The Litchfield Jazz Festival Announces August 6 - 8 Lineup

The Litchfield Jazz Festival announces the lineup for its 9th season as “the festival that stands tall in substance among the larger and longer-known festival around the nation." (Wall Street Journal) When asked by the Journal what makes this jazz festival differentother jazz fesival, Vita Muir, its founder and artistic director, replied, “Its a jazz festival." Taking a look at its 9th season, the reader might feel that's an understatement. The August 6 - 8 festival will be held at the Goshen Fairgrounds in Northwest CT. It begins on Friday evening with the exciting new British entry on the vocal scene, Stacey Kent, opening for the inimitable Ray Charles. August 7th lineup begins at noon with bassist Dave Santoro's group featuring special guest vocalist Stephanie Nakasian. Stephanie, who teaches vocal jazz at the University of Virginia and William and Mary, joins the all-star faculty of The Litchfield Jazz Festival Summer Music School for the first time this year. Bobby Watson's great band, with Terell Stafford on trumpet is up next, followed by Mario Pavone with Matt Wilson on drums, Tony Malaby on Sax, and Peter Madsen on piano. Crowd-pleasing pianist Cyrus Chestnut will make his second appearance at the festival, this time with Stefon Harris on vibes. The noted agent Joel Chriss (St. Lucia, Anguilla,Telluride etc.) is putting together a fabulous Basie Tribute in honor of the Count's centennial, slated to feature Eric Reid, Frank Wess, Carl Allen, Lou Tabakin and Roberta Scott. Saturdays stellar lineup wraps up with the legendary George Shearing.

On Sunday, August 8 the festival opens with the up and coming and very talented alto player, Mike DiRubbo and his quartet followed by vibist Matthias Lupri's group featuring sax player Mark Turner. What ever happened to Maria Muldaur? Well, she became a jazz singer! Her excellent album Maria Muldaur-A Woman Alone with the Blues (a tribute to Peggy Lee) won the critics when she unveiled it earlier this year at the Blue Note. It also won her a spot on the festival that put Diana Krall on the map. Brad's back! The festival's absolute favorite pianists Brad Mehldau will appear solo this year for his 4th appearance at the LJF. Sunday evening's concert brings the ninth Litchfield Jazz Festival to a close with the inventive Brazilian group, Trio Da Paz, opening for John Pizzarelli who will surprise and delight the audience with his mastery of the bassa nova idiom. We are keeping our fingers crossed his wonderful band will be able to present, from Brazil, an outstanding young vocalist. We don't want to say too much until this one is cast in concrete but he is related to the magnificent musician Antonio Carlos Jobim. We'll keep you posted.

The Litchfield Jazz Festival Summer Music School, which moved its campus to the Forman School in historic Litchfield last summer, has added an extra week and now runs three sessions from July 18 to August 6, followed by student performances on the festival's Gazebo stage. Last summer celebrated the addition of Greenhouse--The Litchfield Jazz Festival Summer Dance Institute to the festival's offerings. This two session, four week program begins on July 11. Both programs offer generous need based scholarships to students under 21 and assistanceships to qualified young adults. Contact [email protected] for information.