 Billy Hart, Photo by Andrea Canter Artistic
Director Jessica Felix is artist and owner of Art and All That Jazz,
a great little gallery on the town square that uniquely combines
local art and craft creations with jazz portraits by the late Jerry
Stoll, official photographer of the Monterey Jazz Festival in the
1950s-1960s. Putting together her head for business and love of jazz,
Felix founded and has directed the annual Healdsburg Jazz Festival
since its first production in 1999, and the event has grown to be one
of the classiest venues and line-ups in the nation.
 McCoy Tyner
Thursday,
June 1 (6 pm). Gala Auction, Dinner, Concert &
Dance, Furth Center (Windsor). Kick-off the festival in
grand style with the annual fund-raising Gala, and enjoy the great
drummer Louie Bellson with the Musician’s Warehouse Big Band.
Starting with a wine reception, then auction and dinner, the Gala
raises funds for festival-sponsored jazz education programs which
occur throughout the year. After dinner, enjoy the talents of
drummer/compower/author Louie Bellson with the Musicians Warehouse
Big Band, an amalgam of 20 top Bay-area musicians. Bellson was once
dubbed by Duke Ellington as “not only the world’s greatest
drummer, but the world’s greatest musician.” Nearly every
non-drumming jazz great has played or recorded with Bellson,
including Ellington, Count Basie, Woody Herman, Tommy Dorsey, Harry
James, Benny Carter, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson,
Art Tatum, Dizzy Gillespie, Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, Louis
Armstrong, Tony Bennett…. The list goes on! Now 82, Bellson is
going as strong as ever. (Reservations, $125; Furth Center is located
at 8400 Old Redwood Hwy in nearby Windsor.)
Friday,
June 2 (8 pm), Bruce Foreman Trio with Noel Jewkes, Barn Diva
(Healdsburg). Guitarist Bruce Foreman has appeared on
international stages for over two decades. His resume includes
performing and/or recording with Bobby Hutcherson, Ray Brown, Freddie
Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Barney Kessel, Richie Cole and more. His
swinging bop style and creative harmonies were highlighted in Clint
Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby. Foreman’s trio includes
John Witala and Vince Lateano, with special guest, Bay Area saxman
Noel Jewkes. (Sponsored by Geyser Peak Winery. Tickets, $20, includes
a glass of Geyser Peak wine or soda;
www.barndiva.com.
Barn Diva is a new club located in the heart of central Healdsburg,
231 Center St.)
Saturday,
June 3 (8 pm), Marc Cary Focus Trio, Barn Diva. Born in New
York, raised in Washington DC, with his Native and African American
heritage informing his music, Marc Cary is one of the most innovative
keyboard masters working today. He has toured with Arthur Taylor,
Betty Carter, Roy Hargrove, Stefon Harris, and mentor Abbey Lincoln.
Now a well established composer, writer, producer and bandleader, he
won the first Annual Billboard/BET “Best New Jazz Artist” Award
in 2000. Of his eclectic chops, Peter Watrous (New York Times)
noted, “Cary is one of only a few pianists to tackle the sound and
percussion of Duke Ellington and Randy Weston." Back by popular
demand for his second consecutive year at the HJF, Cary’s Focus
Trio includes bassist David Ewell and drummer Sameer Gupta.
(Sponsored by Geyser Peak Winery. Tickets, $20, includes a glass of
Geyser Peak wine or soda;
www.barndiva.com)
Sunday,
June 4 (7 pm), Jazz Night at the Movies with Mark Cantor, Raven
Theater (Healdsburg). Internationally acclaimed film expert
Mark Cantor presents rare clips of jazz legends. A
preservationist and researcher for 30 years, Cantor has archived one
of the largest collections of popular musicians on film in the
nation. This year he returns
to Healdsburg with Celluloid Improvisations, likely to
feature such artists as Louie Bellson, Mark Murphy, Art Blakey, Duke
Ellington, Bud Powell, McCoy Tyner, John Coltrane, Benny Goodman, and
many more. A special feature this year is film of the Cotton Club in
Harlem, including stunning jazz dance performances. (Sponsored by
KRCB-FM
91, tickets $10. The Raven Theater is just off the square at 115 N.
Healdsburg St.).
Monday,
June 5/Wednesday June 7 (7 pm), Jazz and Wine Dinners, Dry Creek
Kitchen (Healdsburg). A special night of fine food, wine and
jazz features the culinary talents of New York chef (Aureole) Charlie
Palmer. His Dry Creek Kitchen in central Healdsburg will be the scene
of an unforgettable evening. Music on Monday will be provided by the
Stephanie Ozer Trio with Mary Fettig and Scott Thompson. Eclectic
pianist Stephanie Ozer has performed in
ensembles of classical, jazz, rock, Klezmer, Javanese Gamelan, and
Brazilan jazz, and worked for a decade with vocalist Kathy Moore in
an award winning jazz duo that opened for Abbey Lincoln and Phoebe
Snow. Music Wednesday night features the Mad and Eddie Duran
Trio with Chris Amberger. Dubbed San Francisco’s First
Couple of Instrumental Jazz, Mad Duran will be on tenor, alto, and
soprano saxophones, flute, and alto flute, with husband /arranger
Eddie on guitar, and Chris Amberger on bass. (Sponsor, Hotel
Healdsburg. Dry Creek Kitchen, 317 Healdsburg Av. Reservations
recommended;
www.drycreekkitchen.com)
Tuesday,
June 6 (6-8 pm), Rebecca Mauleon Sextet, Headlsburg Plaza.
Party with Latin Jazz pianist/composer Rebecca Mauleon as her sextet
invites dancing and revelry on the Healdsburg Town Plaza—all free.
Celebrating the release of her CD, Decarga en California,
Mauleon features Gary Brown on bass, Josh Jones on drums, Edgardo
Cambon on congas, Orestes Vilato on timbales, and Mary Wehnr on
trombone. Grab picnic items from the adjacent Oakville Grocery or one
of the delis and coffee shops lining the plaza, and of course a
bottle of Sonoma wine!
Thursday,
June 8 (7 pm, two sets), Shea Breaux Wells, Flying Goat Coffee
(Healdsburg). Popular singer/songwriter Shea Breaux Wells
relocated to Sonoma County after honing her jazz chops in southern
California and the Bay Area. She’ll be ably supported by pianist
Noam Lemish, bassist David Ewell, drummer Alex Aspinall, and
trumpeter Bill Ortiz. (Tickets $10. Flying Goat Coffee is located off
the plaza at 324 Center Street.)
 Heath Brothers Friday,
June 9; Saturday June 10 (9 pm-midnight), John Heard Trio, Hotel
Healdsburg Lobby. For the fourth consecutive year, the John
Heard Trio serves as “house band” after hours in the Hotel
Healdsburg lobby. Veteran bassist John Heard will feature the amazing
young pianist Danny Grissett (hot off a tour with Nicholas Payton)
and young high-velocity drummer Lorca Hart (son of drum legend, and
festival stalwart, Billy Hart). You never know who will show up and
sit in! (Sponsored by the Hotel Healdsburg, 25 Matheson Street off
the plaza, no cover.)
 Mark Murphy Saturday,
June 10 (4 pm), Wine and Food Pairings with Christian Foley-Beining
and Gary Johnson, La Crema Tasting Room (Healdsburg). La
Crema boast a new tasting room off the city plaza, and you can stop
in and enjoy wine and food pairings (no charge!) while listening to
the popular local duo of Foley-Beining and Johnson. (La Crema, 235
Healdsburg Av.)
Saturday,
June 10 (8 pm), Charlie Haden Quartet West, Raven Theater
(Healdsburg). One of the festival highlights will be the
appearance of visionary bassist Charlie Haden and his acclaimed
Quartet West featuring pianist Alan Broadbent, saxophonist Ernie
Watts, and drummer Billy Hart (replacing original drummer, the late
Billy Higgins). Recognized early for his avant garde work with
Ornette Coleman, Haden brought Quartet West together 20 years ago to
address more structured arrangements that set the tone for modern
jazz. Considered one of the greatest-ever jazz bassists, Hadens’
career spans five decades. Since arriving in Los Angeles in the late
50s where he first performed with Art Pepper, Hampton Hawes, Dexter
Gordon, and Paul Bley, Haden has proven himself to be one of the most
creative jazz musicians. His work with Ornette Coleman was visionary,
as was his work with Keith Jarrett and Carla Bley, with whom he
founded the seminal project, the Liberation Music Orchestra, in the
late 60s. He later was a founding member of Old and New Dreams. Haden
has since explored world music, film noire, performed in acclaimed
duo with Pat Metheny, and has maintained Quartet West over two
decades. This will be a very special evening at the Raven. (Sponsored
by River Rock Casino. Tickets $30 general seating, $45 Golden Circle
seating.)
 Eric Kamau Gravatt, Photo by Andrea Canter  Julian Lage, Photo by Andrea Canter The
Billy Hart Trio will be sure the stage is plenty hot
for Tyner, when they play the first set at Rodney Strong. One of the
unsung stars of modern jazz drumming, Billy Hart has frequently
manned the trapset at the HJF, and this time it’s with his own trio
featuring Panamanian bassist Santi Debriano and young Bay Area guitar
prodigy Julian Lage. Hart has appeared on over 600 recordings,
including appearances with Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Pharoah
Sanders, Stan Getz, Michael Brecker, and Joe Lovano. (Sponsor,
Rodney Stong Vineyards. Tickets: $45, general outdoor seating. Rodney
Strong Vineyards, 11455 Old Redwood Hwy, Healdsburg.)
For
more information and to order tickets, visit
www.healdsburgjazzfestival.com.
Healdsburg is located in Sonoma County, east of Santa Rosa and about
60 miles north of San Francisco. Accommodations available in and
around Healdsburg. The Healdsburg Jazz Festival is officially
sponsored by Comcast and Savor Wine Country Magazine, as well
as the Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce, Hotel Healdsburg, Rodney
Strong and Quivera Wineries, and other Sonoma County businesses and
wineries. The Festival also sponsors several jazz education programs.
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Thursday, 08 January 2009
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