22nd Annual Healdsburg Jazz Festival 2020
22nd Annual Healdsburg Jazz Festival 2020
May 29 – June 7, 2020
Renowned Northern California Festival Celebrates Women
with Standout Summer 2020 Programming
Including 10-Day Music Festival (May/June 2020), Special Events, & Annual Gala
Headlining Concerts Starring Acclaimed Jazz Artists:
Dianne Reeves: Beleza Brazil;
ARTEMIS Featuring Renee Rosnes, Anat Cohen,
Ingrid Jensen, Allison Miller, and Noriko Veda;
Tia Fuller’s Diamond Cut Quartet;
Charles Lloyd & Kindred Spirits “World Premiere” The Ballad of Juana Maria
Featuring Gerald Clayton, Julian Lage, Ruben Rogers, and Eric Harland;
Jane Bunnett’s Maqueque; Zydeco Legend Terrance Simien and Marcella Simien
Additional Concerts:
Harriet Tubman: Bound for the Promised Land
Performed by Marcus Shelby Orchestra Featuring Tiffany Austin
and The Healdsburg Jazz Freedom Choir;
The Diaspora Sessions Featuring Tiffany Austin, Kev Choice, and The Hogan Brothers;
20th Anniversary Operation Jazz Band Reunion Concert with Babatunde Lea, Azar Lawrence and Clairdee; Ruth Ahlers Trio; Christelle Durandy Afro-Cuban Sanktet; Sylvia Cuenca Trio;
Katie Cavera and the Lost Boys Featuring Jessica King, and More!
“one of the best small jazz festivals in the country if not the world.”
–San Francisco Chronicle
“…the festival has retained its homegrown feel while still pulling in jazz’s biggest names.”
–KQED
“Over the past decades, the annual Healdsburg Jazz Festival has established a national reputation for drawing top jazz talents to Sonoma County while maintaining an intimate small-town atmosphere.”
–Santa Rosa Press Democrat
“Best Music Festival in the North Bay” –Bohemian
Healdsburg, Calif. – Sonoma County’s premier annual music event, Healdsburg Jazz Festival returns for its 22nd edition from May 29 – June 7, 2020 with an acclaimed lineup featuring many of today’s foremost jazz artists performing in the heart of Wine County in downtown Healdsburg. 2020 marks a special edition of the longstanding festival as it Honors Women through exceptional artist performances and events celebrating the achievements of local women heroes. Opening weekend of Healdsburg Jazz Festival kicks off with Dianne Reeves: Beleza Brazil (Jackson Theater: May 30), Tia Fuller’s Diamond Cut Quartet (Paul Mahder Gallery: May 29), and the “World Premiere” of Charles Lloyd & Kindred Spirits’ “The Ballad of Juana Maria” Featuring Gerald Clayton, Julian Lage, Ruben Rogers, and Eric Harland (Jackson Theater: May 31).
The 10-day jazz-de-force festival programs top-billing acts such as ARTEMIS featuring Renee Rosnes, Anat Cohen, Ingrid Jensen, Allison Miller, and Noriko Veda (Raven Theater: June 6); Jane Bunnett’s Maqueque (Raven Theater: June 5); Music of New Orleans featuring Zydeco legend Terrance Simien and Marcella Simien with Krewe da Magnifique (Truett Hurst Winery: June 7); Harriet Tubman: Bound for the Promised Land performed by Marcus Shelby Orchestra featuring Tiffany Austin and The Healdsburg Freedom Jazz Choir (June 7); The Diaspora Sessions featuring Tiffany Austin, Kev Choice, and The Hogan Brothers (Spoon Bar: June 3); 20th Anniversary Operation Jazz Band Reunion Concert (Raven Theater: June 4); Ruth Ahlers Trio with Laura Klein and Ruth Davies (Dry Creek Kitchen: June 1); Christelle Durandy Afro-Cuban Sanktet (Healdsburg Plaza: June 2); Sylvia Cuenca Trio (Raven Theatre Lobby: June 6); Katie Cavera and the Lost Boys featuring Jessica King (June 7); and a free concert with SonoMusette featuring vocalist Mimi Pirard (Landmark Vineyards: May 31). A standout summer destination for jazz aficionados, families, and the local community alike, Healdsburg Jazz Festival attracts nearly 10,000 festival-goers to downtown for an unforgettable jazz experience.
At the epicenter of the world-class wine region of Sonoma County, Healdsburg Jazz Festival unites Bay Area residents and visitors through impeccable programming of lauded jazz artists set amid the backdrop of 180 surrounding wineries and 30 gourmet restaurants. In 2020, Healdsburg Jazz Festival embarks on its third decade dedicated to the preservation of the jazz art form while presenting exceptional emerging acts through its annual summer festival, year-round jazz concerts, jazz master concerts, and its school-based music education initiatives.
“Over the course of 22 amazing years, Healdsburg Jazz Festival has the great fortune of presenting an array of incredible artists,” says Jessica Felix, Founder and Artistic Director of Healdsburg Jazz Festival. “For today’s modern audience, we thought it’s essential to celebrate phenomenal women in both the arts and our community with singular programming at the festival and additional special events. From stalwarts such as Diane Reeves and Tia Fuller to the all-star line up of Artemis, Healdsburg Jazz Festival is a leader for diversity and gender equality. 2020 is the centennial of the women’s suffrage movement. We want to bring awareness of this milestone to our audiences. We’re dedicated to showcasing the incredible contributions women are bringing forth to change the face of jazz as well as the wine and culinary industries as we know it.”
Healdsburg Jazz Festival follows the devastating Kincade Fire that burned over 75,000 acres throughout Sonoma County in November 2019. The Sonoma County community continues to rebuild itself after the fire and Healdsburg Jazz Festival hopes the greater Bay Area will come together to supports the arts and local businesses that are still working diligently to get back on their feet.
Highlights of Confirmed Artists @ 22nd Annual Healdsburg Jazz Festival 2020
NEA Jazz Master and five-time GRAMMY Award-winner Dianne Reeves fully immerses herself in the sounds of Brazil with her brand new project, Beleza Brazil. Reeves is joined by a band of uncommonly gifted players including guitarist Romero Lubambo, pianist Helio Alves, bassist Itaiguara Brandão, and drummer Rafael Barata. Though Reeves has included the work of Brazilian greats Dori Caymmi, Vinícius de Moraes, and Jobim in her sets and recordings over the years, this is her first evening-length sojourn into Brazilian popular song.
Hailing from America, Canada, Israel, Chile and Japan, ARTEMIS is an international all-star group featuring six of the top women performers on the jazz scene today: pianist and musical director Renee Rosnes, trumpeter Ingrid Jensen, clarinetist Anat Cohen, tenor saxophonist Melissa Aldana, bassist Noriko Ueda, and drummer Allison Miller. ARTEMIS is a premier band that plays with passion, power, and sensitivity. ARTEMIS brings their collective artistry to Healdsburg Jazz Festival with an unforgettable performance of hi-wire interplay and pure joy.
Saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Tia Fuller uses the process of diamonds forming under four levels of extreme pressure and heat as a metaphor for the time she spent honing her artistic craft. When looking up the term “diamond cut,” you’ll learn that it’s not necessarily pertaining to the shape, but to the proportioning and the balance as to which the highest amount of light is reflected through the diamond. The process serves as a direct correlation to Fuller’s playing with her acclaimed quartet live on stage and on her latest album, Diamond Cut.
Healdsburg Jazz Festival presents the “World Premiere” of a dynamic and innovative multimedia suite, “The Ballad of Juana Maria,” composed by NEA Jazz Master Charles Lloyd and by videographer Dorothy Darr. With Lloyd’s Kindred Spirits project, “The Ballad of Juana Maria” is inspired by the “Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island.” Lloyd highlights the story of Juana Maria, a member of the Nicoleño tribe who created her own music as a connection to nature while stranded alone on the island off Santa Barbara from 1835-53. Lloyd performs with Kindred Spirits, which features Gerald Clayton, Julian Lage, Ruben Rogers, and Eric Harland.
Five-time Juno Award-winning soprano saxophonist Jane Bunnett has turned her bands and recordings into showcases for the finest musical talent from Canada, the U.S., and Cuba. She has been nominated for three GRAMMY Awards, received The Order of Canada, The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, and, most recently, The Premier’s Award for Excellence. Bunnett’s latest recording On Firm Ground/Tierra Firme (September 6, 2019) has the celebrated bandleader helming a six-piece troupe with premiere women artists hailing from Cuba. Her prominent project Maqueque has been a hit since its formation in 2014, and Healdsburg audiences will get to witness the wonder of these Afro-Cuban jazz women warriors.
GRAMMY Award-winning Zydeco star Terrance Simien is renowned across the globe for his original brand of funk-inspired two-step that’s been influenced by the jazz mecca of New Orleans. In 2009, Terrance was introduced to millions of kids and parents when the song “Gonna Take You There” featuring Simien was placed in the Disney movie, The Princess and the Frog, set in New Orleans. His music has also been included in movies such as The Big Easy, The Lucky One, Exit to Eden, and several others. Alongside his daughter Marcella Simien, the Zydeco legend will serve a blast of bayou funk ’n’ roll with the assemble, Krewe de Magnifique.
Lauded jazz composer/ bandleader Marcus Shelby Orchestra presents his suite, “Harriet Tubman: Bound for the Promised Land,” with The Healdsburg Freedom Jazz Choir featuring jazz vocalist Tiffany Austin. Shelby’s masterpiece is an oratorio for jazz orchestra and chorus based on the book of the same name by Kate Clifford Larson.
Tiffany Austin debuts her inaugural collaboration with rapper/pianist Kev Choice and jazz-fusion super group The Hogan Brothers with The Diaspora Sessions. The Diaspora Sessions are a celebration of the rich traditions of soul: combining swing, funk, and hip-hop to reimagine classics (by artists such as Roy Ayers, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin), while pushing the boundaries with original compositions.
20th Anniversary Operation Jazz Band Reunion Concert at the Raven Theater features Babatunde Lean Azar Lawrence, Clairdee, Glen Pearson, Angela Wellman, Howard Wiley, Geeche Taylor, Bill Ortiz, Tiffany Austin, Gary Brown, Frank Martin, Ron Belcher, Ruth Ahlers, and Ronda Benin.
For additional artist highlights, please visit: https://healdsburgjazz.org
New Attractions @ 22nd Annual Healdsburg Jazz Festival 2020
Jazz Village (located at West Plaza Park) is a free five-day mini-festival (May 29 – June 2) offering the greater community an opportunity to learn about music from creative musicians through an interactive and hands-on jazz experience. Programming focuses on diverse styles for all ages and cultures, and provides both locals and concert attendees a gathering place to talk and learn about jazz on a deeper, richer level. Launched in 2018, Jazz Village serves as a hub integrated within the larger festival with art projects for children, jam sessions, festival musicians signing CDs, jazz radio hosts spinning records, an antique instrument exhibit, jazz dance and poetry performances, a communal art project commemorating the festival, and more. “Jazz Village Campus” is a standout festival addition for school children for three days (May 29, June 1-2) with onsite programs in rhythm, percussion, and dance. Select activities are bilingual. Jazz Village runs daily throughout the duration of the festival in the afternoon.
From north of the Golden Gate Bridge all the way to the Oregon border, Healdsburg Jazz Festival is the place to truly experience a boutique jazz festival committed to hosting celebrated artists on venerable stages with the culinary and wine excellence of Sonoma County within arms reach. Stay tuned to healdsburgjazz.org for refinements of the festival schedule in the coming weeks.
Special Events Honoring Women 2020:
Join Healdsburg Jazz Festival at the following special events raising funds for the non-profit:
–Sunday, March 22, 2020: Relish Culinary (14 Matheson St, Healdsburg, CA) owner Donna del Rey hosts the Cooking with Women Winemakers Fundraiser. Guests will cook alongside celebrated local women winemakers, including Chantal Forthun (Flowers), Emma Kudritzki Hall (Mauritson), and Jessica Boone (Passalacqua Wineries). Chef Doralice Handal will discuss the exquisite menu with attendees throughout the event.
–Saturday, April 18, 2020: Healdsburg Jazz Festival Annual Gala at Vintners Resort (4350 Barnes Road, Santa Rosa, CA) honors exceptional women throughout the wine country region. The Annual Gala celebrates Carrie Brown (Jimtown Store), Circe Sher (Hotel Healdsburg), and Gina Gallo (E. & J. Gallo Winery). Healdsburg Jazz Festival proudly recognizes three world-renowned leaders in the food, hospitality, and wine industry.
–Monday, June 1, 2020: A once in a lifetime Luncheon for Healdsburg Jazz Festival will be generously hosted by Baci Cafe & Wine Bar (336 Healdsburg Aveowner Lisbeth Holmefjord featuring special guests Charles Lloyd and Dorothy Darr in a post-concert discussion and Q&A. Enjoy a specially prepared three-course lunch perfectly paired to complement Lambert Bridge winemaker Jennifer Higgins’s wines. The fundraiser will feed your body and soul while supporting the Healdsburg Jazz Festival. Lunch is $125/person (food, wine, gratuity included).
22nd Annual Healdsburg Jazz Festival
When: May 29 – June 7, 2020
Where: Downtown Healdsburg, CA and Santa Rosa, CA
Admission: https://www.healdsburgjazzfestival.org/buy_tickets
Tickets: Free – $75 (On sale to members on March 23; general public on April 1)
More Info: https://www.healdsburgjazz.org, (707) 433-4633
Healdsburg Jazz Festival 2020 Artist Lineup
Dianne Reeves: Beleza Brazil; ARTEMIS Featuring Renee Rosnes, Anat Cohen, Ingrid Jensen, Nicole Glover, Allison Miller, and Noriko Veda; Tia Fuller’s Diamond Cut Quartet; Charles Lloyd & Kindred Spirits’ “World Premiere” The Ballad of Juana Maria Featuring Gerald Clayton, Julian Lage, Ruben Rogers, and Eric Harland; Jane Bunnett’s Maqueque; Terrance Simien Band and Marcella Simien; Harriet Tubman: Bound for the Promised Land Performed by Marcus Shelby Orchestra Featuring Tiffany Austin and The Healdsburg Freedom Jazz Choir; “The Diaspora Sessions” Featuring Tiffany Austin, Kev Choice, and The Hogan Brothers; 20th Anniversary Operation Jazz Band Reunion Concert; Ruth Ahlers Trio; Christelle Durandy Afro-Cuban Sanktet; Sylvia Cuenca Trio; and Katie Cavera and the Lost Boys Featuring Jessica King
About Healdsburg Jazz Festival
The Healdsburg Jazz Festival is a celebration of the indigenous American art form known as Jazz. Over the past two decades, the festival has become a favorite local tradition with a growing national reputation. The 10-day festival of public performances by world-renowned musicians in diverse settings, including the historic Raven Theater, the glamorous Hotel Healdsburg, and several boutique restaurants and wineries, has grown into one of the North Bay’s most celebrated annual musical events.
In addition to the annual festival, held the first week of June each year, the non-profit 501(c)(3) organization sponsors numerous music education programs in Healdsburg area schools for primary and secondary school students, and presents a series of Jazz Masters concerts throughout the year.
For more information, please visit: https://www.healdsburgjazz.org
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