SFJAZZ: All Jazz, All Year Long
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The London Observer calls the San Francisco Jazz Festival "the biggest and best festival in the world," and USA Today writes: "for three full weeks in the fall, the City by the Bay is the jazz capital of the world." Randall Kline, executive director, artistic director and one of the festival's founders, has been the creative force behind the organization since its conception in 1983 as "Jazz in the City." A new identity, SFJAZZ, was adopted in 1999 to encompass its expansion from seasonal music presenter to year-round arts institution. As the official piano, Yamaha has contributed a CFIIIS grand piano and other pianos, as needed, on a year-round basis for the past 18 years.
People may not realize that SFJAZZ is more than the annual October/November festival that attracted the international spotlight. The non-profit presenting organization also offers SFJAZZ Spring Season (concerts, films and educational events directed by saxophonist Joshua Redman); SFJAZZ Summerfest (free outdoor concerts, June through October); SFJAZZ Education Programs (year-round programs for adults, youth and families); SFJAZZ Membership; the SFJAZZ Collective, an all-star jazz octet which performs works by a modern jazz master and new pieces by ensemble members commissioned by SFJAZZ; and the SFJAZZ High School All-Stars, a 20-piece big band.
Kline says the growth and diversity of SFJAZZ is a reflection of audience tastes. "Our programming has always been eclectic, both jazz and jazz-related, with a lot of world music," he says. "The world is a smaller, flatter place than it used to be, and you'll see gray hairs to shaved heads, according to the program." The fall 2006 festival featured performances by Sonny Rollins, Alice Coltrane, The Heath Brothers, Miguel Zenón and Stefon Harris, Andrew Hill, the James Cotton Blues Band, Joe Zawinul, Cyrus Chestnut, Ahmad Jamal and many others. "I'm bopping about and once in a while I get to sit and listen to about three or four songs. I try to relax, but I'm often focused on other things," Kline admits, "like lighting, sound and audience comfort levels."
Any advice for others thinking about starting a festival? With a quick easy laugh, Kline says, "Don't even think about it! It sounds like a glamorous undertaking – and it is fun, rewarding – but have no misconceptions about how difficult it is. It takes a great deal of work to do it professionally and it's really important to have good tools.
"For musicians," he continues, "that means a great piano. It's up to us to give them the tools to allow them to create on stage, and that means paying attention to what seems an obvious detail – a good piano. The artists really like the Yamaha pianos."
The 8th Annual SFJAZZ Spring Season included performances by Yamaha artist Eddie Palmieri, Dave Brubeck, Omar Sosa, Fred Hersch, Rene Rosnes, Geri Allen, McCoy Tyner, Guillermo Klein, Allan Toussaint, Henry Butler and Dick Hyman, among many other artists. A tribute to Thelonious Monk, "The Monk Project," will devote concerts, education events and more to the history and present day impact of the legendary pianist's music.
For more information, visit www.sfjazz.org.
For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622, telephone (714) 522-9011, or e-mail infostation@yamaha.com.
Guitarist Russell Malone, pianist Cyrus Chestnut and drummer Neal Smith perform at the 2006 San Francisco Jazz Festival. |
Kline says the growth and diversity of SFJAZZ is a reflection of audience tastes. "Our programming has always been eclectic, both jazz and jazz-related, with a lot of world music," he says. "The world is a smaller, flatter place than it used to be, and you'll see gray hairs to shaved heads, according to the program." The fall 2006 festival featured performances by Sonny Rollins, Alice Coltrane, The Heath Brothers, Miguel Zenón and Stefon Harris, Andrew Hill, the James Cotton Blues Band, Joe Zawinul, Cyrus Chestnut, Ahmad Jamal and many others. "I'm bopping about and once in a while I get to sit and listen to about three or four songs. I try to relax, but I'm often focused on other things," Kline admits, "like lighting, sound and audience comfort levels."
Any advice for others thinking about starting a festival? With a quick easy laugh, Kline says, "Don't even think about it! It sounds like a glamorous undertaking – and it is fun, rewarding – but have no misconceptions about how difficult it is. It takes a great deal of work to do it professionally and it's really important to have good tools.
"For musicians," he continues, "that means a great piano. It's up to us to give them the tools to allow them to create on stage, and that means paying attention to what seems an obvious detail – a good piano. The artists really like the Yamaha pianos."
The 8th Annual SFJAZZ Spring Season included performances by Yamaha artist Eddie Palmieri, Dave Brubeck, Omar Sosa, Fred Hersch, Rene Rosnes, Geri Allen, McCoy Tyner, Guillermo Klein, Allan Toussaint, Henry Butler and Dick Hyman, among many other artists. A tribute to Thelonious Monk, "The Monk Project," will devote concerts, education events and more to the history and present day impact of the legendary pianist's music.
For more information, visit www.sfjazz.org.
For more information, write Yamaha Corporation of America, Piano Division, P.O. Box 6600, Buena Park, CA 90622, telephone (714) 522-9011, or e-mail infostation@yamaha.com.