Heath Brothers to headline
Not to get ahead of things, but before the Healdsburg Jazz Festival can celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2018, it must put together a 19th annual festival this year.
Two decades is a lot of live music and assemblage of world-class jazz talent — all presented and shared with the backdrop of Healdsburg’s small town feel and wine country scenery.
The just-announced lineup for the 19th festival offers more of the same — musical variety, popular artists, historical collaborations and the same jazz authenticity.
Headliners for the June 2-11 festival will be the Heath Brothers band with saxophonist-composer Jimmy Heath and drummer Albert “Tootie” Heath. Sharing the opening weekend dates will be a tribute to the late vibraphone master Bobby Hutcherson, featuring an all-star ensemble of Hutcherson band veterans led by pianist Renee Rosnes, with bassist Ray Drummond, drummer Victor Lewis and vibraphonist Steve Nelson.
Hutcherson played the Healdsburg Jazz Festival several times.
Other artists scheduled to appear include guitarist John Abercrombie, band leader and saxophonist Joe Lovano, the Yellowjacket’s Bob Mintzer, New Orlean’s piano wizard Henry Butler, Bay Area favorite Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet Lickers and others.
The Healdsburg Jazz Festival stretches over 10 days, two weekends and a half dozen indoor and outdoor venues. All shows are available as single ticketed events with early sales available to Healdsburg Jazz festival members. (sign up at www.healdsburgjazzfestival.org.
Other musicians appearing this year will be guitarist Dave Stryker, Django Festival All-Stars, Pacific Mambo Orchestra with Rico Pabon, Ricardo Peixoto, Carlitos Medrano and Sabor De Mi Cuba and the Russian River Ramblers.
The Healdsburg Jazz Festival was founded in 1999 by Jessica Felix, who continues to lead the festival as artistic director. Over the years, the festival has expanded from a one-venue, single weekend event to its current weeklong offering that attracts thousands of jazz fans from the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.
Venues for this year’s festival will include the Sonoma Country Day School’s Jackson Theater, Raven Theater, Spoonbar, The SHED, Healdsburg Plaza (a free concert), Paul Mahder Gallery and Dry Creek Kitchen.
