Although San Diego’s indie rock scene gets the lion’s share of the media spotlight, in recent years jazz has started to play a bigger role in local music happenings. Home to many jazz legends, including percussionist Jack Costanzo and guitarist Mundell Lowe, the one thing missing in the area has been a festival dedicated to straight-ahead jazz, or a particular style within the genre.
That situation was finally rectified last year by City College-affiliated radio station KSDS Jazz88, which staged the first Ocean Beach Jazz Fest last summer. The sophomore festival will take place once again on Sunday, Sept. 10, at the end of Newport Avenue, from noon to 7 p.m.
“We put the show together originally simply because we felt there was a need for a straight-ahead jazz event in town,” said Claudia Russell, KSDS program director. “When the opportunity to do something in Ocean Beach became possible, we thought the setting on the waterfront with the sunshine and sea air was perfect.”
But KSDS has not only filled a jazz void in San Diego with the Ocean Beach festival; the event will be broadcast live in New Orleans by WWOZ. The two nonprofit stations formed a personal relationship last year after Hurricane Katrina took WWOZ off the air. KSDS subsequently donated $10,000 to help get its sister station and the city’s quintessential sound up and running again.
“We really appreciate the way KSDS stepped up to the plate and assisted us in our time of need,” WWOZ program director Dwayne Breashears said in a press release. “Broadcasting this concert of performers, who are literally jazz legends, also helps us expose our listeners, both in New Orleans and on the Word Wide Web, to a variety of styles of jazz music they might not have had access to before.”
The daytime event kicks off at noon with a stellar lineup on hand.
“We select the artists based on variety,” Russell explained. “We craft the sets so the music flows together and keeps the audience entertained … It’s primarily jazz, but we do mix in a little blues as well.”
The abundance of area musicians is also a factor.
“We always include local artists,” she said. “We’re very fortunate to live in San Diego, which is home to so many world-class performers.”
Opening the show will be The Jazz 88 All Stars. This quintet is the station’s musical ambassador, though in addition to performing at KSDS functions, they can be seen playing at numerous community events each year. The band includes pianist Mikan Zlatkovich, as well as on-air personality Barry Farrar, Jr. “” host of Percussive Profiles “” on drums, making the group the perfect way to kick off the show.
Also playing an early set will be vocalist Sweet Baby J’ai. A versatile artist at home with jazz, blues and even torch songs, her passionate stage presence begs for a party.
Following J’ai’s appearance, the show will continue with three more acts, all jazz icons. Saxophonist Charles McPherson will perform with an all-star quintet, featuring trumpeter Gilbert Castellanos, drummer Tim McMahon, pianist John Campbell and bassist Rob Thorsen. The band joins a stellar list of musicians with whom McPherson has worked, including Charles Mingus, Wynton Marsalis and Art Farmer, though McPherson’s most familiar work remains the soundtrack he provided for the Clint Eastwood biopic of Charlie Parker, “Bird.”
For many, the day’s highlight will be the appearance of The Cheathams with their Sweet Baby Blues Band. Famed for their standard “Meet Me With Your Black Drawers On,” as well as their fiery mix of blues and swing, Jimmy and Jeannie Cheatham have been live favorites for more than four decades, and have been instrumental in the current jazz explosion taking place in San Diego. The Cheatams are recipients of the 2006 San Diego Music Awards Lifetime Achievement trophy, this is the only opportunity for locals to catch the acclaimed pair in concert this year.
Trumpeter Clark Terry with the Red Holloway Quartet Rounding will round out the festival for a fantastic pairing of two legends. Grammy Award-winning Terry has been a jazz mainstay for more than 60 years, though he is perfectly matched to Holloway’s more blues-oriented approach. Expect the crowd’s excitement to reach fever pitch during their set.
Advance tickets are available online for $45, or $50 at the door. For information, call (619) 224-4906 or visit www.objazz.org.