Carmel Jazz Fest organizers continue to add big names and fresh sounds to the already explosive lineup of music for the inaugural event on Aug. 11 and 12.
The festival will feature more than 30 acts – including some of the best bands in the business, headlined by Spyro Gyra and featuring nationally celebrated talents such as Evelyn Champagne King, Dave Bennett Quartet, Freddie Fox, and Tim Cunningham.
Special “day pass” tickets will get fans inside shows that will be spread across multiple indoor and outdoor venues in Carmel – including The Palladium, Tarkington Theater, Studio Theater, and the elegant Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael. Outdoor venues will also feature live music, including at the Carmel Gazebo, the lawn at Carter Green, Midtown Plaza, and additional “pop-up” performances throughout the city.
Carmel Jazz Festival’s mission is to celebrate Indiana’s rich jazz music history, highlight national and international jazz, R&B and blues musicians and spotlight and educate emerging, upcoming artists. This festival will certainly do that.
Festival passes that get you in to see most of the shows are on sale now. Friday pass: $29; Saturday pass: $39; Two-day pass: $54. You can add on Spyro Gyro tickets for their show at the Palladium starting at $25. Visit carmeljazzfest.org/tickets to order.
Here are five more reasons to get your tickets today:
Steve Allee Big Band
Celebrating their 40th anniversary this year, the Steve Allee Big Band’s album, Live was nominated for a Grammy Award. The band has performed at many jazz festivals, universities, and jazz clubs throughout the Midwest. The band is regionally composed of all A-list musicians, many who are professors at jazz programs on major Midwestern campuses.
Allee’s big band compositions have been performed for many years by the Disneyland Honor All-Star Bands in Anaheim, Calif. His songs have also been featured in several “all state” bands across the U.S. He has performed with Buddy Rich, Slide Hampton, James Moody, Benny Golson, Jimmy Cobb, and many others. He has opened for Bill Evans and Tony Bennett and recently performed at jazz festivals in Chicago, Rochester, Skidmore, Montreal, Mid-Atlantic, Indy, and Miami. He was also Music Director for the nationally syndicated The Bob and Tom Show.
Josh Kaufman
Since winning Season 6 of NBC’s The Voice, Josh Kaufman has kept busy making music in a variety of different settings. Highlights include appearing as a guest vocalist with The Roots on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, making his Broadway debut as the lead in the Tony Award-winning revival of Stephen Schwartz’s Pippin, headlining the Indy Jazz Fest, hosting Yuletide Celebration with Maestro Jack Everly and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, and releasing a six song EP and a full album (co-written and produced by LA-based singer/songwriter/producer, Bleu), as well as several self-produced singles.
Naming soul legends like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye and introspective singer/songwriters like Jeff Buckley and Paul Simon among his favorite artists, Kaufman says one of his main goals is to make music infused with a powerful intimacy.
“I’m a pretty reserved and introverted person by nature and singing has always been a way to express the things that I might not express otherwise,” he said. “At its best music creates this deep emotional connection that transcends explanation, and that, I think, is what keeps me making music.”
Premium Blend
Led by saxophonist Jared Thompson, Premium Blend is a modern jazz quartet that combines traditional elements of bebop, hard bop, R&B, and groove in their original compositions. Backed by guitarist Ryan Taylor, keyboardist Steven Jones, bassist Brandon Meeks, and drummer Richard “Sleepy” Floyd, Premium Blend’s spin on jazz resonates with die-hard jazz fans and novices alike.
The band has released four studio albums: S.O.A.P-Sum Of All Parts, The Road, Vices, and 38th & Postmodernism, a documentary which has been accepted by multiple film festivals including Heartland Film Festival. Premium Blend is heavily featured in the winning Heartland Film Festival documentary Go Get Your Horn, which focused on the continuing mentorship and evolution of modern jazz in Indianapolis.
Pavel & Direct Contact
Pavel & Direct Contact is known for its energetic, fiery performances, much in the vein of the modern pyrotechnicians of today’s Latin Jazz world. Led by internationally known Dominican pianist and Chicago Music Awards Nominee, Pavel Polanco-Safadit, Direct Contact brings an unforgettable experience of Latin jazz, salsa, and Latin-infused American pop songs. Their passion is to connect cultures around the globe to promote musical cross-cultural experiences.
The band members have played throughout the Americas, the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia. The band is composed of Indy Jazz Hall-of-Famers, studio musicians, Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra players, and international artists.
Pavel & Direct Contact features vibrant horns, Latin rhythms, and vocals in both Spanish and English. In 2010, Direct Contact released their first album The Other Side. Since then, they have produced four recordings with AireBorn Records: Rush Hour, D’la Calle, Americanisao, and Día Bonito.
Both Sides of Joni Project ft. Alexis Cole
Both Sides of Joni is a reimagined set of Joni Mitchell’s music arranged by pianist Monika Herzig, interpreted by award-winning vocalist Janiece Jaffe, and recorded with a group of renowned jazz musicians including Greg Ward on saxophone, Jeremy Allen on bass, Carolyn Dutton on violin, and Cassius Goens on drums with guest bassist Peter Kienle.
The Both Sides of Joni project was the product of a period of soul searching during the COVID summer of 2020. Vocalist Janiece Jaffe started listening closely to Joni Mitchell’s music and lyrics with her jazz vocalist ears and found truth and wisdom that inspired her and that she wanted to share with the world to inspire others.
Together with friend and collaborator Monika Herzig, they spent many summer days of 2020 in the barn with keyboard and masks working out arrangements and rediscovering Joni’s music. In March 2021, the arrangements were premiered at the Jazz Kitchen in Indianapolis. They decided to record the music with a group of outstanding musicians and with community support from a successful Kickstarter Campaign.
Just days after the completion of the Master Recording, Janiece left this world unexpectedly after heart surgery. This album is her legacy and her dream, and the group is grateful for her musical gift to be celebrated throughout 2023 with extensive tours in the U.S .and Europe featuring renowned New York vocalist Alexis Cole.
To learn more about Carmel Jazz Fest, visit carmeljazzfest.org or follow along on Facebook.