Kick off summer with good times and great vibes as the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) welcomes back its iconic Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival on Saturday, June 29 and Sunday, June 30.
Enjoy craft beer, tasty eats, a fine arts fair, family fun and of course, two full days of incredible live music in a beautiful park setting. With twenty-two artists spanning jazz to roots, funk, blues, pop, indie and beyond, the festival will bring its signature blend of world-class artists and ensembles, solidifying its place as an international destination and the ‘can’t miss’ weekend of the season.
“Our 2024 festival has a record number of female headliners, all among the most exciting musicians in the industry today. From young, new sensations like Laufey and Samara Joy, who are bringing jazz to the next generation, to beloved superstars like Norah Jones and Rachael Price, dynamo lead singer of Lake Street Dive, this year’s line-up is over the top with powerful female presence,” says Elizabeth Sobol, President and CEO of Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
The line-up is co-headlined by the spirited and joyously soulful Lake Street Dive, multi-GRAMMY winning singer and pianist Norah Jones, 25-year-old Icelandic-Chinese singer-songwriter and TikTok sensation Laufey, and “silky-voiced rising jazz star”(New York Times) Samara Joy.
Music icons returning to the festival include jazz and blues legends Stanley Clarke with his exciting new band N*4Ever, which is a celebration of his long-time collaborator Chick Corea and their time together in Return to Forever; seven-time GRAMMY winner, two-time Oscar nominee and Opera composer Terence Blanchard with his Sextet, performing the music from his 2005 GRAMMY nominated album Flow, and blues guitar virtuoso and vocalist Coco Montoya. Representing the next generation of jazz talent on the stage is captivating composer and drummer Yussef Dayes, fan-favorite jazz pianist Joey Alexander who will celebrate his 21st birthday at the festival, 2021 Guggenheim Fellow and jazz pianist and composer Helen Sung, and GRAMMY-nominated jazz violinist Sara Caswell.
Bringing the party are electrifying Afro-Cuban and funk bands including progressive R&B artist Cory Henry, Afro-Cuban rockstar Cimafunk, The New Orleans Groove Masters featuring Herlin Riley, Jason Marsalis & Shannon Powell, GRAMMY-nominated Cuban percussionist Pedrito Martinez with his band for his fifth festival appearance, and hard-grooving, soulful crowd-pleaser Olatuja, which reunites Alicia and Michael Olatuja in music.
In addition to two non-stop days of great music on two stages, guests can peruse a fine arts and crafts fair full of local and artisan made items, get their posters or albums signed by artists, and enjoy expanded food and drink options like New Orleans-style BBQ, an oyster bar, new vegan offerings, Filipino Street Food, craft beer, specialty coffee, and more.
Tickets and additional information can be found at spac.org. Children 12 and under are free on the lawn and 50% off in the amphitheater. Performances will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 29 and at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 30.