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Date: 5/20/2016
SPRINGFIELD – Last year the late jazz great Phil Woods had a homecoming playing at the Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival and this year another city native will be returning: Taj Mahal.
Mahal last appeared in the city in 2013 with a performance at the summer City Block concerts.
The news caught the audience gathered for the announcement of the line-up by performers for this year’s concert by surprise. Supporters packing a room at The Fort on May 17 for the reveal of this year’s acts applauded loudly.
This year’s festival will be from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Aug. 6 at Court Square. The event is free.
Mayor Domenic Sarno called the festival “a marquee event for the city of Springfield.” He added, “It sets the tone for what Springfield is all about.”
State Sen. Eric Lesser, who is the chair for the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development, said he is working to better fund “credible efforts such as the Springfield Jazz Festival.”
Besides Mahal, the performers include Jose Gonzalez and Banda Criolla, Samirah Evans and her Handsome Devils, Heshmia and Ofrecimento with Rayvon Owen, Joe Defrancesco Trio, Terri Lyne Carrington Group and the Eric Krasno Band.
The event is organized by Blues to Green, Inc. a non-profit organization whose goal is “to harness the power of art and music (particularly jazz and blues) to celebrate community and culture, build shared purpose and catalyze both social and environmental change.”
The co-executive producer of the event, Kristin Neville, executive director of Blues to Green, Inc., said the daylong series of performances is “a labor of love.”
She added the festival “contributes to a vision of renewal of Springfield.”
Evan Plotkin, the other co-executive producer, said the festival is a way “to rebrand the city.”
The festival is underwritten by MassMutual, MGM, Springfield College, Holyoke Community College, Palmer Paving and Masslive.
For more information on the festival go to www.springfieldjazzfest.com.
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