Sep 24, 2024 12:02 PM
In Memoriam: Benny Golson, 1929–2024
Benny Golson, one of the greatest composers and saxophonists of the bebop era, passed away Saturday, Sept. 21, at his…
The Lemon Bucket Orchestra dives into the crowd at the Ottawa Jazz Festival.
(Photo: Chris Parker)Ah, spring, when a jazz fan’s mind turns … to summer festivals! From fantastic locales to intimate encounters, from rising jazz outposts to legendary jazz settings, now is the time to start making those plans and prepare to go where the fun is. DownBeat’s annual jazz festival guide, which appears in the May 2024 issue of the magazine, is a great place to start. We’ve pulled together 145 opportunities to find a great jazz experience pretty much anywhere in the world. And we shine a spotlight on five fests to consider.
In Pittsburgh, you’ll find one of the world’s great jazz towns, right there in the Midwest, and one of the rising-star festivals on the circuit with the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival.
Over in the unlikely jazz hub of Victoriaville, Quebec, Canada, the Festival International Musique Actuelle pays tribute to the mind-expanding sounds of the avant garde, celebrating 40 years of adventurous programming.
We also travel down to Brazil to check in on the 20th anniversary of the Rio das Ostras Jazz & Blues Festival, a crowd-pleasing event located on the area’s famed beaches and lagoons.
Across the pond, in Rome, Casa del Jazz’s Summertime serves as a rising star on the scene, offering a variety of national and international talent in one of the more beautiful settings in southern Europe.
And back in Canada, DownBeat checks in with the Ottawa Jazz Festival, celebrating its 44th edition while transitioning to a new generation of management.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE COMPLETE 2024 SUMMER FESTIVAL GUIDE!
Happy travel planning! DB
Benny Golson soaks in the music during a late-career performance at Chicago’s Jazz Showcase.
Sep 24, 2024 12:02 PM
Benny Golson, one of the greatest composers and saxophonists of the bebop era, passed away Saturday, Sept. 21, at his…
Claire Daly, right, performs with tenor saxophonist George Garzone at Dizzy’s in 2023.
Oct 23, 2024 10:10 AM
Claire Daly often signed her correspondences with “Love and Low Notes.”
The baritone saxophonist, who died Oct.…
Harpist Brandee Younger is among the performers on the program for this year’s Hyde Park Jazz Fest in Chicago.
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The 18th Annual Hyde Park Jazz Festival will be held on 13 unique stages across Chicago’s Hyde Park, Kenwood and…
McNeil’s virtuosity as a player was unimpeachable and his imagination as an improviser was vast.
Oct 2, 2024 11:35 AM
John McNeil, a trumpeter, composer and educator who built an accomplished and progressive career in jazz despite a…
“I don’t focus on the harshness of the music business,” Lloyd says. “I focus on the profundity of what we’re doing because that’s the real stuff. You can change the world with that.”
Sep 4, 2024 1:29 PM
“To get this honor at this late stage, I suppose I’m blessed. I just know that this is a sacred song, and I’m in…
