz Festival, Reading, Pennsylvania. March 23-April 1, 2012. 2011 had Dave Brubeck, Bucky Pizzarelli, Fourplay, Joey DeFrancesco.
Cape May Jazz Festival, Cape May, New Jersey. April 8-10, 2011. Featuring Poncho Sanchez, Kevin Eubanks.
Capital Jazz Fest, Columbia, Maryland. June 3-5, 2011. Take 6, Herbie Hancock, David Sanborn, George Duke.
Caramoor International Jazz Festival, Katonah, New York. June 25 - Aug 7, 2011. Renee Rosnes, Christian McBride, Joshua Redman, many, many more.
Chicago Jazz Festival, Chicago, Illinois. Sept. 2-4, 2011. In Grant Park.
DC Jazz Festival, Washington, DC. June 1-13, 2011. Bobby McFerrin, Heath Brothers, Roy Hargrove.
Detroit Jazz Fest, Detroit, Michigan. Sept. 2-5, 2011. Jeff "Tain" Watts, Diane Reeves, Dave Holland.
Discover Jazz Festival, Burlington, Vermont. June 3-12, 2011. Herbie Hancock, Bela Fleck.
Elkhart Jazz Festival, Elkhart, Indiana. June 24-26, 2011. Downtown Elkhart. Bucky Pizzarelli, Ariel Pocock, et al.
Elmhurst College Jazz Festival, Elmhurst, Illinois. Feb. 24-27, 2011. Matt Wilson, Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.
Jacksonville Jazz Festival. Jacksonville, Florida. May 26-29, 2011. Natalie Cole, herbie Hancock, David Sanborn.
Jazz Carolina, Hartsville, SC, September 30-October 2, 2011. Dick Goodwin Big Band.
Jazz in the Woods, Kansas City, Missouri. June 24-25, 2011. Big bad Voodoo Daddy.
Litchfield Jazz Festival, Kent School, Kent, Connecticut. Aug 5-7, 2011. Joe Lovano, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Vijay Iyer, Clayton Brothers, Dena DeRose.
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, New Orleans, Louisiana. April 29 - May 8, 2011. Many types of music at this venerable, rollicking festival, but some jazz.
Newport Jazz Festival, Newport, Rhode Island. Aug 5-7, 2011. Esperanza Spalding, Joshua Redman, Ravi Coltrane, many more..
North Carolina Jazz Festival, Wilmington, North Carolina. February 2-4, 2012. 2012 lineup includes Bucky Pizzarelli, Nicki Parrott, Harry Allen, Chuck Redd.
Provincetown Jazz Festival, Provincetown, Massachusetts. Aug 12, 13, 15, 2011. String of Pearls, Dane Vanatter.
Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival, Rochester, New York. June 10-18, 2011. Mark Murphy, Bill Charlap, Lew Tabakin, Jim Hall.
Sarasota Jazz Festival, Sarasota, Florida. March 4-10, 2012. 2011 had Tierney Sutton, John Pizzarelli, Stan Kenton Alumni Band, Dick Hyman.
Savannah Jazz Festival, Savannah, Georgia. September 18-25, 2011. All events are free.
Twin Cities Jazz Festival, St. Paul, Minnesota. June 23-25, 2011. Gary Burton, Julian Lage, Deodato, Danilo Perez, John Patatucci.
AND ON THE WATER
The Jazz Cruise. 11th anniversary cruise leaves Jan. 29, 2012, from Fort Lauderdale for one week in the Caribbean. About 70-80 jazz headliners on board, from the Clayton Brothers and the Jeff Hamilton Trio, to Kurt Elling, John and Bucky Pizzarelli, Randy Brecker, Benny Golson, Wycliffe Gordon, Scott Hamilton, The Heath Brothers, Shelly Berg.
