Tag: jazz

Your Sacramento Jazz Festival (Jubilee) Guide for 2009

Bill Dendle/Eddie Erickson
Bill Dendle/Eddie Erickson

It’s that time of year again: Memorial Day weekend. It’s a weekend of jazz, good weather, and a civic event that is older than time itself (or at least older than anyone in their mid-thirties) the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee.

The big news this year for Jubilee fans is the renaming of the festival to the generic and absolutely non-descript name of “Sacramento Jazz Festival.” Despite the name change, it’s still a great event, maybe a little smaller this year, and maybe a little lacking in international or New Orleans talent, but still a blast. This year’s emperor is one of the best trombone players of the last 50 years, Bob Havens. A vet of the Lawrence Welk band, Havens could always swing the hell out of songs that should have been undeniably square. Check out this video for proof. For those of you who have never been to Jubilee before, I highly suggest you read last year’s Jubilee Primer to get tips on where to eat, where to park, and what to avoid. It’s also filled with really good jokes. I mean, really good.

For this year, use the following suggested schedule to get the most out of the festival whether you’re going one, two or all four days. Check here for ticket prices and info. Continue reading “Your Sacramento Jazz Festival (Jubilee) Guide for 2009”

Sacramento Jazz Jubilee Primer: 2008

If there’s anything I look forward to more than the State Fair or the first day of rain after a blistering summer, it’s the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee. Celebrating its 35th year, the Jubilee is not just a fun local event, it is the biggest jazz festival in the West, and one of the biggest traditional jazz festivals in the world. That’s right, the world. The Jubilee is, by far, the biggest tourist attraction in Sacramento, the biggest event in Old Sacramento, and, other than not being able to close out the Lakers in the 2002 Western Conference Finals, the event that Sacramento is most known for around the country.

Despite all this, I talk to people throughout our fair city who have never attended a Jubilee. I’m flabbergasted by this. I know it can’t be because they’re not crazy about the music; I find that empirically impossible. It’s probably because they usually have other plans on Memorial Day weekend. If you’re one of those who tends to head for the hills after work on Friday, take advantage of the Jubilee pre-party tonight at 7pm in Old Sacramento. In the site known as Freeway Gardens, (a sometimes parking lot right off the K Street pedestrian underpass) The Evolution Jazz Band, Jazzin’ Jacks, and the Bohem Ragtime Jazz Band will be performing for the low-low price of $10 ($12 at the door). No excuse this year, pal.

If you’re thinking about attending the festival proper, I’m here to offer up, in a few minutes, everything you need to know when attending this year’s Jubilee. Read on to discover common misconceptions, popular myths, tips on eating, parking, viewing, and finally a sample schedule that will enable you to enjoy one, two, or four days of some the best music our country has to offer. Continue reading “Sacramento Jazz Jubilee Primer: 2008”

To Your Local Developer Write

It has come to my attention that the Red Lion Hotel (nee Sacramento Inn) is to be redeveloped by Capital Management Group. You can read about the proposed changes here, but there is one specific change that I would like to see. I took the time to email Jeffrey Berger, president of Capital Management, the following message, hoping that others would do the same. Continue reading “To Your Local Developer Write”