Freihofer’s Jazz Festival

It looks like we’ll have good weather for the festival! Gates open 10am tomorrow morning.

Lineup with set times is available.

An article in Friday’s Saratogian explained that the US World Cup Match will be televised at the festival.

Jazz aficionados torn by their love of soccer need not be concerned about attending the 33rd annual Freihofer’s Jazz Festival on Saturday and missing out on the World Cup match between the U.S. team and Ghana.

Due to the public’s tremendous interest in the match, Saratoga Performing Arts Center will stream the match live during the Jazz Festival on four large screen TVs in the Hall of Springs’ indoor/outdoor Jazz Bar.

Saratoga Springs-based artist Frankie Flores has created the design for the official 2010 festival t-shirt:

I’ve updated the lineup with expected set times!

Festival Producer Danny Melnick will appear on WGBH FM in Boston, MA and WTCC FM in Springfield, MA this week to discuss some of the artists scheduled to perform at the festival.

He’ll be on WGBH 89.7 in Boston, MA with Eric Jackson on Wednesday June 2nd at 9pm. You can listen online at http://www.wgbh.org/897/.

And then on WTCC 90.7 in Springfield, MA with Rodney Malloy on Thursday June 3rd at 11am. You can listen online @ http://www.wtccfm.org/.

The 2010 Festival is quickly approaching!

Veteran festival goers will be pleased to hear that:

… men’s and women’s bathrooms under and to the left of the theater have been completely renovated for the upcoming concert season. The bathrooms were always there but had deteriorated over the years. Funding for their restyoration came from state Parks, Nigro said, and the improved bathrooms features an exterior concrete patio area for people to lounge about.

– http://blog.timesunion.com/saratogaseen/spac-stack-on-hold/4793/

The 2010 lineup and ticket information has been announced! Details are available at http://jazzfest.louthompson.com/2010-lineup/.

Pianist Ahmad Jamal will be performing at the 2010 festival on Saturday June 26th – six days before his 80^th birthday!

Ahmad’s wikipedia entry calls him “an acclaimed virtuoso jazz pianist and keyboardist, composer, and innovative trio leader” and “one of Miles Davis’s favorite pianists.”

His Official Site includes a discography and list of tour dates.

In the past five years, Ahmad has released several albums, including:

• 2010’s A Quiet Time with James Cammack on bass, Kenny Washington on drums, and Manolo Badrena on precussion.
• 2008’s It’s Magic with James Cammack on bass, Idris Muhammad on drums, and Manolo Badrena on percussion.
• 2005’s After Fajr with James Cammack on bass and Idris Muhammad on drums.

Read more…

The Saratoga Performing Arts Center has announced the lineup for the 2010 Extended Season, an emerging artist showcase presented at the Spa Little Theatre in late Spring.

This year’s program will offer performances by acclaimed jazz bassist and 2009 Thelonious Monk Award winner Ben Williams on Saturday May 22, and jazz vocalist Sachal Vasandani on Thursday June 3.

Tickets for SPAC’s Extended Season performances are $25 each. Tickets can be ordered online.

Rachel Z, also known as Rachel Carmel Nicolazzo, has been playing the piano since the age of seven. Since then she’s played with giants of the 20^th century jazz scene including Wayne Shorter, Stanley Clarke and Lenny White. In 2010 she will open the festival main stage on Sunday (June 27) with Omar Hakim on drums! Later in the day she will appear on the gazebo stage.

Her recent project, titled Dept. of Good and Evil, features drummer and husband Bobby Rae and bassist Maeve Royce. According to Rachel’s Wikipedia article the trio’s “ideas for transforming modern pop songs into jazz masterpieces … have thrust this group into the forefront of modern jazz.” Their self-titled 2007 release can be purchased from Amazon as a CD.

Additionally, her 2005 solo release, Grace can be purchased from Amazon as a CD.

Her Official Site includes a biography and discography.

Read more…