"
By combining the
finest of nature and art The
Telluride Jazz Festival ranks among the world’s
most memorable music festivals. Since 1977, Telluride’s majestic perch high in
the spectacular San Juan Mountains in southwestern Colorado has been the site
of an annual cultural event produced by the Telluride Society for Jazz. The
intimate format, the superb music and the opportunity for invigorating alpine
recreation along with free wine and spirit tastings all come together to create
a truly unique weekend experience.
With performances
on outdoor stages during the day and historic theater and club shows at night,
the Telluride Jazz Festival celebrates jazz roots in Latin, African, blues and mainstream
traditions. Internationally acclaimed artists will join with new and emerging
talents for an amazing experience. The
festival takes place from August 3-5, 2012 in the beautiful Town Park and
throughout town of Telluride.
Friday features
the kind of jazz that you can dance to. 2012’s biggest names in the jazz
crossover genre Soulive, Marco Benevento Trio, Sister Sparrow and the Dirty
Birds, Crescent Super Band and the 2012 Band Contest Winner will get the crowd
moving well into the night. As the sun sets, attendees will enjoy a
complimentary Craft Distillery Spirit tasting with Whiskey, Rum and Vodka
crafted by distilleries in Colorado and beyond.
Saturday’s lineup
includes two musicians who have earned hundreds of accolades and awards in becoming
the best in the world on their respective instruments, Victor Wooten (Bass) and
Roy Hargrove (Trumpet). The lineup boasts a stellar supporting group of bands
including “the world’s finest vocalist” Roberta Gambarini, Latin band
extraordinaire Nosotros and the 18th installment of the Telluride
Student All-star Jazz Ensemble – a unique collaboration the most talented teen
musicians in the country.
Hargrove will
serve as this year’s Guest of Honor, an accolade bestowed on one of the
greatest names in jazz every year since 1998. Legendary musicians such as James
Moody, John Scofield and Stanley Turrentine have held this distinctive honor.
Hargrove is Telluride Jazz Festival’s youngest guest of honor (42 years old)
and the first trumpet player.
The annual wine
tasting in Town Park will also be held on Saturday afternoon. The event is
complimentary to all 3-day and Saturday pass holders and features a two-hour
tasting with over 20 varietals, artisan cheeses and a souvenir wine tasting
glass.
Sunday August 5
is New Orleans Day. The festivities will include a full day of world-class
music, a parade and many other festivities steeped in New Orleans tradition.
The day’s activities will combine to create a once in a lifetime opportunity in
which the spirit of Faubourg Tremé is captured in the San Juan Mountains.
The lineup for
Telluride's New Orleans Tribute showcases some of the city's best musicians
including The Funky METERS, Jon Cleary’s Philthy Phew, The Soul Rebels and
Astral Project. Inside Town Park, attendees will delight in the tastes of
classic New Orleans style food and drink such as Po'boys, Gumbo, Mint Juleps
and Hurricanes.
Sunday’s
festivities won't be confined to Town Park or paid attendees. At noon,
Telluride’s own historic district might feel a little like the French Quarter
as a Mardi Gras style parade complete with a brass band, second line and floats
makes its way down Main Street. Another special event is a free screening of
the 2008 documentary Faubourg Tremé: The Untold Story of Black New Orleans at
the Wilkinson Public Library.
The Telluride
Jazz Festival looks forward to celebrating the heritage and beauty of one great
southern city amidst the mountains, rivers and waterfalls of the authentically
western Telluride, Colorado."
