Thu 6/22-Sat 6/24
Tri-C JazzFest once again returns to Playhouse Square the final weekend in June, and it’s just announced the lineup for the eight ticketed concerts which will take places in the various theaters there. As usual, the concerts offer a diverse group of musicians in various jazz styles and even some that push the boundaries of jazz.
“We’re thrilled to present a wide range of artistry from the iconic Herbie Hancock to the newly emerging Grammy-winner Samara Joy,” says JazzFest director Terri Pontremoli said. “In addition to the rich and varied lineup indoors, we’ll have an engaging scene of free music and activities outside on the plaza at Playhouse Square.”
Things kick off on Thursday June 22 with 62-year-old multiple Grammy-winning vocalist Angélique Kidjo, originally from Benin and later Paris. She has more than a dozen albums to draw from, including an intriguing re-imagining of Talking Heads’ 1980 album Remain in Light. Her latest, 2021’s Mother Nature, showcases a host of young African musicians, singers and producers. She’ll be joined at the Mimi Ohio Theatre by special guest, bassist Richard Bona from Cameroon, who’s also multicultural, having lived in Germany, France and the U.S. and toured with guitarist Pat Metheny.
On Friday June 23, superstar jazz bassist Christian McBride will be paired with an artist half his age: 23yar-old jazz vocalist Samara Joy who won this year’s Grammy for Best New Artist, also at the Mimi Ohio. The same evening, jazz sax player/bassist/keyboardist Gerald Albright, who was awarded the 2021 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Awards from President Biden, will bring his versatile music to the Connor Palace Theatre. This is as close as this year’s JazzFest gets to its annual “smooth jazz” evening: Albright’s music has strong pop/funk leanings that appeal to that audience. Closing out Friday Akron’s own jazz guitarist Dan Wilson and vocalist/trumpet player Jennifer Hartswick will offer a Stevie Wonder tribute at the Allen Theatre.
Saturday afternoon, internationally renowned trumpet player Dominick Farinacci, a graduate of Tri-C’s High School All-Star program, a veteran of many JazzFests and director of its youth camp, performs in the Allen Theatre with his new ensemble Triad. Together with multi-instrumentalist Christian Tamburr and accordion player Michael Ward-Bergeman, they create a sound that blends jazz with blues, classical and world music. JazzFest’s 2023 artist in residence, sax player/vocalist Braxton Cook, opens with his soul/R&B-infused sound.
Later, 82-year-old jazz keyboard player Herbie Hancock, known for his forays into electronic jazz/funk, will perform at the Mimi Ohio; he’s well-known to a wider audience from his 1983 hit “Rockit” which even won a flock of MTV awards. Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue will bring the sound of America’s jazziest city, New Orleans to the Connor Palace, which is sure to have them dancing in the aisles. Closing the festival at the Allen and cooling things offa bit will be Steve Smith and Vital Information with their more cerebral fusion jazz.
Festival passes, which offer VIP seating, are now on sale here. Individual tickets go on sale in April.