The nearly cancelled Festival bounces back with outstanding talent including Allen Toussaint, Esperanza Spalding, The New Standards, Irv Williams and much more.
The jazz festival that “almost wasn’t†has announced an exciting lineup for its 2009 edition. The Twin Cities Jazz Festival was so hard pressed to secure adequate sponsorship money for its 11th annual event that organizers were prepared to cancel the event in 2009 and attempt to return in 2010. Through eleventh-hour efforts and the generosity of sponsors that did not want to see this Twin Cities tradition falter, the Twin Cities Jazz Festival will return on June 18, 19 & 20, 2009. Although the Festival will cover fewer days than its usual two-week run, the lineup promises to make it one of the most potent in the event’s history. New Orleans R&B legend Allen Toussaint headlines the Friday, June 19 free concert in Mears Park in downtown Saint Paul. The Mears Park lineup on Saturday, June 20, includes 24 year-old bass and vocal sensation Esperanza Spalding and the Twin Cities-based group The New Standards. Other highlights include a Jazz Night Out club crawl on Thursday, June 18 featuring over 15 clubs in downtown Saint Paul (benefitting the St. Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation), a performance by Twin Cities sax master Irv Williams (and a celebration as he approaches his 90th birthday), the return of young sax wiz Alex Han and piano man Jon Weber, performances at the Artists’ Quarter jazz club and the Hat Trick Lounge, and more. The entire 2009 Twin Cities Jazz Festival will take place in downtown Saint Paul. All of the concerts in Mears Park are free admission. For more information, visit www.TwinCitiesJazzFestival.com.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Main Stage in Mears Park / FREE Admission
5th St. E. & Sibley St. in Saint Paul
Schedule to be announced.
Jazz Night Out – various locations, 8:30 p.m.
Jazz Night Out is a Club Crawl with 15 participating venues in downtown St. Paul. The event will raise money to support the work of the St. Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation, which is co-presenting the evening’s events. The clubs will feature performances ranging from straight-ahead jazz to Salsa dancing to blues.
Jazz Night Out participants can purchase a commemorative button for $15 through the St. Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation or the participating clubs. Button wearers receive: a trolley ride to the participating clubs (six trolley’s will run from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 am), featured drink specials, and free admission to the participating clubs.
Participating Clubs: American Burger Bar (Jim Anglo), Artists’ Quarter (The Five), Barrio (Solid Gold), Black Dog Café (The Fantastic Merlins), The Bulldog (Erik Christenson), Camp Bar (the Jazz Vocalists of MN present the Great American Songbook), Great Waters Brewing Co., Hat Trick Lounge (Paula Berends and Jon Weber/Alex Han), The Liffey (Papa John Kolstad), Mancini’s (The Mancini Players), Rumours & Innuendo (Red Planet), The Saint Paul Hotel (JoAnn Funk in the Lobby Bar), Senor Wong (Tres Mundo), Station 4 (Salsa del Soul), and Trattoria da Vinci (Bobby Schnitzer with Kenny Holman).
Friday, June 19, 2009
Main Stage in Mears Park / FREE Admission
5th St. E. & Sibley St. in Saint Paul
4:00 – 4:45 p.m. Dakota Combo Sponsored by MacPhail Center for Music and the Dakota Foundation for Jazz Education
5:15 – 6:15 p.m. Terrence Hughes and his Manfredo Fest Tribute Band
6:45 – 7:45 p.m. Irv Williams (celebrating his upcoming 90th birthday)
8:30 – 10:00 p.m. Allen Toussaint
Artists’ Quarter Stage / Cover charge applies
Hamm Building, Lower Level, 7th Place & St. Peter St., Saint Paul / (651) 292-1359
8:00 – 9:00 p.m. Paula Berends
9:00 p.m. Jon Weber with Alex Han
Hat Trick Lounge Stage / No cover charge
134 E. 5th St., Saint Paul / (651) 228-1347
5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Joe Demko
7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Pooch's Playhouse
8:30 – 9:30 p.m. Jack Brass Band
10:00 p.m. - 12:30 Nikki and the RueMates
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Main Stage in Mears Park / FREE Admission
5th St. E. & Sibley St. in Saint Paul
Noon – 1:00 p.m. Walker West Music Academy Young Artists Showcase
1:30 – 2:00 p.m. Klondike Kates
2:30 – 3:30 p.m. Southside Aces
4:00 – 5:00 p.m. The New Standards
5:30 – 6:00 p.m. Paula Berends
6:30 – 7:45 p.m. Alex Han with Jon Weber
8:30 – 10:00 p.m. Esperanza Spalding
Artists’ Quarter Stage / Cover charge applies
Hamm Building, Lower Level, 7th Place & St. Peter St., St. Paul / (651) 292-1359
9:00 p.m. Jon Weber with Alex Han
Hat Trick Lounge Stage / No cover charge
134 E. 5th St., Saint Paul / (651) 228-1347
7:00 – 8:00 p.m. Larry McDonough
8:30 – 9:30 p.m. Atlantis Quartet
10:00 – 11:00 p.m. George Avaloz
11:30 p.m. - 12:30 a.m. Fat Kid Wednesdays
###