Vail Jazz Labor Day Weekend Party
11:30am
Vail Square
Friday, Sept. 4
Running with Vail Jazz’s summer theme of amazingly talented musicians who happen to be women, Friday kicks off with a screening of the award-winning documentary The Girls in the Band detailing the largely untold stories of female jazz musicians from the 1930s to today, featuring the likes of trombone player Melba Liston, trumpeter Clora Bryant, pianist Marian McPartland as well as current artists such as DIVA drummer Sherrie Maricle, who will be perform in the Multi-Media Tribute to Women in Jazz alongside powerhouse vocalists Roberta Gambarini, Niki Haris and many other amazingly talented musicians.
The all-female performance is preceded by a performance by George Cables and his trio (bassist George Mraz and drummer Lewis Nash). Considered one of the top jazz pianists of all time, the New York City-based star has been leading bands since the 1960s, recording and performing with big names such as Woody Shaw, Dexter Gordon and Art Blakey.
Saturday, Sept. 5
The Vail Square stage hosts a rotating rainbow of talent beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. Along with another performance by George Cables, standout artists include six-string sensation Russell Malone, who specializes in swing and bebop guitar and who spent several years recording and touring with Harry Connick Jr., Diana Krall and Sonny Rollins. There’s also trumpeter and bandleader Sean Jones, who performed on Nancy Wilson’s Grammy-winning record and has twice wonDownbeat’s Rising Star award. Let’s not forget Vail Jazz Party mainstays Jeff Hamilton, who has drummed with Ella Fitzgerald and Count Basie Orchestra and leads his own trio, and trumpeter Terell Stafford, Director of Jazz Studies at Temple University.
Saturday evening heats up as the magic moves to the Vail Marriott with a tribute to the great Ray Brown featuring powerhouse trio Larry Fuller, John Clayton and Jeff Hamilton, followed by Roberta Gambarini’s hypnotizing vocal performance and the most recorded jazz drummer in history, Lewis Nash’s blowout multimedia tribute to his drum heroes.
Sunday, Sept. 6
Don’t think that Sunday morning is sleepy around here, especially with what has historically proven itself as the Vail Jazz Party’s most popping event, the Gospel Prayer Meetin.’ Led by the incomparable energy of vocalist Niki Haris, the stage quakes with the force of the Mile Hi Gospel Ensemble and moving numbers performed by musical stars Byron Stripling, Wycliffe Gordon, Sean Jones and many others. Sunday afternoon sessions bring red-hot performances by the Vail jazz Party House Band and Piano Duos starring a revolving cast of six acclaimed key masters (including Shelly Berg, Larry Fuller, George Cables and Bill Cunliffe) duking it out on grand pianos. Niki Haris returns to the stage Sunday evening in the Vail Marriot’s Grand Ballroom alongside Karen Hammack, Marion Haydon and Sherrie Maricle, followed by performances by a jazz celebrity ensemble led by John Clayton, then Byron Stripling’s mind-blowing and educational Multi-Media Tribute to the trumpet kings.
Monday, Sept. 7
All of the stars stick around for a final afternoon extravaganza kicking off at 11:30 a.m. with the George Cables Trio, followed by a riveting vocal performance by Roberta Gambarini and one-of-a-kind sets mixing A-listers, Vail Jazz debut artists and long-time regulars.
Single day-time session tickets (including access to all afternoon sets) to the Vail Jazz Party are $55 and evening sessions (including entry to the lively and spontaneous Light Night Jams) are $75. Gospel Prayer Meetin’ tickets are $55. Performance Passes are $350 and Patron Passes are $425 through Aug. 28, when pass prices increase. Individual session ticket prices increase one hour prior to performance start time. All performances take place outside in the all-weather tent at Vail Square in Lionshead and indoors at the Vail Marriott. For more information or to purchase tickets and passes, visit vailjazz.org or call 1-888-VAIL-JAM.