FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Event dates: June 22 – August 4, 2012, with special preview performance June 17 Organization: Stanford Jazz Workshop, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization Press contact: Ernie Rideout Phone: 650-736-0324, ext. 305 E-mail: [email protected] Web site: www.stanfordjazz.org Stanford Jazz Workshop announces 2012 Stanford Jazz Festival, June 22 – August 4, 2012 Stanford, CA—April 17, 2012: Celebrating its 40th anniversary, the Stanford Jazz Workshop is pleased to announce the 2012 season of the Stanford Jazz Festival. This summer’s stellar lineup features a must-see mix of the finest jazz artists in the world, performing in the intimate and easily accessible South Bay setting of the Stanford University campus. Tickets will go on sale on May 1. The Festival presents a total of 38 concerts over the course of the summer, involving over 100 artists, including living legends (Roy Haynes, Charles McPherson, Houston Person), rising stars (Sasha Dobson, Vertical Voices, Kendrick Scott, Julian Lage), trail blazers (Victor Wooten, Peter Erskine, Terrell Stafford), and world jazz sensations (Poncho Sanchez, SJF 2012: 1 Danilo Pérez Trio Luciana Souza and Romero Lubambo). Following two preview events (Kitty Margolis on 6/17 and the SJW Faculty All-Stars on 6/21), the Festival opens with a blockbuster weekend, beginning Friday, June 22 with the Danilo Pérez Trio, continuing with Bobby Hutcherson and the Joey DeFrancesco Trio, and winding up with West African jazz guitarist Lionel Loueke on Sunday, June 24. The Festival culminates with All-Star WeeK, from July 29 – August 4, with performances by Wycliffe Gordon, Matt Wilson’s Arts & Crafts, Taylor Eigsti, Gretchen Parlato, Kenny Barron, Dena DeRose, and more. Artistic and Executive Director Jim Nadel, who founded the Stanford Jazz Workshop in 1972 and who was profiled in a feature article in this year’s March issue of Downbeat magazine, recalls the WorKshop’s humble beginnings four decades ago. “It started as a gathering of friends at the Stanford Coffee House,” he says. “We would invite local musicians for jam sessions and then sit up late into the night sharing ideas about the music we loved. We weren’t certain we’d reach our first anniversary, but over the years SJW has grown, with the help of thousands of jazz lovers, SJF 2012: 2 Jim Nadel students, and musicians, and now here we are celebrating our 40th anniversary season.” Nadel crafts each season of the Stanford Jazz Festival to showcase jazz royalty, mid-career artists, and young lions, as well as a mix of styles that could be considered straight- ahead, envelope-pushing, or global-influenced. This year’s lineup is particularly enticing, with performances by such masters as Roy Haynes and the Fountain of Youth Band, SJF 2012: 3 Roy Haynes Charles McPherson and Albert “Tootie” Heath, the Houston Photo by Carol Friedman. Person Quartet, Kenny Barron, and Bobby Hutcherson. Bassist Ruth Davies’ Blues Night — always a popular show — features legendary blues harmonica player Charlie Mussellwhite. Among the hot up-and-coming artists appearing at the Festival are the extraordinary singers in Vertical Voices, a quartet that’s taKing improvisatory vocal jazz beyond Manhattan Transfer with their own compositions and their own arrangements of the music of Maria Schneider. In the solo singer category, South Bay native singer Sasha Dobson — who spends much of her time performing with and opening for Norah Jones — will share a show with the iTunes-topping Gretchen Parlato, who returns to the Festival again this year. Pianist Taylor Eigsti and drummer KendricK Scott share an evening, presenting the music of their SJF 2012: 4 Sasha Dobson respective bands. Marquee artists who continually expand the boundaries of jazz include saxophonist Bob Sheppard and drummer Peter ErsKine, who maKe a rare Bay Area appearance together in the Lounge Art Ensemble. In an even rarer grouping, bassist Victor Wooten (Béla Fleck and the Flecktones) combines forces with Keyboardist Geoffrey Keezer and drum legend Ndugu Chancler. Matt Wilson and Terrell Stafford perform together as Arts & Crafts; SJF 2012: 5 Victor Wooten trombone virtuoso Wycliffe Gordon brings Hello Pops!, his tribute to Satchmo, to begin All- Star Week. Bay Area talent will be showcased in several special shows. Santa Cruz-based trumpet master and Stan Kenton Band alumnus Ray Brown leads his Great Big Band in a tribute to the music of Kenton on July 1, featuring classic Kenton charts, Brown’s own spectacular arrangements, and a special appearance by another Kenton alumnus, drummer Peter Erskine. On July 15, GRAMMY®-nominated SJF 2012: 6 Ray Brown trombonist/arranger Wayne Wallace appears with his Latin Jazz Quintet. Trumpeter Erik Jekabson is a rapidly rising star by any measure; he presents a special tribute to the music of Chet Baker on July 6. The music of under-appreciated saxophone titan Clifford Jordan is explored in a performance by PatricK Wolff on July 23. The Stanford Jazz Festival is closely tied to the Workshop’s jazz immersion programs: Jazz Camp (for Kids 12 – 17) and Jazz Residency (for adults). Festival artists are also on the faculty of Jazz Camp and Jazz Residency during the final three weeks of the Festival. During Jazz Camp and Jazz Residency, the Festival presents a showcase of student performers each week. The Festival presents three other educational performances: two Saturday morning shows for Kids called Early Bird Jazz on June 23 (with Jim Nadel) and July 7 (with the VNote Ensemble), and an evening show for adults on June 28 called Everything You Wanted to Know About Jazz. In addition, the Inside Jazz series of pre-concert talKs by jazz experts from KCSM Jazz 91.1 offer concertgoers a chance to learn even more about the music, at selected shows. Tickets go on sale May 1 at www.stanfordjazz.org, where complete details on the 2012 Stanford Jazz Festival lineup will be available. Festival artist information will include song samples and video clips, so ticKet buyers can preview each performance on the website. For artist interviews and additional information, please contact Ernie Rideout, [email protected], 650-736-0324, x 305. Purchase tickets by phone: 650-725-ARTS (2787). Purchase tickets online: www.stanfordjazz.org. See complete lineup and details at www.stanfordjazz.org. For more information, call 650-736-0324. The Stanford Jazz Festival is presented by the jazz education nonprofit Stanford Jazz Workshop, in conjunction with presenting sponsor See’s Candies. The Stanford Jazz Workshop has been bringing the best in jazz to local audiences and jazz musicians through both the festival and its summer education programs for youth and adults for 40 years. Stanford Jazz Workshop gratefully acknowledges the following institutional funders for their important support: The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Oshman Family Foundation, Surdna Foundation, The Green Foundation, The Herbst Foundation, Arts Council Silicon Valley , Palo Alto Jazz Alliance, The Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Casas Riley & Simonian LLP, and the Bill Graham Supporting Foundation of the Jewish Community Endowment Fund. Individual events, June 17 - August 4, 2012 All events occur on the Stanford campus in DinKelspiel Auditorium or Campbell Recital Hall. 2012 Stanford Jazz Festival Calendar June 17 Kitty Margolis (special preview show)| 8 p.m. Oshman Family JCC 21 SJW Faculty All-Stars (special preview show) | 6 p.m. Stanford Shopping Center 22 Danilo Pérez Trio | 8 p.m. DinKelspiel 23 Early Bird Jazz for Kids: Jim Nadel and Friends | 10 a.m. DinKelspiel 23 Bobby Hutcherson and the Joey DeFrancesco Trio | 8 p.m. DinKelspiel 24 Lionel LoueKe Trio | 7:30 p.m. DinKelspiel 28 Everything You Wanted to Know About Jazz | 7:30 p.m. Campbell 29 Luciana Souza: Brazilian Duos with Romero Lubambo | 8 p.m. DinKelspiel 30 Lounge Art Ensemble, featuring Peter ErsKine and Bob Sheppard | 8 p.m. Campbell July 01 Stan Kenton Centennial with the Ray Brown Great Big Band, featuring Peter ErsKine | 2:30 p.m. DinKelspiel 06 Chet BaKer Tribute with the EriK JeKabson Quintet | 8 p.m. Campbell 07 Early Bird Jazz with the VNote Ensemble | 10 and 11 a.m. DinKelspiel 07 Poncho Sanchez and his Latin Jazz Band | 8 p.m. DinKelspiel 08 Songs of Sinatra, featuring Kenny Washington | 2:30 p.m. DinKelspiel 08 Bob Murphy and Friends | 7:30 p.m. Campbell 13 Peter Stoltzman and New Genre, featuring Richard Stoltzman and MiKa Yoshida | 8 p.m. Campbell 14 The Roy Haynes Fountain of Youth Band | 8 p.m. DinKelspiel 15 The Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet | 7:30 p.m. DinKelspiel 16 Victor Wooten/Ndugu Chancler/Geoffrey Keezer | 7:30 p.m. DinKelspiel 17 Ruth Davies’ Blues Night with special guest Charlie Musselwhite | 7:30 p.m. DinKelspiel 18 Akira Tana’s Secret Agent Band | 7:30 p.m. Campbell 19 Vertical Voices | 7:30 p.m. DinKelspiel 20 Jazz Camp Student Showcase | 6 p.m. Multiple venues 21 Houston Person Quartet | 8 p.m. DinKelspiel 22 Julian Lage, Victor Lin, and Jorge Roeder: Le Jazz Hot | 7:30 p.m. DinKelspiel 23 Homage to Clifford Jordan with PatricK Wolff | 7:30 p.m. Campbell 24 Paul Beaudry and Pathways | 7:30 p.m. Campbell 25 Charles McPherson Quartet featuring Albert “Tootie"”Heath | 7:30 p.m. DinKelspiel 26 Victor Lin’s Westside Stories | 7:30 p.m. DinKelspiel 27 Jazz Camp Student Showcase | 6 p.m. Multiple venues 28 Wycliffe Gordon’s Hello Pops | 8 p.m. DinKelspiel 29 Matt Wilson’s Arts & Crafts | 8 p.m. DinKelspiel 30 Taylor Eigsti Group and KendricK Scott’s Oracle | 8 p.m. DinKelspiel 31 Kenny Barron/Terell Stafford/Dayna Stephens | 8 p.m.