Mears Park, Main Stage©Andrea Canter

For the twelfth time, area jazz fans, general music fans, and folks just out for some free fun found plenty to enjoy at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival, formerly the Hot Summer Jazz Festival. And formerly, it was a two-weekend, two-city affair. The flailing economy as well as some loss of enthusiasm on the west side of the river nearly brought the festival to a halt a year ago, but thanks to producer Steve Heckler, the city of St. Paul, and some renewed corporate support, the festival was reborn in 2009 at Mears Park in St. Paul’s Lowertown. 

Some have lamented that the festival is now limited to one city, one weekend, but there’s considerable evidence that this might be the recipe for success. Focusing the Twin Cities Jazz Festival in St Paul seems to have given the event a new cohesiveness and collaborative spirit—it’s more like jazz. And Minneapolis residents apparently are not shy about coming east to their sister metroplex. This year, with more sponsors, the festival added a second stage along Sixth Street, carefully scheduled such that as soon as the set ended on the main stage, a new set began on Sixth, the two never competing with each other. You could stay in your chair (your own or one of the many set up in the big rectangle in front of the main stage) and hear the music as it was piped into the big speakers in the park, or you could move the 100 yards or so and grab a chair or just stand along the edges and watch as well as listen to the mostly local bands on the new stage. And after a one-year hiatus, the Youth Stage returned, again sponsored by the Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education, now housed within Cray (Galtier) Plaza’s central atrium.  

John Scofield©Andrea Canter

The second day of the Twin Cities Jazz Festival kicks off at noon with the youthful exuberance of the Walker West Jazz Ensemble on the main stage and the opening of the Youth Stage at Cray. The afternoon continues on four stages at Mears Park, on Sixth Street, at Cray and at the Hat Trick Lounge, with headliners Bobby Watson, John Ellis and John Scofield expected to draw crowds topping 30,000. 

See the full line-up and schedule online at www.twincitiesjazzfestival.com  

Mears Park Main State (5th and Sibley Streets, St. Paul; free)

Noon – 1 pm, Walker West Music Academy. Most of the student ensembles will be across the street at Cray Plaza, but the Walker West Music Academy Ensembles have long been crowd favorites at Mears Park. Directed by acclaimed educator Felix James, the bands of Walker West feature some of the most talented youth in the region, ages 12 and up through high school. 

Brian Setzer's band opens the festival with a free performance©Kevin Mason

The Montreal Jazz Festival is the largest jazz celebration in the world, and the 31st edition will be held from June 25 to July 6, 2010. The Festival has long been a magnet for jazz aficionados and music lovers, and the 2010 event is no exception. A partial list of performers includes: Sonny Rollins, Dave Brubeck, The Manhattan Transfer, Smokey Robinson, Herbie Hancock, David Sanborn, Cassandra Wilson, Gil Scott Heron, Houston Person, Taj Mahal, Cyndi Lauper, George Benson, The Moody Blues, Nikki Yanofsky, The Roots, Boz Scaggs, Blackburn, Keith Jarrett, Allen Toussaint, Lou Reed, Bobby McFerrin, Ben E. King, Joan Armatrading, and The Steve Miller Band. These are some of the big names who will appear, but believe it or not, this list is just the tip of the iceberg.  

The official name of this renowned annual event is the “Festival International de Jazz de Montréal.” The word “international” is particularly apt, as there will be diverse performers from all over the world. One thing that distinguishes the Montreal Festival is the amazing number of free outdoor acts. During the 12 days of music, hundreds of musicians will perform at several outdoor stages from 12:00 noon until after 12:00 midnight. The Festival begins in high style with a free concert on Friday, June 25 at 9:30 p.m. by the Brian Setzer Orchestra, who will be returning to Montreal by popular demand after their massive success last year at the Wilfred-Pelletier Theater. 

“I think the stage is set for our best festival ever.” –Steve Heckler, Executive Director, TCJF 

Sean Jones©Andrea Canter

The 12th annual Twin Cities Jazz Festival’s main events get underway Friday afternoon, June 18th, with top national and local performers on the Mears Park and Sixth Street Stages in St. Paul’s Lowertown. Music is staggered to allow jazz fans to attend in full all sets on these two free stages. But there’s more at nearby clubs! Opening day features local group Story City opening at 4 pm, followed by young trumpet king Sean Jones (6 pm) and tenor titan Joe Lovano and his Us Five ensemble at 8:30 pm, all on the Mears Park Main Stage. Adjacent on Sixth Street, Pete Whitman’s X-Tet (5 pm) will be followed by Denver-based Indo-American saxophonist Aakash Mittal and his Quartet (7:30 pm). 

Full festival schedule and information can be found on the festival website at www.twincitiesjazzfestival.com. Friday’s details: 

John Penny©Andrea Canter

Once again, Jazz Night Out will open the Twin Cities Jazz Festival with its “club crawl” through nine music venues in and around the festival’s Mears Park epicenter. On Thursday, June 17th, you can start your weekend of live jazz with Jazz After Work at Barrio, continue on to the festive sounds of Pippi Ardennia at Mears Park, and then make some tough choices as to where to spend the next few hours, perhaps ending your quest at midnight or later at the Artists Quarter for Stride Piano Night or at the Hat Trick Lounge for a series of great jazz acts; some events are free, others charge a low cover. See below for the full Jazz Night Out line-up and schedule! And remember to check the festival website for a digital program and full schedule information. The main festival gets underway Friday, June 18th, featuring Sean Jones and Joe Lovano on the Mears Park Stage, continuing from noon til 10 pm on Saturday with Bobby Watson, John Ellis and John Scofield’s Piety Street Band capping the activities at Mears Park on Saturday. 

Jazz Night Out, June 17th

“Probably the best small jazz festival in the country, if not the world.”—San Francisco Chronicle 

Ravi Coltrane©Andrea Canter

It’s no longer a well-kept secret that the northern California town of Healdsburg holds one of the finest small jazz festivals in the nation. Tucked into the picturesque vineyards of Dry Creek, Alexander Valley and Russian River in Sonoma County, Healdsburg welcomes a diverse array of internationally acclaimed and locally prominent musicians every summer, scattering performances around restaurants, hotel lobbies, small theaters and winery grounds, usually over the course of ten days. The 2010 festival marks the 12th anniversary of this event, and with two weekends of prime time performances and a week of engaging jazz related activities in-between.  

Over its 12 years, the festival has presented a long list of legendary performers. The first festival in 1999 included the late Billy Higgins as well as Cedar Walton and Bobby Hutcherson. Fred Hersch, Charles Lloyd, Randy Weston, the Heath Brothers, Billy Hart, Abbey Lincoln, Roy Haynes, Frank Morgan, Gary Burton, Kenny Barron, Regina Carter, McCoy Tyner, Delfeayo Marsalis and Patricia Barber have all appeared at the festival, with Hersch, Lloyd, and Hart on the bandstand several times.