Saturday, October 24, 5pm – 6:30pm PT (Pacific Time) via Zoom

Take a trip through musical time and space with jazz pianist/composer and 2021 Guggenheim Fellow Helen Sung as she shares selections of Quartet+ and shines a spotlight on women’s artistry. 

Healdsburg Jazz is honored to present “The Legacy of John Coltrane” featuring world-renowned tenor saxophonist, scholar, and composer Dr. Teodross Avery and the esteemed Church of John Coltrane led by Bishop F. W. King with Arch Priest Reverend Wanika F. Stephens and Rev. Father James Max Haqq, Dr. Nicholas Baham, Dr. Pascal Bokar, and hosted by Healdsburg Jazz Artistic Director Marcus Shelby.

John Coltrane, one of the most influential artists of the 20^th Century, was born on September 23, 1926 in Hamlet, North Carolina. His music has influenced just about every musician that came after him in the history of Black music. In 1965, while attending a performance of tenor saxophonist John Coltrane and his classic quartet live at the Jazz Workshop in San Francisco, Bishop F.W. King and Supreme Mother Rev. Marina King had a vision of creating a church that would form the structure of expressing and teaching the spiritual power of Coltrane’s music and his texts. The church was born in 1971 and officially became the Church of John Will-I-Am Coltrane in 1984, located in the Fillmore District in San Francisco.

Special guest artist tenor and soprano saxophonist Dr. Teodross Avery has enjoyed a storied career for over 30 years performing, recording, and touring the world, and has championed the music and compositions of John Coltrane through recordings and scholarship.  Members of the Church of John Coltrane, the esteemed panel, and host Marcus Shelby will play select Coltrane recordings, discuss his life and career, and have a lively discussion on how Coltrane continues to influence musicians, composers, and artists in general today.

In the past year over 3800 violent attacks against the Asian American community have been reported across the United States. Racist rhetoric over the past year coming from the highest levels of government have no doubt fueled this violence and now this violence is being played out in our communities across the country. San Francisco has seen its unfortunate share of violent and reprehensible acts against Asians during the pandemic. Cowards have targeted the elderly and the defenseless. We at Healdsburg Jazz denounce these acts and join the many voices urging our leaders to respond not with words, but with action. Healdsburg Jazz will continue to reflect through our programming, the artists we support, and our platforms the cultural bonds we share with the Asian community. On a personal note, my entire career has been shaped by the countless Asian American artists, educators, and community leaders that I have had the honor of working with. Our communities are stronger together when in solidarity together. Make your voices heard the best way you can as though it was your community under attack. Help stop the hate and violence.

Marcus Shelby for Healdsburg Jazz

We are thrilled to hold our 23rd annual Festival. Events and performances are scheduled at a range of beautiful sites throughout Healdsburg, completely outdoors, in accordance with guidelines. We worked with local officials during the year to plan this four-day celebration. Due to modified venue capacities, space was limited at each venue. Members have had early access to tickets. Thank you. We are delighted to share four days of live music, community, and celebrations!

Excerpts of the 2021 program appear at right. Please enjoy the entire 2021 2021 Healdsburg Jazz Festival Program with pictures and descriptions of all the performers and events!

Marcus Shelby, Artistic Director

Join us up at the Harmon Rooftop on Wednesday, June 16, 4 pm -7 pm. Enjoy the Trevor Kinsel Trio with Neil Fontano and Patrick Sullivan, a drink or two, some delicious bites, and the best part – 20% of sales from the evening donated to Healdsburg Jazz. Everyone wins! No tickets required.

On Tuesday, June 15, 6 pm -7 pm via zoom Artistic DirectorMarcus Shelby discussed Juneteenth. A Free event for Healdsburg Jazz Members.

Vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, and composer Mónica María “Son Jarocho: Building Community Through Music”
Wednesday, May 26, 6 – 7:30 pm (PT)

Note: Originally scheduled for May 18 – Rescheduled due to Healdsburg power outage

This evening will feature music from the Latin diaspora led by musician and vocalist Monica Maria and Glaydon de Freitas who is the CEO of Corazón Healdsburg, a strong nonprofit organization based in our town that bridges the racial, cultural, and economic divide that exists in our community.

Presented by Marcus Shelby
With guests Katie Cavera, The Dynamic Miss Faye Carol, and  Kenny Washington
Sunday, May 23, 5 pm – 7 pm (Pacific Time), from $3
Virtual event on Zoom

In this Zoom presentation and discussion, we are honored to feature three of the headliners for our 23rd Healdsburg Jazz Festival (June, 17-20): Guitarist and banjo player Katie Cavera, the headliner of our Barbary Coast Dinner Show on June 18th, vocalist The Dynamic Miss Faye Carol, who will headline our Juneteenth Celebrations on June 19th, and Grammy-nominated vocalist Kenny Washington, the headliner of our Father’s Day performances on June 20th.

 Artistic Director Marcus Shelby will play music from all of the featured artists and have an informative and lively conversation with our featured guests including their influences and the programs they will perform at our Festival this year.

April 25, 2021
With Artistic Director Marcus Shelby
And Guest Artist Vocalist Denise Perrier

This month’s Zoom presentation honors the great Duke Ellington, composer and arranger Billy Strayhorn, and the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Artistic Director Marcus Shelby and guest artist Bay Area vocalist Denise Perrier, a vocalist champion of the great Duke’s music, will share some of their favorite recordings, stories, knowledge about band members, and history about Duke Ellington in one of his most prolific periods, between 1940-1960. Learn more here…

Presented by SCOTTY BARNHART
With guests Clarence Banks and Will Matthews
Hosted by Marcus Shelby
Sunday, March 28, 5 pm – 7 pm (Pacific Time), from $3
Virtual event on Zoom

Scotty Barnhart, Director of the Count Basie Orchestra and renowned trombonist, will cover the biography of Count Basie and the development of his Orchestra along with many audio and video examples. Guest artists include trombonist Clarence Banks, who will talk about his time with Basie, and the discussion will continue with guitarist Will Matthews, who will talk about the importance of the rhythm section in the Orchestra’s trademark swinging beat. Healdsburg Jazz’s Artistic Director Marcus Shelby will introduce and moderate this event.

The Count Basie Orchestra is one of the most prominent jazz performing groups of the swing era, founded by Count Basie in 1935 and surviving long past the Big Band era itself and the death of Basie in 1984. Winner of 19 Grammy Awards during its 85 years of history, the latest honors are the 2018 Downbeat Readers Poll Award as the #1 Jazz Orchestra in the world, and a Grammy Nomination for the 2018 acclaimed recording “All About That Basie”. Under the direction of trumpeter Scotty Barnhart since 2013, the Orchestra continues to adapt the Basie sound to the modern era, while staying true to its signature sound.

The Freedom Jazz Choir has been an annual festival event since 2012. It is open to everyone free of charge. It is an integral part of our education program, aiming to provide real-life learning and performance opportunities to our community. The Choir has been one of our most successful programs, and we invite you to join us this year! We will meet on the last Monday of every month, except for May 2021, when we will meet on May 24.

Our Artistic Director Marcus Shelby and vocalist and bandleader Tiffany Austin are the choir directors.

This year, due to COVID-19, our activities will be online.

Rehearsals: Mondays January through June 2021; 6 pm-7:30 pm, January 25; February 22; March 29; April 26; May 24; June (Tba), Pre-Recorded Concert June 20, 2021 (Healdsburg Jazz Festival)

We’ll conduct all rehearsals via ZOOM. Our pre-recorded concert will be streamed online on June 20, 2021 (Father’s Day) for our Summer Festival.

Music: This year, the Healdsburg Freedom Jazz Choir will create a unique program to be pre-recorded titled “SONGS FOR MY FATHER” in honor of Father’s Day. The repertoire will feature Blues, Swing, Ballads, and a special choral arrangement of the Horace Silver composition “Song for my Father.” No experience is needed to join the Choir.

To join the Choir, please send an email to info@healdsburgjazz.org.

Created by Artist-in-Residence Tammy L. Hall
World Premiere March 31, 2021
Watch now through the month of April, $10