JVC Jazz Festival, NYC
The mother of all New York jazz festivals, the JVC Jazz Festival, is back from June 17th – 30th, with more than 200 events at 28 venues.
Two-time Grammy winner India.Arie performs on a bill with Lizz Wright at Carnegie Hall on Friday, June 22. Other events feature artists as diverse as Patti LaBelle, a double Grammy winner herself, who has been making music for four decades (you might know her best from her work with the group Labelle--remember "Lady Marmalade"?)
There's also the singer Cesária Évora from Cape Verde, Africa, whose haunting vocals I first heard in the movie "The English Patient." Another highlight is the new band The Bird and the Bee, featuring singer Inara George, daughter of the late Lowell George, who was the leader of the rock band Little Feat back in the 1970s. George carries on her family legacy in fine form, as realized when I saw The Bird and the Bee perform at showcase at the CMJ Music Marathon last year.
Here's a sampling of what's on tap:
6/20: Branford Marsalis and Joshua Redman
6/21: Keith Jarrett, Jack DJohnette, and Gary Peacock
6/25: Eartha Kitt
6/27: Ron Carter & friends
6/27: Jean-Luc Ponty and his band
6/29: Nancy Wilson
There are also several free shows outdoors at Citicorp Plaza at St. Peter's Church in midtown.
That's just a taste of some of the highlights; check the Web site below for all the information.
2007 JVC Jazz Festival New York
www.festivalproductions.net
