Tickets for “the crown jewel among American jazz festivals” (Chicago Tribune) go on sale to the general public this Sunday, July 23 at 10 a.m. The SFJAZZ Box Office will be open extended hours (10 a.m. to 6 p.m,) this Sunday, and orders can also be placed online or by phone (800-225-2277) once tickets are on sale.

The four-week fall schedule boasts “Saxophone Colossus” Sonny Rollins; a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see pianist/organist Alice Coltrane lead an all-star quartet featuring her son Ravi (sax) and jazz legends Charlie Haden (bass) and Roy Haynes (drums); two concerts by Brazilian superstar Marisa Monte; a special pre-Festival concert by Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart and his Grammy-winning Planet Drum percussion showcase; and much more—over 30 events in all. Check out the full schedule today to plan your rendezvous with “one of America’s premier cultural events” (Los Angeles Times).

As a reminder, SFJAZZ Members still have a brief window of exclusive advance ticket sales to get the best seats. To take advantage of this and other Member benefits like no service charges, join today!

View of Perugia

Mari Malvino was debating her vacation options, but after reading the SFJAZZ Umbria Festival Tour brochure, she quickly came to a decision: “Italy and jazz: two of my favorite things in the world. Why would I not want to go on this trip?”

Hosted by SFJAZZ executive director Randall Kline and his wife Teresa, the Umbria Jazz Festival Tour is a unique opportunity to luxuriate in great jazz, delicious food, and the artistic and architectural gems of Perugia and its rustic environs. This year’s trip was no exception, as tour participants enjoyed shows by Diana Krall, Brazilian legend Caetano Veloso, the Chick Corea Quartet with the Bavarian Chamber Philharmonic, and a double bill of Brad Mehldau and Wayne Shorter.

Though the grand concert venues of Perugia were filled with jazz, the music didn’t stop there: from noon to well after midnight the streets of Perugia were filled with jazz—and jazz luminaries. SFJAZZers stayed at the Hotel Brufani Palace—home base for many of the musicians—where they caught frequent glimpses of Ron Carter, Eric Clapton, Diana Krall, and many more festival stars. Malvino and other participants even had an impromptu photo session with Hank Jones following his show.

Beyond the music, the trip featured guided trips to Assisi and Orvieto, and a wine tasting excursion to the hilltop town of Spello, where travelers joined in a spontaneous concert of Italian folk songs at the enoteca. And, as a special treat, tour-goers witnessed the Italian bella vita firsthand as soccer fans clogged the streets to celebrate their World Cup victory.

Malvino summed up the enduring appeal of her Umbria vacation: “Everybody on the trip has a common interest in the music. It’s a great way to meet new friends. We’ve already talked about which concert we want to go to in the fall season for our reunion.”

View a photo slideshow of this year’s Umbria trip. For more information on next year’s trip, please contact Margaret R. Pico, Director of Development, at mpico@sfjazz.org or 415-398-5655 x106.
 

The trivia contest doesn’t miss a beat with this latest test of E-news readers’ jazz acumen:

Latin percussionist Giovanni Hidalgo will appear at this fall’s Festival with Mickey Hart’s Grammy-winning Planet Drum percussion showcase; in what year and under what group name did Hidalgo last appear at the San Francisco Jazz Festival?

The third person to respond with the correct answer will receive a free Stanford Summer Jazz sampler CD featuring tracks by Bay Area jazz luminaries Lavay Smith, Kim Nalley, Dave Ellis, and Taylor Eigsti.

E-mail Your Answer (include "Beat Savvy" in the subject line)

The fine print: Our contest winner will be notified directly by email, and both the winner’s name and the correct answer to the question will be published in next week’s e-News. The following are not eligible to enter: employees and current contractors of SFJAZZ and its seasonal sponsors; past e-News Jazz Trivia Contest winners.

Last week’s question was:
In what French city did John Coltrane give the only public performance of his famed suite A Love Supreme?
Answer: Congratulations to last week’s winner, Wendy Soule of Tiburon, who was the fourth person to guess Antibes as the location for John Coltrane’s only live performance of A Love Supreme. The show took place at the Juan-les-Pins jazz festival in July of 1965 and is documented on the Deluxe Edition of A Love Supreme.