So maybe the Charlottesville music scene is a little lacking these days. There's the eighth Baaba Seth concert of the month, George Melvin is playing at the Boar's Head Inn and maybe University Union has booked some unexceptional band. But, for both jazz enthusiasts and novices in the ways of Miles Davis, there's another option: the Piedmont Jazz Festival.
The Charlottesville Downtown Foundation, which is sponsoring the Festival, has backed similar events before, including the Virginia Blues Festival and the Dogwood Blues Festival. Deborah Honeycutt, who works for the Foundation, said the planners are trying more creative options for scheduling.
The Festival, which starts tonight at 5 p.m., features a diverse billing: Everyone who is anyone in the Jazz world should be there.
"Jazz aficionados have told me that this is an outstanding lineup of artists because it is so diverse. All different types of jazz are represented, ranging from swing to fusion," Honeycutt said.
Headlining the Festival is saxophonist Sonny Fortune. Fortune has worked with jazz legends such as Dizzy Gillespie, Buster Williams, Elvin Jones and Miles Davis. Growing up in Philadelphia, Fortune had to pay his dues, but eventually started working with doo-wop and R&B groups.
Also headlining is fusion master Larry Coryell. He is a greatly diversified musician, having extensive experience in everything from jazz-rock and fusion to acoustic and classical guitar. He is perhaps best known for his pioneering jazz work, having laid the groundwork for the fusion genre.
Tomorrow's opening act, Rene Croan, describes herself as a "self-taught jazz vocalist, a career-student at Fitzgerald-Vaughan University." Having only been on the jazz scene since 1996, Croan already has managed to make a name for herself. She quickly shifted from small clubs to larger standing-room-only concerts held around the area in places such as Roanoke, Lynchburg and Richmond.
Roanoke's Blue Ridge Jazz Ensemble will open for The Charlottesville Swing Orchestra, featuring trumpeter and University's Music Prof. John D'Earth.
The gates reopen tomorrow at 3 p.m. with performances beginning at 4 p.m. Croan is set to open the day's festivities, followed by Larry Coryell and friends. The Sonny Fortune Quartet will be the last act of the Festival, ending at around 9:30 p.m.
Tickets for the Festival are available in advance at Plan 9 locations, the University Bookstore, Spencer's and Mincer's for $12 and also are available at the gate for $15. The event will be held rain or shine.
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