Podcast 948: Previewing the Freihofer's Saratoga Jazz Festival with Danny Melnick

If it’s June, then jazz festival season must be underway. As always, the early highlight for me is Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival, held in lovely Saratoga Springs’ Performing Arts Center June 24-25.

Impressario Danny Melnick has a strong lineup for the festival this year, with acts performing on two stages, along with juried crafts, food and drink. The line-ups for Saturday, June 24 include Snarky Puppy, Angelique Kidjp, Tower of Power, Chucho Valdes, Cory Wong and the Cindy Blackman Santana Band on the Amphoteater Stage, and  Kurt Rosenwinkel, Emmet Cohen, Claudia Acuna, Carolyn Wonderland, Glen David Andrews and Nduduzo Makhathini  on the Charles R. Wood Discovery Stage

Sunday’s talent on the Amphitheater Stage kicks off with Pat Metheny’s Side-Eye Project, Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, St. Paul & The Broken Bones and ends with Bonnie Raitt. The Discovery stage gives them great competition, as Grammy darling Samara Joy will be performing, as will Melissa Aldana. Mark Guiliana, Jupiter & Okwess and the Skidmore Jazz  Institute Faculty All-Stars, featuring Todd Coolman, Clay Jenkins, Dennis Mackrel, Jimmy Greene, Michael Dease, Bill Cunliffe and Dave Stryker.

So listen up as Danny and I give you the inside information on the Festival, with some great backstory and insight into how and why these great artists are set to perform. Musical selections include  tunes from Nduduzo Makhathini, Cindy Blackman Santana Band, and St. Paul & The Broken Bones.