Edgar Cool's
aka. Ger Tolbert
Jazz Festivals

     Spring, Summer, Fall are the seasons of the Jazz Festival. Large or small , most festivals are a mix of festive people wanting to enjoy themselves. The serious jazz fan is happy when the jazz is true and the sense of a jazz community is present. Everyone loves the jazz party. The following is Edgar Cool's list of "really cool" festivals.

Mt. Hood Jazz Festival

     Edgar Cool will attend the Mt. Hood Jazz Festival for the twentieth time this August. Purchasing season tickets in 1982 with renewal rights, Edgar has heard many of the "greats" from his second row center location. Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Joe Williams, Jon Hendricks, Mel Torme, Buddy Rich, Herbie Mann, Dave Brubeck, Wynton Marsallis, Roy Hargrove, Jimmy Smith , George Shearing and Tito Puente are a few of the "legends" who have performed at Mt. Hood.
     The setting under the August sun is in the stadium of Mt. Hood Community College in Gresham,Oregon. Seven to ten thousand people a day join this joyous, friendly , well organized jazz party.
     This year's lineup includes: Nicholas Payton's Big Band in a Centennial Salute to Louis Armstrong, (A big theme at this year's festivals), Ramsey Lewis and Billy Taylor, Dianne Reeves, Joshua Redman and many more.

Port Townsend Jazz Festival

     Joining Edgar's Cool List is Bud Shank's Centrum, Port Townsend Jazz Festival. Located in the northwest corner of Washington state, this Port Townsend straight ahead jazz festival is in July.
     Over one hundred jazz musicians perform in eleven venues. Student workshops involving the jazz musicians is big at Port Townsend. The main performances are at the Worden State Park Conference Center. This year's players include The Jim Hall Trio with Joe Lovano, Stefan Harris Quintet, Frank West and the All-Star Big Band, and the Bud Shank Sextet with Conte Condoli, Bill Perkins, Bill Mays, Bob Magnussen, and Joe LaBarbera. This is a real jazz community.

The Waterfront Blues Festival

     The only non-jazz festival on the list is The Waterfront Blues Festival in Portland, Oregon.
     Of course jazz and blues are one. This festival helps feed the hungry. Over 100,000 pounds of food and $300,000 are raised for the Oregon Food Bank. Attend in July. Music is 12 noon to 10 p.m. on opposite alternating stages. The curved grassy hillside borders the Willamette and boaters pull up and anchor listening to the blues. Two cans of food and a $3-$5 donation brings you the best of local, national and international blues acts. All varieties of blues are represented and fans return year after year. The club scene is happening too.

New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival

     Edgar Cool's list gets "hot" with the inclusion of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, in April. This is the "Big Easy" and it is easy to see why. This "Big One" is at the birthplace of jazz is a eclectic collection of music for those who haven't had enough of Mardi Gras. One hundred thousand people gather at The Fair Grounds Race Track and it's "Doo Dah" time. With many simultaneous performance you can select what's right for you or just join the party. The food is Cajun and Creole "lip smacking" and the French Quarter is another world.

Paradise Valley Jazz Party

     If classy but jazzy is what you are after try the 24th Annual Paradise Valley Jazz Party, in April at Merv Griffin's Scottsdale Hilton Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona. Enjoy 17 hours of jazz in a resort setting.
     Satchmo is honored this year with Preservation Hall's leader Wendell Brunious and trombonist Lucien Barberin, clarinetist Victor Goines and guitarist/banjoist Papa Don Vappie, also playing is the Jeff Hamilton Trio. Legends performing will be pianist Ray Bryant and Dick Hyman and Buddy DeFranco.

The Monterey Jazz Festival

     The Monterey Jazz Festival is set for September in Monterey California. The Father of all Jazz Festivals. An incredible experience!
     What can we say about Monterey? It's the mold that designed the other festivals. The 44th annual says it all.

The Sacramento Jazz Jubilee

     The Sacramento Jazz Jubilee in May over the Memorial Day weekend is a top traditional festival. Dixieland fans love this festival. Thirty Five venues of music in historic Old Town range from the Club Swing to the Delta King Paddlewheel Saloon. Dance the nights away with your "sweetie". Headliners this year include Pete Barbutti and the Mills Brothers.

The Kansas City Blues and Jazz Festival

     "I'm going to Kansas City" to find some "crazy little blues and jazz". The Kansas City Blues and Jazz Festival in July at the Liberty Memorial in Penn Valley Park has 50,000 people digging the Blues, Jazz, Gospel and Zydeco on 4 stages. You can donate an instrument at this one. Checkout the Mingus Big Band, Joey DeFrancesco, Arturo Sandoval, Koko Taylor and Jay McShann at this one. If Charlie Parker was around he would blow a set.

The Copenhagen Jazz Festival

     Edgar Cool's World jazz festivals include The Copenhagen Jazz Festival in July.
     Copenhagen, Denmark in the 20th century has been a place of jazz and art. This "Jazz City" has 600 concerts. The streets, historic places, squares, along the canals are full of music from morning to late evening. There are small clubs and cafes and larger venues including the National Museum, Old Circus Building and Tivoli Gardens loaded with jazz performance. Much of the festival is free. The 300 performers and 100,000 people dig this cool place.

Guinness Jazz

     Guinness Jazz is a terrific reason to go to Ireland. Ireland is a terrific reason to go to Ireland. Dylan Thomas, James Joyce and Brendan Behan might join you for a "pint" if they were still with us.
     The pubs are open to 4 a.m. and the Irish take full advantage. Green is the color of the land and the musical Irish can be "jazzy". This years line up includes: Joe Zawinal, Cyrus Chesnut, Bill Charlup and Jim Hall.

The Jazz Aspen Snowmass

     Another Great Jazz Festival and series of Jazz events takes place in Aspen Colorado. The Jazz Aspen Snowmass Jazz Festivals include The June Festival, and the Annual Labor Day Festival in August. Incredible Jazz in one of the most beautiful settings on Earth!

This concludes Edgar Cool's Cool List, look for additions later.

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