For the first time in its 41 year history, Syracuse Jazz Fest will feature Syracuse University student and faculty ensembles in its lineup.
Student jazz ensemble Orange Juice, directed by Dr. Theresa Chen, an instructor in the Setnor School of Music, will perform on the second night of Jazz Fest in Hanover Square on Thursday, June 22. SU’s faculty ensemble will perform that Saturday on the Amazon Stage in Clinton Square, and on Sunday, the festival will close out in Hendricks Chapel with a gospel celebration, which will feature SU’s Black Celestial Choral Ensemble.
The festival, which is the largest free jazz festival in the northeast, draws a myriad of talent each year, from music legends like Aretha Franklin to local acts. This year’s headliners include Gladys Knight and Herbie Hancock.
“We’ve managed to attract a lot of great artists to Syracuse,” Jazz Fest founder Frank Malfitano said. “We’re really excited about the caliber of super star entertainers we’ve been able to bring here.”
This year’s festival will take place from Wednesday, June 21 to Sunday, June 25, and it’s the first time in a while that Jazz Fest has acquired a five-day lineup, Malfitano said.
On the first night of the festival, 26 acts will perform at 24 different downtown bars, clubs, and restaurants for a club-hopping experience. Venues will include Syracuse staples like Salt City Market, Funk N Waffles, and Pastabilities. The music acts will take place from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
“If you decide you wanna come down for an hour, you can probably see three to four different groups just by walking from club to club,” Malfitano said. “It’s a really unique experience.”
Inspired by music festivals of the 1970s like Woodstock, Malfitano decided he wanted to introduce a weekend-long concert series to Syracuse. The festival is intended for all ages and fans of various degrees of jazz knowledge, Malfitano said.
“It’s our version of Bonnaroo or Coachella,” he said. “It’s like ‘Jazz-stock.’”
One of the most important aspects of Syracuse Jazz Fest, Malfitano said, is the free admission policy, which allows for a more inclusive environment and access to high-class music that many fans otherwise wouldn’t have.
“To be able to present world-class entertainment of this caliber, free of charge, so that everyone has equal access to it, is really important to what we do, and it’s fundamentally part of our philosophy,” Malfitano said.
While fundraising has been a challenge in the past and remains ever-so important (attribute) year-to-year, acquiring the resources to put on Jazz Fest has only gotten easier, Malfitano said.
“This year it’s even bigger and better. I think it will be really well-received.”
