Jazz Eureka 2015 Featuring Joey DeFrancesco September 11th &12th

Jazz Eureka 2015 features Joey DeFrancesco, Beto and the Fairlanes

Jazz Eureka celebrates 30 years of jazz in Eureka Springs with a stellar line up featuring Joey DeFrancesco.  Joey, a 2 time Grammy nominee, has played with Miles Davis and some of the biggest names in the music business.  Considered the master of the jazz organ, Joey delights audiences with his powerful performances.  Joey appears in concert at the Eureka Springs auditorium Sept 12.  Show starts at 7:30. Tickets start at 20.00.

Opening the show is the Joe Cartwright Quintet featuring Molly Hammer.  Dave Brubek said of Joe: “I am always flattered when a fellow musician decides to perform and record one of my tunes.  My pleasure and amazement is enhanced when the artist is a imaginative and talented as pianist Joe Cartwright”.  Molly Hammer has an eclectic vocal background drawing influences from Peggy Lee, Sarah Vaughn, and many others.

Joe Cartwright

30 years ago, Beto and the Fairlanes opened the 1^st Eureka Springs Jazz Festival. The current Jazz Eureka organizer, Ron Sumner, was at that event in 1985 at the Basin Park Hotel and he remembers they had everyone up and dancing with their mix of original Jazz flavored salsa, big band and funk.  They are back, vital as ever, to open the 2015 event, now called Jazz Eureka, with a free concert and dance party in Basin Park.  This rare not to be missed appearance starts at 7pm Friday Sept 11 at Basin Spring Park in downtown Eureka Springs.  It is free to the public.

Saturday Sept. 12 Free Music in Basin Spring Park feature stellar artists from the region.  It begins with the 18 piece Fayetteville Jazz Collective.  This is their 3^rd  straight year at Jazz Eureka.  With over 2 centuries of combined jazz experience, this world class big band has been thirilling audiences all around the 4 state region.  Their set begins at Noon.

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Starting at 2pm is the Rodney Block Quartet.  Block, a trumpeter born in Arkansas, has been featured internationally building a niche in the jazz and hip hop genres.  He has shared the stage with Earth Wind and Fire, Kirk Whalhum, Ellis Marsalis, and many others.  The band has been honored with the Aurora award and the Telly Award for its concert feature on the AETN television network.  He was Runner up in Arkansas Times “Best Of Bands” category.

Closing the park on Saturday at 4pm is saxophonist Grady Nichols and his Quintet.   Grady is an absolute pro and super talented musician.  “Grady Nichols technical mastery of the saophone is only surpassed by his emotional mastery of his instrument.  He can evoke just the right emotion for any of his songs without making you feel manipulated or that the feeling is contrived”.

Jazz Eureka features something for the casual as well as the seasoned jazz fan. In a beautiful setting,  Come early and catch all the free talent in beautiful downtown Basin Park and get your tickets to see the Saturday show in the The Auditorium, a wonderful venue for jazz.

2014 Jazz Eureka Festival in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, Sept 9 to Sept 14

Jazz it up in Eureka Springs During Jazz Eureka

The annual Jazz Eureka festival will take place in Eureka Springs from Tuesday, Sept. 9 to Sunday, Sept. 14. The exciting week-long event will feature live music, delicious food and exciting attractions and events.

The Fayetteville Jazz Collective, an 18-piece big band, will perform on Friday, Sept. 12 in The Auditorium at 36 S. Main St..   The FJC, under the direction of Ben Harris will present new, original material.  The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $12.

The Last Southern Gentlemen Tour brings two members of America’s jazz dynasty to The Auditorium.  Jazz legend Ellis Marsalis, Jr., along with his son, Delfeayo Marsalis, will headline the festival, appearing at 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13.  This tour marks the first time the father and son have performed and recorded together on a project. Ellis Marsalis is the premier, modernist jazz pianist of New Orleans and the patriarch of the Marsalis family, father of jazz musicians Wynton, Branford, Delfeayo, and Jason Marsalis.

The tour’s album, “The Last Southern Gentlemen,” features standard and original compositions and is “relaxed, thoughtful and provocative, acknowledging the love and respect of all people shared by Louis Armstrong and most early jazz entertainers.”

Tickets to the show range from $25 to $47.50 and are on sale now for both Auditorium shows at www.theauditorium.org.

Free, outdoor concerts of jazz music will be presented in Basin Spring Park on Spring Street as well.  On Friday evening, trumpeter Rodney Block will perform a free concert beginning at 5 p.m. and lasting until 7 p.m.

On Saturday, there will be more music in the park all afternoon with Matt and Gus Smith, Brandon Mezzelo, Walter Savage and Northeast State University Jazz All Stars, featuring Tommy Poole, from noon until 6 p.m.

New events have been added for Jazz Eureka 2014.   On Tuesday, Sept. 9, The Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow, located at 515 Main St., will host The Speakeasy from 7-9 p.m.  Food and drinks will be served and admission is $10.   For reservations, call 479-253-7444 or email director@writerscolony.org.

Wednesday evening, a Great Gatsby-style lawn party with live jazz music, games, food, fire dancing and a performance by Intrigue Theater will take place at the gardens of the Crescent Hotel at 75 Prospect St. from 7-10 p.m. Admission is $10 and light hors d’oeuvres will be served. For more information, call 479-253-9766.

Saturday morning, the White Street Farmer’s Market, located in the Ermilio’s parking lot at 26 White St., will present “Jazz at the Market” with music from Bossa Screwnova and J Funk from 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Saturday evening, art galleries on Main and Spring streets will be open late for their monthly Second Saturday Gallery Stroll, with jazz music, art and refreshments from 6-10 p.m.

After the Marsalis concert on Saturday evening, DeVito’s at 5 Center St. is hosting the Jazz Martini After Party. Beginning at 9 p.m., there will be live jazz, food and drinks, including a special “Marsalis Martini.”

Sunday September 14th, the Crystal Dining Room at the Crescent Hotel will have a Sunday Jazz Brunch from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a Jazz trio and dancing from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.  Adults are $24.95, children ages 5-12 are $9.95 and 4 and under are free.

For further information, visit www.jazzeureka.org or call 479-253 7333.