Singer Tony Bennett will spend his vacation working. Bennett's current tour stops in more than 25 cities in the U.S. and Great Britain, including two concerts at the world's oldest jazz festival in Newport, Rhode Island. Tony Bennett isn't the only hot jazz ticket in town.
Tony Bennett's concert tour is literally going coast-to-coast. On August 7, he'll be appearing at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, followed by a weekend stint at the Newport Jazz Festival two days later. The closest Tony comes to leaving his heart in San Francisco is Redwood City, California, where he performs at the Fox Theatre on September 2.
The Newport Jazz Festival built its reputation on musical diversity. This year's lineup is no exception with everyone from Arturo Sandoval, bassist Dave Holland and Bill Cosby's "Cos of Good Music," to R&B greats Issac Hayes, Oleta Adams and the Holmes Brothers. Rounding out the schedule is Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Sex Mob and the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra.
Newport is one of 11 major festivals produced by JVC International. Since 1984, JVC has sponsored over 130 festivals to more than three million people worldwide. The JVC Jazz Festival returns to New York City in June.
With one of its most eclectic lineups in years, JVC Jazz Festival New York offers 14 nights of jazz, blues, Afro-Cuban big band, Latin pop, funk and soul. All-star tributes are scheduled at various Manhattan venues including tributes to jazz luminaries Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Donald Byrd, John Bunch and Teddie King. The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band under the direction of trumpeter Jon Faddis makes its final appearance at Carnegie Hall on June 21.
JVC Jazz continues throughout the summer with festivals in Illinois, Colorado, California and Canada. In addition, Paris, Amsterdam and Warsaw will host JVC Jazz Festivals in October.
If you live in North America, chances are a jazz festival will be coming to a town near you. Jazz Times' current issue lists hundreds of festivals from Jersey Jazz By The Lake in Cranford, New Jersey, to the Earshot Jazz Festival in Seattle, Washington.
This year marks the 45th anniversary of the world-famous Monterey Jazz Festival in Monterey, California. A special 45th anniversary concert, hosted by actor Clint Eastwood, will feature the Dave Brubeck Quartet, the Randy Weston Sextet, bassist Christian McBride and trumpeter Roy Hargrove.