JUNE 26–28
PLAYHOUSE SQUARE 46th Annual
Cleveland Rocks — but in the summer, it SWINGS!
TROMBONE SHORTY & ORLEANS AVENUE
JOHN CLAYTON
JEFF HAMILTON
THE CLAYTON-HAMILTON
JAZZ ORCHESTRA
BENNY GREEN
DAN WILSON
SUN RA ARKESTRA
STANLEY CLARKE N•4EVER
KIRK WHALUM
JONATHAN BUTLER
DIANNE REEVES
ROMERO LUBAMBO
DOMINICK FARINACCI & FRIENDS
TAYLOR EIGSTI
CHRISTIAN TAMBURR
PEDRITO MARTINEZ GROUP
Whether on the page, on the screen, on the stage, or anywhere else, art brings life to life. KeyBank is grateful for the passion and creativity that inspire and enrich all our lives, and we’re proud to support the arts. Thank you, Tri-C JazzFest, for making a difference.
On behalf of KeyBank, the presenting sponsor of the 2025 Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland, I am pleased to welcome you to this exciting community celebration.
This year, KeyBank is proud to celebrate 200 years of service. Our bicentennial is not simply a milestone, it’s a reflection of our enduring commitment to the people and places we serve. Supporting Tri-C JazzFest is part of that legacy and a testament to our purpose: to help our clients, colleagues, and communities thrive.
For 46 years, JazzFest has brought together legendary performers, rising stars, and passionate fans from across our communities. It’s more than a music festival – it’s a celebration of culture, creativity, and connection where education, tradition, and communities flourish.
We are proud to be a part of this inspiring traditionwhere the unifying power of music brings us together in celebration and gratitude.
I hope to see you at Tri-C JazzFest this weekend.
Best regards,
Eric M. Fiala
Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Responsibility Officer, KeyBank CEO, KeyBank Foundation
On behalf of the City of Cleveland, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 46th Annual Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland, presented by KeyBank. This beloved tradition continues to enrich our cultural landscape, drawing world-class artists and enthusiastic audiences to the heart of our city.
Cleveland has long been recognized for its deep commitment to the arts, from renowned institutions to grassroots creativity. This weekend, that spirit is on full display as Tri-C JazzFest brings a dynamic mix of legendary performers and rising stars to Playhouse Square. The festival lineup reflects the breadth and brilliance of jazz — from the timeless sounds of vocal greats and instrumental masters to the boundarypushing innovation that defines the genre’s future.
In addition to the ticketed performances in our historic theaters, I encourage you to explore the free concerts on the plaza. These open-air performances, running through the afternoon into the evening, highlight the exceptional talent found right here in Northeast Ohio and offer a space for our community to gather and celebrate together.
We are proud to host a festival that not only honors the legacy of jazz but also affirms Cleveland’s place as a vibrant cultural hub. I commend the organizers, artists and community partners, whose hard work and vision continue to make Tri-C JazzFest a source of pride and inspiration for our city.
Thank you for joining us. Enjoy the music, the fellowship and all that Cleveland has to offer this weekend.
With gratitude,
Justin M. Bibb Mayor, City of Cleveland
On behalf of the 3,000 administrators, faculty and staff at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®), it is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 46th Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland, presented by KeyBank!
For almost half a century, JazzFest has been a vibrant celebration of music, culture and community at the magnificent Playhouse Square in the heart of downtown Cleveland.
Whether this is your first JazzFest or you’ve been joining us for years, we’re thrilled to have you experience the joy, creativity and soul that only jazz can deliver.
This festival is more than just a series of concerts; it’s a gathering of people who believe in the power of music to inspire, connect and uplift. From worldrenowned headliners to the rising stars nurtured through Tri-C’s own programs, every performance reflects our deep commitment to education, artistry and community engagement.
Creating this three-day celebration of jazz is a labor of love for scores of administrators, staff members and volunteers who work tirelessly both in front of and behind the scenes to make this among the world’s leading jazz festivals.
I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all of them.
This tremendous event also could not happen without the dedicated support of our sponsors. Thank you to our presenting sponsor, KeyBank, along with Fran and Jules Belkin, Char and Chuck Fowler, the George Gund Foundation, The Roy Minoff Family Fund, Ohio Arts Council, SeibertKeck Insurance Partners, Debbie and Jim Strassman, The William M. Weiss Foundation, Margaret W. Wong & Associates LLC and many more.
As you explore the stages, food vendors, street performances and familyfriendly activities this weekend, I encourage you to take in all the sights and sounds that make JazzFest a beloved summer tradition. And while you’re here, I hope you’ll feel the warmth and pride that our College community brings to every aspect of this event.
Thank you for being a part of JazzFest. We’re glad you’re here and can’t wait to share the music with you.
Enjoy!
Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D. President, Cuyahoga Community College
On behalf of the JazzFest team, welcome to the 46th edition of Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland!
This year’s lineup is an eclectic mix of cultures and styles with some unique tributes to legendary artists. I’m looking forward to the swinging centennial nod to Oscar Peterson with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra featuring Benny Green and an homage to the enduring duo of Chick Corea and Gary Burton by the brilliant musicians Taylor Eigsti and Christian Tamburr.
The festival shows its abiding respect for the wide spectrum of the jazz tradition with the Sun Ra Arkestra — a pioneer of Afrofuturism, combining swing, free jazz, bebop, chanting and dancing. Global musicians include Pedrito Martinez, a leading percussionist in Cuban rumba; the quintessential singer of our time, Dianne Reeves, in a rare duo with Brazilian guitarist Romero Lubambo; and South African vocalist Jonathan Butler, with stirring messages of freedom and unity.
Add to it the mastery of Kirk Whalum, Dominick Farinacci’s heartfelt tribute to Cleveland’s saxophone dynasty, celebrated bassist Stanley Clarke and the highly energetic New Orleans funk master himself, Trombone Shorty, and you have a journey full of interesting stops and a lot of great music to soothe your soul.
I love presenting amazing jazz artists in the elegant theaters at Playhouse Square, but it also warms my heart to present Northeast Ohio’s wonderful musicians on the SeibertKeck Insurance Partners Stage outside, free for all to enjoy under the GE Chandelier. The music is literally wall-to-wall with the William M. Weiss Foundation Next Gen Stage, which features the incredible students and alumni from the Tri-C JazzFest Academy and the Tri-C Jazz Studies program.
And it’s not just our music students who benefit from the JazzFest experience. Dozens of students from our Recording Arts and Technology program get worldclass, hands-on training in production and live sound. Film and photography students are given opportunities to capture the festival and build their portfolios. Also, Hospitality Management students and graduates present cooking demos with musicians as sous-chefs. An exciting new addition in 2025 is a student art show in the Allen Theatre lobby (off Euclid Avenue), showcasing the talents of our Creative Arts students.
As you can see, the Tri-C “community” is on full display, and, from the bottom of my heart, I thank the following collaborators: Megan O’Bryan and her team, Lisa Dobransky and her team, Santina Protopapa, Gabe Swarts, Bob Searson, Karen Monath, Kate Lamb, Miriam Bennett, Christine Hickey and Mike Donato.
Jazz is such a national treasure. Enjoy all the magic and fun this weekend!
Terri Pontremoli Director, Tri-C JazzFest
Chris Anderson is the founder of Open Tone Music, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that provides free access to premier music education and performance programming for all. Through Open Tone Music, he has reached thousands of individuals in Northeast Ohio. The organization also produces the Rubber City Jazz and Blues Festival, a three-day event in early September celebrating the city’s rich jazz history and premiering its up-and-coming talent.
Music took hold of Scott Balogh in early childhood, where he recalls jazz being the soundtrack of his youth.
Seeing the Count Basie Orchestra with Ella Fitzgerald at Playhouse Square became a defining moment that would guide the course of his life.
After earning a bachelor’s degree in music education from Baldwin Wallace University, Anderson went on to receive his master’s degree in music from The University of Akron.
An in-demand jazz trombonist, he also composes and performs many different musical genres, including classical, gospel and Latin. He has performed with artists such as Clark Terry, John Fedchock, Jiggs Whigham, Jon Faddis, Nancy Wilson, Frank Wess, Louie Bellson, Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Barry Manilow, Bobby Caldwell and many others.
He is sought after as a clinician, conducting music workshops for all ages throughout the U.S. and abroad. He also teaches at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and The Ohio State University.
His humility and dedication earned him the 2024 Jazz Hero Award from the Jazz Journalists Association. Yet, it is his passion to improve the lives of young people through music that drives Anderson forward. He presents the Amistad Caribbean Arts Camp to connect primary and secondary school students from Northeast Ohio with artists from Africa, the Caribbean and South America. It’s his mission, in his words, “to create better humans through the study and appreciation of music.”
A saxophone player since his elementary school years, Balogh performed in every band that the Shaker Heights School System had to offer. Continuing his musical journey at Capital University, he played for and studied with Vaughn Wiester, Barney Rooker and Bob Breithaupt, performing in big bands, fusion bands and a variety of jazz ensembles.
During one such performance at the university’s campus center, Balogh met fellow musician Stacy Banks, whom he married — united through their love of jazz.
But Balogh’s passion for jazz doesn’t stop with him. It’s his mission to support and foster its growth, starting in Northeast Ohio. He is the current advisory committee chair of Tri-C JazzFest and the executive producer/board chair of Modern Warrior Live, a veteran-based musical/ storytelling program originated and performed by Jaymes Poling and Dominick Farinacci.
Like many musicians, Balogh has a “day job.” He is the president and CEO of Mar-Bal Inc., one of the country’s top thermoset injection molding manufacturers, a role he approaches with the same enthusiasm and dedication as when he’s sharing his love of jazz.
Each year, the Tri-C JazzFest Legends Award is presented to Northeast Ohio individuals and organizations who demonstrate outstanding achievement in jazz performance, education, advocacy or philanthropy.
At 8, Frank Barrett, Ph.D., was already playing ragtime piano duets with his grandfather. While music was a source of childhood joy, his love of learning guided him toward becoming a college professor. His passion and his professional desire would reunite as a new duet.
Currently a professor of Organizational Behavior at Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management, Barrett is the author of Yes to the Mess: Surprising Leadership Lessons From Jazz, which has become required reading for many MBA students. In it, he draws parallels between the collaborative, improvisational nature of the jazz band and the musicians’ flexibility in making split-second musical decisions with the fast-paced, teamwork-based modern workplace driven by innovation.
Even today, he sometimes conducts his classes from his piano.
Much can be learned from jazz, and Barrett is in a perfect position to teach. Prior to his career in academia, the accomplished jazz pianist played restaurant gigs in Cleveland’s Flats, along with reed virtuoso Ken Peplowski. Barrett later spent a year on the road with the Tommy Dorsey Band under the leadership of trombonist Buddy Morrow.
The University of Notre Dame graduate was a professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, before returning to Cleveland and CWRU. He has consulted a variety of global organizations and corporations on creating organizational change through the principles of jazz improvisation and innovation.
Carol A. Cunningham, M.D. is the state medical director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety Division of Emergency Medical Services, a professor of Emergency Medicine at the Northeast Ohio Medical University and a board-certified emergency physician at Cleveland Clinic Akron General. She was selected as Harvard University’s 2021 National Preparedness Leadership Initiative Meta-Leader of the Year. She earned the Executive Certificate in Public Leadership from the Harvard Kennedy School and completed the Executive Leaders Program at the Center for Homeland Defense and Security. She has been honored with multiple awards for her leadership in medicine, education and community service.
On her “flip side,” Cunningham is a lifelong aficionado of jazz, a love fostered by her father, a graduate of Tri-C. He fully understood the value of doing one’s “homework” at the Boarding House, Nighttown, the original Peabody’s and the Front Row Theater. At the inception of the Tri-C JazzFest, she was ecstatic to launch her ongoing support of this Clevelandbased initiative and treat her parents to the show in the campus auditorium, featuring Take 6 and Stanley Clarke. Performing since age 4, she embraced a multitude of genres, playing in bands and orchestras to pay for school and maintain life balance in the face of demanding professional duties. In support of music education, Cunningham serves on the board of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum and the Advisory Committee of Tri-C JazzFest. Honoring those who contributed to her love of the arts, she has worked tirelessly to carve pathways through philanthropy and advocacy to ensure every child has access to music and inspirational creativity. Cunningham firmly believes that music, also known as Vitamin M, is an essential nutrient for the mind, body and soul. As she advises all, “A day without music is like a year without sunshine!”
Ken LeeGrand’s musical journey began at Rozelle Elementary School in East Cleveland. That early introduction paved the way for his lifetime in music. He has distinguished himself as a performer, session player, producer, clinician and director.
Known for his inspirational saxophone solos, LeeGrand has shared his virtuosity with an array of artists from diverse genres, including gospel, pop, R&B, soul and jazz. His 1970s band, TOJAM, had the privilege of opening for Dexter Gordon with his sidemen, Eddie Gladden, George Cables and Rufus Reid.
As the frontman for “HORNS AND THINGS”, LeeGrand has released five CDs and opened for Jimmy Heath, Ronnie Laws and Joe Sample, among other jazz notables.
Greg Bandy (1951-2025)
Master drummer Greg Bandy had no idea how he earned the title “The Mayor of Harlem,” but it stuck, so he kept it. Bandy played his first professional gig as an 11-year-old, and by 13, he was touring with the WJMO Road Show, which featured musical children from inner-city Cleveland. Following his graduation from Glenville High School, Bandy moved to New York, where he achieved an international reputation over the next two decades. Bandy had an extensive career both nationally and internationally for almost 50 years until 2021, when health issues prevented him from performing. Over the years, he performed with Roy Ayers, Joe Henderson, Arthur Prysock, Betty Carter, Pharoah Sanders, Gary Bartz, Olu Dara, Eddie Henderson and many others. Splitting his time between New York and Cleveland since 1993, he inspired and mentored several new generations of jazz musicians. He was a percussion instructor at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Cuyahoga Community College Jazz Studies program.
LeeGrand has performed throughout the United States and Europe. Closer to home, he has done pit work at the Karamu House Theatre and Playhouse Square and thrilled audiences at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Blossom Music Center, all while continuing an active schedule of local gigs.
He is strongly committed to securing the future of jazz as an educator, teaching private classes and sponsoring annual “Saxophone Retreats” as the resident artist for the Grammy Signature School in the Shaker Heights School District’s band department. Over the years, many of his students have earned scholarships to prestigious music schools across the country.
LeeGrand also serves as the director of Jazz at the Music Settlement (J@MS), a nationally acclaimed program in partnership with the Berklee City Music Network.
Phillip K. Jones II (1981-2025)
Phillip K. Jones II began playing music at an early age. By age 4, he had mastered the drums and began to play them in church. His father, the Rev. Phillip Jones Sr., introduced the organ to Jones at age 8. Jones quickly learned to play the instrument “by ear.” At age 12, Jones was the organist for the Greater Faith Baptist Church, where his grandfather pastored. During this time, he toured twice in Nice, France, where he performed as a drummer. A graduate of Cleveland Heights High School, he attended the Tri-C Jazz Studies program, studying with Rodney Hubbard, Joe Hunter, Jackie Warren, Drene Ivy and LaFayette Carthon II, among other notable musicians. He graduated from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music with a Bachelor of Music degree. During his tenure at Oberlin, he performed with famed songstress Babbie Mason and recorded on Bill Ransom’s debut jazz CD, Generations.
to our friend, teacher and jazz music legend, Ken LeeGrand on being recognized as a Tri-C JazzFest Legend.
Thank you for dedicating over 20 years to the Shaker Heights City Schools band program and for inspiring thousands of students along the way.
-The Shaker Band Boosters
You deserve this and so much more for everything you have done for the city of Cleveland. Your relentless compassion and dedication to music education and the arts is inspiring. We love you! Stay!!!!!
Helen Forbes Fields Chair
Ann M. Frangos Vice Chair
The Rev. Cory C. Jenkins
Phoebe Lee
Geralyn M. Presti
Alan Rosskamm
Victor A. Ruiz
Ted Tywang
Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D. President
Eric Gordon
Senior Vice President
Student Development and Education Pipeline
David Kuntz, CPA Executive Vice President/Treasurer Administration and Finance
Shana Marbury, J.D. Executive Vice President Workforce Innovation
Karen Miller, Ph.D. Provost and Executive Vice President Access, Learning and Success
India Pierce Lee Executive Vice President Chief Strategy Officer
Renee Tramble Richard, J.D. President and CEO, Corporate College® Senior Advisor and Counsel to the President Vice President, Legal Services and Risk Management General Counsel (Interim)
Wendy Batch-Wilson, DNP, RN Western Campus President (Interim)
Todd Kitchen, Ed.D. Eastern Campus President
Scott Latiolais, Ed.D. Westshore Campus President
Denise McCory, Ed.D. Metropolitan Campus President
Radiah Blanton, Ed.D. Chief of Staff/Executive Assistant to the President
Lindsay English, Ph.D. Associate Provost
Megan O’Bryan Vice President, Development President, Cuyahoga Community College Foundation
Cameron Redden, Ed.D. Executive Director College Initiatives and Projects
Claire Rosacco
Vice President, Government Relations and Community Outreach
P R O U D S P O N S O R O F
T H E T R I - C J A Z Z F E S T O U T D O O R S T A G E !
Y o u r L o c a l I n s u r a n c e P a r t n e r s
H o m e | A u t o | B u s i n e s s | L i f e & H e a l t h
w w w . S e i b e r t K e c k . c o m | 3 3 0 . 8 6 7 . 3 1 4 0
Thursday, June 26 | 8 p.m.
Born Troy Andrews, Trombone Shorty got his start (and nickname) earlier than most: at age 4, he made his first appearance at the New Orleans Jazz Festival, performing with Bo Diddley. At age 6, he was leading his own brass band, and by his teenage years, he was hired by Lenny Kravitz to join the band he assembled for his Electric Church World Tour. He is well known for his magnetic charisma and showmanship.
Since 2010, he has released five chart-topping studio albums. His most recent album, 2022’s Lifted, finds the Grammy-nominated NOLA icon and his bandmates tapping into the raw power and exhilarating grooves of their legendary live show, channeling it all into a series of tight, explosive performances that blur the lines between funk, soul, R&B and psychedelic rock. Trombone Shorty has collaborated across genres with Pharrell Williams, Bruno Mars, Mark Ronson, the Foo Fighters, Ringo Starr and countless more.
Trombone Shorty personnel: Tracci Lee (vocals), John Maestas (guitar), Peter Murano (guitar), Orlando Gilbert (tenor sax), Dan Oestreitcher (baritone sax), David Raymond JR (bass), Robert Peebles (drums)
Trombone Shorty’s performance is sponsored by Char and Chuck Fowler.
Friday, June 27 | 5:30 p.m.
Mimi Ohio Theatre | Playhouse Square
Considered one of the greatest jazz pianists of all time, Oscar Peterson was called the “Maharaja of the keyboard” by Duke Ellington.
Peterson released more than 200 recordings and won eight Grammy Awards and a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy. He played thousands of concerts worldwide in his 60-year career. Born in Montreal to immigrant parents, Peterson began playing piano at age 5 and, at 14, won the national music competition organized by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. His trio and quartet concerts and recordings with Ray Brown and Herb Ellis are legendary.
Peterson composed the Africa Suite in the 1980s. Largely unperformed during his lifetime, the suite included “The Fallen Warrior,” inspired by Nelson Mandela while imprisoned. Peterson met Mandela in 1998, though his music had been banned under apartheid. After Peterson’s death in 2007, his widow, Kelly, worked to share the suite globally, culminating in its 2020 premiere in Toronto’s Koerner Hall, arranged by John Clayton.
John Clayton, cofounder of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra with Jeff Hamilton and his brother Jeff Clayton, crafted the ensemble’s signature blend of influences from Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Thad Jones. The 19-piece orchestra tours internationally, collaborating with icons like Diana Krall and Natalie Cole. Benny Green was born in New York City in 1963 and grew up in Berkeley, California. He began piano lessons when he was 7, and his first paid performance was at 12. At 17, Green gigged frequently in the Bay Area with Doctor Eddie Henderson. He returned to NYC at 19 and toured internationally with Betty Carter, Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard and the Ray Brown Trio. He has recorded albums with Blue Note Records, Telarc and Criss Cross. Oscar Peterson named Green his protégé in 1992 and chose him as the recipient of the Glenn Gould Award for excellence in music and communication. In 1998, Peterson invited Green to record a two-piano album with him, Oscar and Benny Born in Indiana, drummer Jeff Hamilton attended Indiana University and studied with John Von Ohlen. In 1975, he and John Clayton became members of the Monty Alexander Trio. In 1978, he was offered a position in the L.A. 4 (Ray Brown, Bud Shank and Laurindo Almeida), recording six albums with the group. From 1983-1987, he performed with Ella Fitzgerald, the Count Basie Orchestra and Rosemary Clooney. His long association with the Ray Brown Trio ran from 1988-1995. Hamilton was a member of the Oscar Peterson Quartet w/Herb Ellis and Ray Brown from 1990-1995. He can be heard on more than 300 recordings and seen in the Peterson documentary Life in the Key of Oscar. He is a four-time winner of the Modern Drummer Magazine Readers Poll.
Growing up in Akron, Dan Wilson’s musical identity was shaped by everything from gospel and blues to traditional jazz, hip-hop and bop heroes like Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson. Wilson had been touring with Joey DeFrancesco for a few years when he met bassist Christian McBride and joined his touring trio, Tip City. McBride produced Vessels of Wood and Earth, Wilson’s first album on Mack Avenue’s imprint Brother Mister Productions. In 2021, Wilson was named the winner of the LetterOne Rising Stars Award and played several major jazz festivals in North America. Things Eternal, Wilson’s fourth album on Mack Avenue Records, was released in 2023 to critical acclaim.
Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra Personnel:
Trumpets: Bijon Watson (lead), Clay Jenkins, Gilberto Castellanos, James Ford, Hank Mautner
Trombones: Ira Nepus (lead), Ivan Malespin, Erik Hughes, Juliane Gralle (bass)
Saxes: Keith Fiddmont (first alto), Steve Ragsdale (alto), Rickey Woodard (first tenor), Charles Owens (tenor), Adam Schroeder (baritone sax)
Rhythm Section: Jeff Hamilton (drums), Tamir Hendelman (piano), Jon Hamar (bass), Steve Kovalcheck (guitar)
French horns: Ken Wadenpfuhl, Meredith Evans
Percussion: Dylan Moffitt, Liam Smith
This tribute performance is sponsored by Scott Balogh.
Friday, June 27
7:15 p.m.
Connor Palace Playhouse Square
Four-time Grammy-winning bassist Stanley Clarke is one of the most celebrated acoustic and electric bass players in the world. What’s more, he is equally gifted as a recording artist, performer, conductor, arranger, producer and film score composer. Known as a true pioneer in jazz and jazz fusion, Clarke is particularly known for his ferocious bass dexterity and consummate musicality. His band N•4EVER was formed to pay tribute to his friend and longtime collaborator Chick Corea. The group’s debut album, Last Train to Sanity, boasts a personnel list of jazz’s next wave of heavy-hitter virtuosos. Clarke was selected by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2022 as a Jazz Master honoree. He was honored with Bass Player Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award and is a member of Guitar Player Magazine’s Gallery of Greats.
Joining Clarke on stage are Cameron Graves (piano/keys), Jeremiah Collier (drums), Emilio Modeste (sax), Colin Cook (guitar) and Evan Garr (violin).
Stanley Clarke N•4EVER’s performance is sponsored by The Roy Minoff Family Fund.
Friday, June 27
9 p.m.
Mimi Ohio Theatre | Playhouse Square
“The possible has been tried and failed. Now it’s time to try the impossible.”
The Sun Ra Arkestra is known worldwide for its live shows that combine big band, swing, space-age free jazz, bebop, singing, dancing, chanting and Afro-pageantry. The Arkestra has been at the forefront of Afrofuturism since its inception. Herman Poole Blount — better known by his stage name, Sun Ra — founded the Sun Ra Arkestra in Chicago in the mid-1950s.
Sun Ra, a jazz composer, bandleader and pianist, is considered one of the earliest pioneers of the synthesizer and the free jazz revolution of the 1960s. He had sent a strong spiritual and musical message to his Arkestra, wanting them to help make the universe better through positive vibrations and music. The Arkestra has been at the forefront of Afrofuturism since its inception, recording over 100 albums, including the Grammy-nominated Swirling (2020). After more than 60 years, the band continues to tour worldwide, performing at prestigious venues like the Kennedy Center, Radio City Music Hall and the Berlin Opera House.
Sun Ra Arkestra personnel:
Tara Middleton (vocals), Knoel Scott (alto, conga, vocals), James Stewart (tenor sax), Anthony Nelson (baritone sax), Michael Ray (trumpet, vocals), Cecil Brooks (trumpet), Vincent Chancy (French horn), Lafayette Gilchrist (piano), Brent White (trombone), Tyler Mitchell (bass), George Gray (drums), Elson Nascimento (surdo, percussion), Jose da Silva (percussion)
Saturday, June 28 | 2 p.m.
Mimi Ohio Theatre | Playhouse Square
Dominick Farinacci & Friends
No matter where Dominick Farinacci goes, he credits the jazz veterans of Cleveland, who welcomed him on their bandstands and gave him a solid foundation for swing, ballads and taste in his early teens.
Farinacci celebrates Cleveland’s saxophone dynasty with Ernie Krivda, Howie Smith and Ken LeeGrand, whose unique voices and commitment to education have helped shape the sound of the Cleveland music community for more than 50 years. The concert will also highlight the next generation of young artists from Cleveland: bassist Jordan McBride, drummer Gabe Jones and percussionist Patrick Graney. Special guests include vocalist Shenel Johns, pianist Richard Johnson and vibraphonist Christian Tamburr, who have toured with Farinacci for several years.
Dominick Farinacci
“A trumpeter of abundant poise,” who “plays beautifully, with expressive control” and “brings true musicality.” — The New York Times
Dominick Farinacci ranks among the most acclaimed trumpeters and educators of his generation, with a list of career achievements that push beyond the conventional notions of recognition for a jazz musician. Born and raised in Cleveland, he was just 17 when one of his most important mentors, Wynton Marsalis, chose him to perform in a special program for PBS. While still a student in Juilliard’s inaugural class of Jazz Studies majors, he hit the ground running as a recording artist and bandleader — first in Japan, where he released eight albums in short order, and later globally.
At Marsalis’ request, Farinacci spearheaded an outpost of Jazz at Lincoln Center in Doha, Qatar, from 2012-2016. His star-filled 2016 album, Short Stories, was developed with music-industry legend and producer Tommy LiPuma. Six years later, Farinacci received the Cleveland Arts Prize, arguably his hometown’s most prestigious honor.
About those saxophone giants and special guests:
Ken LeeGrand is the director of J@MS (a program at The Music Settlement) and the resident artist for the Grammy Signature School in the Shaker Heights School District’s band department. He has also given private lessons to thousands of students over the past 40 years. Known for his inspirational saxophone solos, LeeGrand has shared his virtuosity with an array of artists from diverse genres, including gospel, pop, R&B and jazz.
A virtuoso saxophonist, composer and jazz musician, Howie Smith does not easily fit into a single category. He has performed with musicians, organizations and composers, ranging from Elvis Presley to The Cleveland Orchestra. He has taught at major academic institutions in the United States and Australia and served on panels for the National Endowment for the Arts. No matter what the setting, Smith is always pushing the music forward and striving to make bold and imaginative statements.
Ernie Krivda is one of Cleveland’s most accomplished, awarded and wellknown jazz artists. In addition to performing and composing, Krivda is a committed jazz educator. He holds the distinction of having been the first teacher hired by the Tri-C Jazz Studies program and served as its former artistic director. Krivda began his official professional career in 1963 with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. During the 1960s, he played in the bands of two Cleveland legends, organist Eddie Baccus Sr. and guitarist Bill DeArango. He also played in the house band at Leo’s Casino, backing a wealth of legendary Motown acts. In the ‘90s, he founded Ernie Krivda and the Fat Tuesday Big Band, one of Northeast Ohio’s best-known swinging big bands. He continues to play and lead the critically-acclaimed Ernie Krivda Jazz Quintet.
Shenel Johns (vocals)
Shenel Johns is “history in the making,” as declared by The Boston Globe following her performance at the Newport Jazz Festival. A vibrant jazz vocalist known for her fearless presence and remarkable range, Johns blends her roots in gospel and reggae with refined jazz artistry.
Richard D. Johnson (piano)
Born in Pittsburgh, a city rich in jazz heritage, pianist and composer
Richard D. Johnson was introduced to the piano at age 5 by his father, a gospel musician. He went on to study at top institutions, earning degrees from the Boston Conservatory at Berklee and the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz at UCLA under Ron Carter.
Johnson’s performance career includes tenures with Wynton Marsalis’ Septet and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (2000-2003) as well as collaborations with Russell Malone, Delfeayo Marsalis, Bobby Watson and jazz icons Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Heath and Arturo Sandoval.
Jordan McBride (bass)
Jordan McBride picked up the bass at 12 and began to develop a sound influenced by the Philadelphia jazz scene. As a teen, McBride studied with jazz greats such as bassists Andy McCloud and Mike Boone, often trailing musicians into jazz clubs around Philadelphia. McBride holds an Artist Diploma from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he worked with Peter Dominguez and Gerald Cannon. Before entering college, McBride had the opportunity to work with jazz legend Jimmy Heath. McBride has shared the stage with Orrin Evans, Nathan-Paul, Andrew Finn Magill, Kathy Kosins and many others and is a founding member of the Theron Brown Trio.
Patrick Graney (percussion)
Patrick Duke Graney is a Cleveland-born multi-instrumentalist and percussionist known for his expansive, global approach to rhythm and sound. His foundation in music began as a dancer at age 10 before evolving into a deep passion for the drums. A formative mentorship with world-renowned percussionist Jamey Haddad greatly influenced his rhythmic and improvisational style.
Graney graduated from Tri-C’s Jazz Studies program, holds a bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music (2017) and a master’s degree from the Berklee College of Music in Valencia, Spain (2019), where he received the Outstanding Scholar Award. Following his studies, he moved to Dubai to lead the drums and percussion department at Studio Republik, collaborating with acclaimed bassist Daniele Camarda and teaching students of all ages. As a performer, Graney has appeared on over 30 albums (2019-2022) and toured internationally.
Gabe Jones (drums)
Gabe Jones is an extraordinarily gifted drummer based in Cleveland. He graduated from the Cleveland School of the Arts and attended the Tri-C JazzFest Academy and the College’s Recording Arts and Technology program. He has become one of the most frequently called drummers in Cleveland and has toured with Modern Warrior LIVE and Dominick Farinacci for the past several years.
Taylor Eigsti & Christian Tamburr
Celebrate Chick Corea and Gary Burton
In the second half of the program, Taylor Eigsti and Christian Tamburr will pay tribute to the decades-long partnership of Chick Corea and Gary Burton.
The collaboration between Corea and Burton spanned over 40 years, raising the bar for the art of the duo in the jazz idiom. To celebrate Corea’s birthday and the music crafted between these two icons, Grammy-winning pianist Eigsti and award-winning vibraphonist Tamburr come together to pay homage to one of jazz’s longest-lasting small groups.
Two-time Grammy Award-winning pianist and composer Eigsti started playing the piano when he was 4. Eigsti was quickly labeled a prodigy and has since released nine albums as a bandleader and appeared on over 80 albums as a sideman.
Tamburr is an internationally acclaimed vibraphonist, pianist, composer and arranger. A five-time Downbeat Magazine Critics Choice Top Rising Star on vibraphone, he leads the Christian Tamburr Quintet, appearing at venues like Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center and the Newport Jazz Festival.
This concert is sponsored by Scott Balogh.
Saturday, June 28
5:30 p.m.
Mimi Ohio Theatre
Playhouse Square
Five-time Grammy winner Dianne Reeves is the world’s preeminent jazz vocalist. As a result of her virtuosity, improvisational prowess and unique jazz and R&B stylings, Reeves received the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Performance for three consecutive recordings — a Grammy first in any vocal category.
Reeves has performed with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Berlin Philharmonic. She was the first creative chair for jazz for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the first vocalist to ever perform at the famed Walt Disney Concert Hall.
Featured in George Clooney’s Academy Award-nominated Good Night, and Good Luck, Reeves won the Best Jazz Vocal Grammy for the film’s soundtrack. In 2022, Reeves was the featured vocalist on the soundtrack of The Woman King, starring Viola Davis. Reeves has been designated a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Romero Lubambo grew up listening to American jazz and classical music. At 13, he picked up the guitar and taught himself how to play. The following year, he joined a band and started playing professionally. After moving to the U.S. in 1985, he worked with vocalist Astrud Gilberto. In 1986, he met Herbie Mann, who he considers “my American father, my mentor for life.” Lubambo is a founding member of Trio da Paz and tours extensively with Reeves. He has also worked with Claudia Acuña, Regina Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Pat Metheny, Luciana Souza and many others. He won the 2017 Latin Grammy Award for Dos Navegantes, a collaboration with Edu Lobo and Mauro Senise.
For nearly four decades, Grammy-winning saxophonist Kirk Whalum has helped define “cool,” whether blazing trails in contemporary jazz or infusing hits by Luther Vandross or Whitney Houston with an extra jolt of soul. Whalum has more than 25 albums under his own name, including a Grammy-nominated collaboration with pianist Bob James, his faith-and-soul-melding Gospel According to Jazz series, and a trio of albums with the supergroup BWB, alongside guitarist Norman Brown and trumpeter Rick Braun. That’s in addition to his work alongside such legends as Barbra Streisand, Quincy Jones, Al Jarreau and Larry Carlton.
Band personnel include Marcus Finnie (drums), Braylon Lacy (bass), Kevin Turner (guitar) and John Stoddart (keys).
In a time when artists of optimism are at a premium, Jonathan Butler is a shining example of purposeful excellence. Having recorded local hits as a teenager during the apartheid of South Africa, Butler went on to become a world-renowned singer, guitarist and songwriter, delivering soulful salvos of R&B, gospel, jazz and pop. Touring professionally by age 7, Butler’s first single, “Please Stay,” was the first by a Black artist to be played on white radio in segregated South Africa. It won a Sarie Award, the country’s equivalent to a Grammy. Committed to conveying stirring messages of freedom and unity through his music, Butler became a national icon. Nelson Mandela told Butler that listening to his music had helped him endure time in prison.
Band personnel include Arlington Jones (keys, music director), Darryl Williams (bass), Ron Otis (drums), Nadira Scruggs (violin) and Melissa (Honey) Larochelle (vocals).
Margot Copeland Smooth Jazz Night
Saturday, June 28 | 9:30 p.m.
Mimi Ohio Theatre | Playhouse Square
Pedro Pablo “Pedrito” Martinez, born and raised in Havana, Cuba, began his musical career at 11. After moving to New York City in 1998, Martinez became a sought-after artist, collaborating with Wynton Marsalis, Eddie Palmieri, Paul Simon and Sting, among others. He has contributed to over 100 albums. He is known worldwide for his mastery of the batá drum and is a leading figure in Cuban rumba.
Martinez was a founding member of Yerba Buena, an Afro-Cuban/Afrobeat band that gained international success in the 1990s. His career as a leader began in 2005 with the formation of the Pedrito Martinez Group. The group’s first self-titled studio album was nominated for a Grammy and was among NPR’s Favorite Albums of 2013 and The Boston Globe’s Top 10 Albums of 2013.
Martinez will be joined onstage by Manny Marquez (percussion and vocals), Ahmed Alom (keyboard and vocals), Sebastian Natal (electric bass and vocals) and Xito Lovell (trombone and vocals).
“Pedrito is a genius…working with him has been a revelation to me.”
— Wynton Marsalis
This year, the backdrops on the Connor Palace and Mimi Ohio Theatre stages feature the stunning artwork of international artist Gemma O’Brien.
O’Brien’s selected works were edited and produced by Dave Brooks of Hughie’s Event Production Services for the festival stages.
O’Brien is an internationally renowned designer and artist known for her bold graphics, illustrative lettering and murals. Her work has been commissioned by Apple, Nike and Google and is held in the permanent collection of the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City. Outside her commercial design work, she explores language, nature and the human experience through her art practice. In 2025, she is researching flow states in visual artists at Goldsmiths, University of London, as part of the MSc Psychology of the Arts, Neuroaesthetics and Creativity program.
Featured Artwork
Only Together – Connor Palace Orchids – Mimi Ohio Theatre
Friday, June 27 and Saturday, June 28
3 - 9 p.m.
Allen Theatre Lobby
Through a special exhibit in the Allen Theatre lobby, Tri-C JazzFest attendees can experience some of Telarc’s Grammy Award-winning and nominated recordings of Oscar Peterson through the immersive listening lounge, powered by Déjà Vu.
Déjà Vu is the brainchild of Clevelander Frank Foti, the founder, chief developer and CEO of Syndicate of Sounds. A pioneer in broadcast audio processing and engineering for the past 40 years, Foti has won numerous awards, including the prestigious NAB Engineering Achievement Award. He is also the executive chairman and majority owner of Telos Alliance, a world leader in audio solutions for all forms of broadcasting. Learn more about Foti and Déjà Vu technology at SyndicateOfSounds.com.
David Louis Cintron has worked as a multidisciplinary artist, musician and designer since 1990. Born and raised in Cleveland, he received a BFA in Graphic Design with a minor concentration in Studio Art from Kent State University.
Inspired by the outside natural world as well as the inner spiritual world, Cintron’s current body of visual work consists of color-rich, expressive abstract paintings and evocative ink drawings. He works intuitively and spontaneously. These automatic compositions, depicting images emergent from the unconscious
By David Louis Cintron
mind, are an exploration and discovery of form and formlessness, negative space and imagined structures. The creative process – informed by an ongoing dialogue between the artist, materials and developing work –guides the finished composition to attain its place and reveal itself.
Cintron’s work has been featured in solo and group shows regionally, including the 2022 CAN Triennial exhibition in Cleveland.
FRIDAY, JUNE 27
Bent String
3-3:45 p.m.
Ernie Krivda and the Fat Tuesday Big Band 4:15-5 p.m.
Abstract Sounds 5:30-6:15 p.m.
Flyover Quintet 6:45-7:30 p.m.
Bassel & the Supernaturals 8-8:45 p.m.
Nathan-Paul & the Admirables 9:15-10 p.m.
Carlos Jones and the P.L.U.S. Band 10:30 p.m.Midnight
Abstract Sounds is a six-piece band from Cleveland known for driving dance grooves and hard-hitting horns. The band was started in 2021 by saxophonist Jevaughn Bogard to bring the elements of jazz and dance back together. Its music ranges from high-energy originals to covers by artists like Herbie Hancock, Daniel Caesar, Wayne Shorter, Chris Brown, Michael Jackson, Jill Scott and the Bee Gees.
Bassel & The Supernaturals tells the story of Bassel Almadani’s experience as a first-generation Syrian-American using soulful melodies, funk-inspired rhythms and captivating lyrics regarding love, loss, otherness and the war in Syria. The band made its national television debut in May 2024 as part of a new PBS docuseries, The Express Way, regarding the transformative power of the arts.
Becky Boyd has been playing the Cleveland club scene for over 40 years. She has opened for such noted artists as the Outlaws, Brownsville Station, Gary Lewis and the Playboys, Robert Lockwood Jr., Billy Branch, Chad & Jeremy and the Marshall Tucker Band. The Groove Train plays a mixture of styles from jazz and Latin to funk, blues and soul. It features some of the best players in the region, with Jim Wall on drums, Ben Nieves on guitar and Alfredo Guerrieri on bass.
Bent String performs a mix of American roots music, including early jazz and acoustic blues, along with original songs written by the band members. The
SATURDAY, JUNE 28
Cleveland Jazz Orchestra 3-3:45 p.m.
Becky Boyd & the Groove Train 4:15-5 p.m.
Hello! 3D
5:30-6:15 p.m.
The DMT Gospel Project 6:45-7:30 p.m.
Birth 8-8:45 p.m.
Black Voltron
9:15-10 p.m.
Sammy DeLeon & Friends 10:30-Midnight
quintet centers on the vocals of Kari Ann Rutushin, underpinned by the jazz-age swing of Reed Simon’s hot violin, Caroline King’s sublime accordion, Kevin T. Richard’s arch-top guitars and Cleveland Blues Hall of Fame bassist Raymond DeForest.
Birth is a trio with saxophone, electric bass and drums. Founded in Cleveland in 1998 by saxophonist Joshua Smith, drummer Joe Tomino and bassist Jeremy Bleich, Birth is nearing its fourth decade as a band. The trio’s music is deeply compositional, always intertwining groove and melodicism with complex forms for improvisation. The music pulls from a palette of jazz, avant-garde jazz, groove music, rock balladeering and frenetic improvisation layered over throughcomposed forms.
Formerly known as Hyperius Blake & the Sound Experiment, Black Voltron delivers electrifying live performances, blending classical training, church roots and diverse lived experiences. The group’s versatile musicianship captivates audiences in venues of all sizes, conveying raw energy and emotion. Transcending genre boundaries, its sound fuses jazz, disco/house, hip-hop, neo-soul and world music.
Carlos Jones and the P.L.U.S. Band has entertained audiences for nearly 35 years. Jones was a member of the reggae group I-Tal and then the legendary First Light before pursuing a solo career with the Peace, Love, Unity Syndicate.
The SeibertKeck Insurance Partners Stage features performances by local and regional bands June 21-22. From jazz and Latin to funk and pop, the free performances are sure to keep the dance floor hopping.
The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, led by award-winning composer and trombonist Paul Ferguson, promotes jazz in its historical and contemporary forms through concerts that feature a stellar lineup of jazz luminaries, arrangers and composers. At a CJO concert, you will enjoy “the best jazz you’ve ever heard and the best jazz you’ve never heard.”
The DMT Gospel Project is based on a good news message with uplifting gospel music lyrics. This music combines different styles, including jazz, gospel, R&B and hip-hop as well as songs from well-known gospel artists, such as Kirk Franklin, and popular rhythm and blues artists, including Prince. The performers are all outstanding, well-known Cleveland-based musicians.
Ernie Krivda and the Fat Tuesday Big is led by Ernie Krivda, one of the most accomplished, awarded and well-known jazz artists in Northeast Ohio. This 19-piece band and its legendary frontmen have earned a reputation as one of the region’s hardest-swinging big bands.
Hello! 3D plays hot-weather music for cold-weather people. This band is influenced by Peruvian and Columbian cumbia, psychedelic rock from Turkey, Afrobeat from Africa and big, loud rock music.
Proud supporter of emerging jazz talent in Northeast Ohio and sponsor of the William M. Weiss Foundation
William M. Weiss Foundation
Jazz Kitchen Schedule (artist talks and cooking demonstrations)
FRIDAY, JUNE 27
Meet the Artist: John Clayton and Kelly Peterson on Oscar Peterson with JazzNEO host John Simna
Root Vegetable Hash with Chef Jennifer Tidwell from Jenuine Cuisines Culinary Services
Portabella Mushroom Steak with Peppers and Onions: Chef Peggy Cruz from Cha’firo Catering
“Space is the Place” Members of Sun Ra Arkestra with WCBE host Jack Marchbanks
3:45 p.m.
5 p.m.
6:15 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
Stanley Clarke with JazzNEO host Dan Polletta 9:15 p.m.
SATURDAY, JUNE 28
Telarc Jazz with Elaine Martone and WCBE host Jack Marchbanks
3:45 p.m.
Soul Rolls: Chef Rhonda Stubbs-Tatum from Flava Live 5 p.m.
Mofongo Topped with a Garlic and Olive
Tomato Sauce: Chef Peggy Cruz from Cha’firo Catering
6:15 p.m.
Jazz education is extremely important to us (it’s part of our mission)!
The William M. Weiss Foundation Next Gen Stage showcases the future of jazz featuring performances by the Tri-C JazzFest Academy camp students and former students who have participated in our program throughout the years.
FRIDAY, JUNE 27
Tri-C JazzFest Academy Ensemble 2:30 – 3 p.m.
Tri-C JazzFest Academy Ensemble 3:45 – 4:15 p.m.
Tri-C JazzFest Academy Ensemble 5 – 5:30 p.m.
Colin Palmieri 6:15 – 6:45 p.m.
Tri-C JazzFest Academy Big Band 7:30 – 8 p.m.
Tri-C JazzFest Academy Ensemble 8:45 – 9:15 p.m.
Eli Leder and Friends 10 – 10:30 p.m.
William M. Weiss Foundation
SATURDAY, JUNE 28
Tri-C JazzFest Academy Ensemble 2:30 – 3 p.m.
Tri-C JazzFest Academy Ensemble 3:45 – 4:15 p.m.
Tri-C JazzFest Academy Ensemble 5 – 5:30 p.m.
The Stix Quintet and Special Guests 6:15 – 6:45 p.m.
Tri-C JazzFest Academy Big Band 7:30 – 8 p.m.
Tri-C JazzFest Academy Ensemble 8:45 – 9:15 p.m.
Ava and the Hitmen 10 – 10:30 p.m.
SeibertKeck Insurance Partners Stage
3 p.m. Bent String
4:15 p.m.
Ernie Krivda and the Fat Tuesday Big Band
5:30 p.m.
Abstract Sounds
6:45 p.m. Flyover Quintet
8 p.m.
Bassel & the Supernaturals
9:15 p.m.
Nathan-Paul & the Admirables
10:30 p.m.
Carlos Jones and the P.L.U.S. Band
3 p.m.
The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra
4:15 p.m.
Becky Boyd & the Groove Train
5:30 p.m. Hello! 3D
6:45 p.m.
The DMT Gospel Project
8 p.m.
Birth
9:15 p.m.
Black Voltron
10:30 p.m.
Sammy DeLeon & Friends
Jazz Kitchen
William M. Weiss Foundation Next Gen Stage Indoor Concerts
FRIDAY, JUNE 27
3:45 p.m.
Meet the Artist: John Clayton and Kelly Peterson on Oscar Peterson with JazzNEO host John Simna
5 p.m.
Root Vegetable Hash with Chef Jennifer Tidwell from Jenuine Cuisines Culinary Services
6:15 p.m.
Portabella Mushroom Steak with Peppers and Onions: Chef Peggy Cruz from Cha’firo Catering
7:30 p.m.
“Space is the Place” Members of Sun Ra Arkestra with WCBE host Jack Marchbanks
9:15 p.m.
Stanley Clarke with JazzNEO host Dan Polletta
2:30 p.m. JazzFest Academy Ensemble
3:45 p.m
JazzFest Academy Ensemble
5 p.m.
JazzFest Academy Ensemble
6:15 p.m. Colin Palmieri
7:30 p.m.
JazzFest Academy Big Band
8:45 p.m.
JazzFest Academy Ensemble
10 p.m. Eli Leder and Friends
SATURDAY, JUNE 28
2:30 p.m.
JazzFest Academy Ensemble
3:45 p.m.
Telarc Jazz with Elaine Martone and WCBE host Jack Marchbanks
5 p.m.
Soul Rolls: Chef Rhonda Stubbs-Tatum from Flava Live
6:15 p.m.
Mofongo Topped with a Garlic and Olive Tomato Sauce: Chef Peggy Cruz from Cha’firo Catering
7:30 p.m.
Dianne Reeves/Romero Lubambo with JazzNEO host Dee Perry (tentative)
3:45 p.m.
JazzFest Academy Ensemble
5 p.m.
JazzFest Academy Ensemble
6:15 p.m.
The Stix Quintet + special guests
7:30 p.m.
JazzFest Academy Big Band
8:45 p.m.
JazzFest Academy Ensemble
10 p.m. Ava and The Hitmen
5:30 p.m.
Centennial Tribute to Oscar Peterson with the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra & Benny Green Mimi Ohio Theatre
7:15 p.m.
Stanley Clarke N•4EVER Connor Palace Theatre
9 p.m.
Sun Ra Arkestra Mimi Ohio Theatre
10:30 p.m. Jam Session at Bin 216
2 p.m.
Dominick Farinacci/ Taylor Eigsti & Christian Tamburr Mimi Ohio Theatre
5:30 p.m.
Dianne Reeves with Romero Lubambo Mimi Ohio Theatre
7 p.m. Kirk Whalum/Jonathan Butler Connor Palace Theatre
9:30 p.m.
Pedrito Martinez Group Mimi Ohio Theatre
10:30 p.m. Jam Session at Bin 216
The Jazz Kitchen
Experience cooking demos by Tri-C’s Hospitality Management Center and interviews with JazzFest artists.
There’s more to JazzFest than just music. Enjoy plenty of food and beverage options — including the Beer Tent — vendors, street performers, artist interviews, kids crafts, games, dancing under the GE Chandelier and so much more.
Food (trucks and vendors):
Cleveland Fishing Co.
Dawg Bowl
Feelin Good Ice Cream
Kochi Flava Factory
Malloy’s BBQ
Mediterranean Cuisine
Sip Social NE Ohio
The Urban Wrap Co.
Yum Village
Shopping (artisans and retailers):
ADHD Studios
Andrew Nichols Art
Elyce & Jonathan Fashions and Accessories
Irie On Erie
My Turquoise Kitten
Pella Windows & Doors
Positive Vibes by Ty LLC
Rust Belt Monster Collective
Immersive Listening Lounge
Allen Theatre Lobby
Friday, June 27, and Saturday, June 28 | 3 - 11 p.m.
Art at the Allen Tri-C Student Art Show
Allen Theatre Lobby
Friday, June 27, and Saturday, June 28 | 3 - 11 p.m.
After-Hours Jam Sessions at Bin 216
sponsored by AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland Friday, June 27, and Saturday, June 28 10:30 p.m. – 1 a.m.
The 2025 Tri-C Student Art Show at JazzFest features works created by students enrolled in the nine Creative Arts disciplines: Art, Dance, Film and Media Arts, Interior Design, Media and Journalism Studies, Music, Recording Arts and Technology, Theatre and Visual Communication and Design.
The School of Creative Arts provides portfolio-building activities that prepare students to transfer to a four-year institution or successfully enter the creative workforce. Through gallery shows, we allow our students to experience firsthand how professional artists present their work to the public. Students develop the curatorial and entrepreneurial skills needed to thrive in today’s gig economy.
The Tri-C Student Art Show at JazzFest is a product of the vision of the executive team of the School of Creative Arts. Executive Director of Creative Arts Santina Protopapa and Program Manager Kate Lamb guided a group of talented students as part of their Tri-C Summer Internship Program. The interns, Dominic Dabramo, Patrick Joyce, Joel Kingunza and Maria Perez, worked with Creative Arts students and faculty across Tri-C’s four campuses to curate a show that celebrates the voice and vision of the student.
Education is central to our mission at Tri-C JazzFest, and we are dedicated to engaging area students with seasoned artists. Our activities bring great joy to all segments of the community while nurturing the art form of jazz. In addition to clinics and workshops with visiting artists throughout the year, Tri-C JazzFest supports the Tri-C JazzFest Academy, the Tri-C JazzFest Summer Camp and the DownBeat Education Days. Heartfelt thanks to the Char and Chuck Fowler Family Foundation, the Kulas Foundation and the Fox Foundation for making these extraordinary opportunities possible.
Amina Figarova/Matsiko World Orphan Choir Concert... Oct. 16, 2024
Tri-C JazzFest Academy Winter Concert ...................... Dec. 16, 2024
Matthew Whitaker Concert Feb. 8, 2025
Count Basie Orchestra .............................................. March 26, 2025
Tri-C JazzFest Academy Spring Concert April 26, 2025
William M. Weiss Foundation Next Gen Stage March 27, 2024
Sam Blakeslee ......................................................... Oct. 12, 2024
Amina Figarova Oct. 16, 2024
Janis Siegel Oct. 26, 2024
Curtis Taylor ............................................................. Nov. 2, 2024
Matthew Whitaker Feb. 8, 2025
Dan Bruce Feb. 1, 2025
DownBeat Education Days ........................................ March 26 – 27, 2025
Adam Blackstone March 22, 2025
Tri-C JazzFest Academy Summer Camp ...................... June 16 – 28, 2025
For the second year in a row, the entire Count Basie Orchestra (CBO) was in residence at Tri-C’s DownBeat Education Days at the Tri-C Metro Campus reaching over 400 students from Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Students and their band directors engaged in sessions with members of the CBO including vocalist Carmen Bradford, as well as Dominick Farinacci and saxophonist Steve Kortyka. The visiting bands participated in
Thanks to the Char and Chuck FOWLER Family Foundation, Kulas Foundation and Fox Foundation for making these extraordinary events possible.
adjudicated performances, instrumental and vocal workshops, improvisation clinics and were treated to a truly swinging performance by the Count Basie Orchestra.
We are pleased to announce the pilot program for the Tri-C Jazz Studies Fellowship, a new opportunity for Tri-C JazzFest Academy students who demonstrate exceptional talent, dedication, work ethic and potential in jazz music.
This two-year program provides full tuition, a stipend and real-world experiential learning opportunities, allowing students to focus on their artistic growth and career development plans without financial constraints.
It will become a key entry point to a pathway for young jazz performers — connecting their high school learning to a college experience that includes an intensive hands-on journey designed to develop their craft as performers while learning the fundamentals of launching and growing a career in performing and teaching.
Congratulations to the following Tri-C JazzFest Academy students who have been selected for participation in the first cohort of the fellowship:
Brian Axiotis, trumpet
Fellowship participants will be enrolled as full-time students in the Associate of Arts in Jazz Studies program in the Music Department at the Tri-C Metropolitan Campus. Students will receive ongoing mentorship and real-world experiences that prepare them for professional performing and teaching careers. The fellowship will also prepare them for matriculation into four-year colleges if they choose to further their studies.
This year’s launch of the Tri-C Jazz Studies Fellowship is supported in part by a donation from Barry and Sam Gabel.
Nehemiah Baker, drums
Annie Bettinger, guitar and vocal
Gregby Camp, piano
Oscar Lacombe, bass
Vincent Lankford, bass
Liam Melnick, piano
Interested in supporting the Jazz Studies Fellowship with a tax-deductible donation? Contact Santina Protopapa at santina.protopapa@tri-c.edu.
Traci Guthrie’s Vision Hits the Big Stage
Traci Guthrie knows how to bring ideas to life. Before diving into graphic design at Tri-C in 2024, she built a career in digital marketing — dreaming up campaigns that lit up billboards, websites and radio waves. But something kept calling her back to the drawing board. Now, the Tri-C graphic design student has added a major accomplishment to her creative journey: her artwork was selected as the official poster for this year’s Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland, presented by KeyBank.
“I worked so hard on this — eight different versions,” she said. “I really wanted to win.”
Guthrie and other students in the Visual Communication and Design program in the School of Creative Arts were invited to create the festival poster. Using official JazzFest branding elements, colors and contest guidelines, Guthrie used her creativity to design a visually fun and interesting poster.
Her final bold and playful design reimagines JazzFest’s beloved “Jazz Cats” with a fresh layout — narrower buildings, repositioned characters and a thoughtful balance of whimsy and structure.
“I wanted to create a space to make the music feel alive on the poster,” Guthrie said. “It was all about creating a visual rhythm.”
For Guthrie, this win isn’t just a creative high point — it’s validation.
“I get to be part of something bigger,” she said. “It’s exciting to see my work out in the world and part of such a well-known Cleveland tradition.”
Gabriel P. Swarts, Ph.D.
Dean, School of Creative Arts
Santina Protopapa
Executive Director, School of Creative Arts
Terri Pontremoli
Director, Tri-C JazzFest and Performing Arts
Cliffie Jones
Artist Relations and Community Liaison, Tri-C JazzFest and Performing Arts
Bill Horschke
Production Manager, Tri-C JazzFest and Performing Arts
Karah Vance
Project Manager, Tri-C JazzFest
Sarah Downer
Tri-C JazzFest Box Office
Kendra Willis
Volunteer Coordinator, Tri-C JazzFest and Performing Arts
Ann Garbler
Grant Writer, Creative Arts
Michaela Berchak
Administrative Coordinator, School of Creative Arts
Megan Sankey
Administrative Coordinator, School of Creative Arts
Tri-C Marketing and Communications
Lisa Dobransky
Strategic Communications Director
Deb Benz
Artistic Director
Christy Endler
Marketing Communications Manager
Rebecca Temerario
Social Media Manager
Anthony Moujaes
Public Relations Manager
Victoria Monteiro
Project Manager, Institutional Advertising
Lori Smith
Project Manager and Visual Design Specialist
Lauren Beck
Interactive Design Specialist
Noelle Bye
SEO Content Specialist
Lilia Lipps
Social Media Consultant
Playhouse Square Staff
Penny Zaletel
Director of Production, Playhouse Square
Heather Cochran Coordinator, Playhouse Square
Jody Dagg
Indoor Production Manager, Playhouse Square
Tony Hanf
Outdoor Production Manager, Playhouse Square
Neil Macke
Outdoor Special Events Manager, Playhouse Square
Marie Vivolo
Backstage Hospitality
Paul Braden (Woodsy’s Music)
Backline and Audio Coordination
Dave Brooks (Hughie’s Event Production Services)
Set Production
Russell Carter
Auxiliary Coordinator
Mike Larcey
MLSound Design
Shawna Melnykowski
Kids Activities Coordinator
Liam Roth Production Manager, Mimi Ohio Theatre
Don Safranek
Coordination Assistant, Production Activities
Cory Shy (NPi Audio Visual Solutions) Audio-Lighting Coordination
Scott Snyder
Production Assistant
Patrick Sullivan
Artist and Gear Arrival Coordinator
Tommy Viets
Assistant Production Manager
Aurora Wentz
Assistant Outdoor Production Coordinator
Katrina Yeigh
Set-Up Coordinator
Stage Managers
Bill Collister
Dave Davies
Tyler Kirkpatrick
Ryan McGrew
Outdoor Production Coordinators
Sarah Downer
Marky Ray
Tri-C Student Stagehand Coordinator
Kevin Borrowman
Tri-C Student Stagehands
Jacob Forgan
Dominic Alberto
Zach Carr
Rowan Clickner
Jake Dufresne
Tri-C JazzFest Interns
Corriel Williams
Rocco Lombardi
Sean Still
Konstantinos
Tsantes
Union Stagehands
IATSE Local 27
Teamsters Local 407
Graham Park
Stephen Richardson
Kevin Timm
Isha Patel
Stephen Phillips
Tri-C Television and Video Services
Christine Hickey
Executive Director
Mike Donato Director
Mike Gerlica
Manager
Piano Tuning by Masters Piano Service
Mike Masters
Audio Technicians
Aaron Dallison
Thomas Jeffries
David Kennedy
Tim Kennedy
Frank Maraldo
Steve Madden
Lighting Technicians
Bob Henninge
Adam Ditzle
Hunter Masters
Ron Musarra
Regis Sedlock
Erik Walter
Clay Sullivan
Derek Hons
Neehar Mennon
Spindrift Management
Lauren Barbour
Brian Horsburgh
Festival Catering
Ninja City
Transportation Coordinators
Tracy Love
Vivian Garth
Artist Host Coordinator
Maira Vianna
SPONSORS and FRIENDS
PRESENTING SPONSOR
Scott Balogh
Mar-Bal Incorporated
Jules Belkin
The Francine and Jules Belkin Philanthropic Fund
Kate Clegg
Chief Marketing Officer, ACV Auctions
JAZZ MASTER SPONSORS
Fran and Jules Belkin
Char and Chuck Fowler
The George Gund Foundation
The Roy Minoff Family Fund
Ohio Arts Council
SeibertKeck Insurance Partners
Debbie and Jim Strassman
William M. Weiss Foundation
Margaret W. Wong & Associates
JAZZ LEGENDS SPONSORS
Scott Balogh
FRONT LINE SPONSORS
AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland Enbridge
SHOUT CHORUS SPONSORS
The City Club of Cleveland
Carol A. Cunningham, M.D.
Metropolitan at the 9
Beth Anne and Don Nettis
Ninja City
RHYTHM SECTION SPONSORS
Crowne Plaza
DownBeat Magazine
Carrie, Emma, Lilla and John O’Brien
Ritz-Carlton
Ruvene and David Whitehead
Carol A. Cunningham, M.D.
Ohio Department of Public Safety, Division of EMS
Barry Gabel
Live Nation
Jamey Haddad
Daryl Laisure
Donald Nettis
American Controls
Johnny Parker SHOCC, Ltd.
Robert Shenton
Ohio Chamber
Jim Strassman
Stephen Adamski
Michael and Elisabeth Alexander
Ella M. Allen-Johnson
Tanya Allen
Charles Anderson
Darryl and Rebecca Badley
Christine Barnes
Dr. and Mrs. Michael Baston
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Bayer
Jay Becker
Jim Benduhn
Patricia M. Benjamin
Jerry Blackburn
Missy Blalock
Mark Blanke
Peter and Tamar Brosse
Charlett Bundy
Ron and Janice Capezzuto
Brian and Marie Cassidy
David Chatman
Stephanie Cleveland
Erica Colvin
Carol A. Cunningham, M.D.
Dr. and Mrs. Charles Dull
Ronnie Dunn
Robert and Barbara Dzurilla
Richard Ellis
Dr. Lindsay S. English
David Epstein
Walley and Tracy Everett
Duane Feher
Diane Fitzpatrick
Leslie Fortlage
Steven Fortlage
William and Elaine Freed
William and Patricia Knight Gary Sr. Jeff Gibson
Kelvin Glover
Michael and Vanessa Goins
Gregory Golya
Lonnie and Michele Gronek
Clif Gulley
Sandra Harris
Bob
Tom
Yvonne
Janet
Rebecca
Daniel McGowan
Harriet and Poppy McLeod
Michele R. Myers
Renie Nelson
Juliette Okotie-Eboh
Margaret Okotie-Eboh
Kevin L. Penn
Michael Perkins
Rita Politzer
James E. Poole
Ella Randolph
Rashad Reece
Andrew D. Rice
Steve Robinson
Claudia M. Rocci
Madeline Rosenshein
Gail Ross
Mr. and Mrs. James Szabo
Martin Schlessel
Deb Sharp
Linda Siefkas
Brian Simmons
Edwina Simmons, M.D.
Ken Simon, M.D.
Laura C. Sims
Arnold Stanley
Gregg Strong
Marian Mancuso Sutton
Deborah Tenenbaum
Dane Vannatter
Kathryn Whitmore
Elias and Rhonda Williams
Dr. Victoria Winbush
Utah and Danielle Witherspoon
Rev. Dr. Bertrice Wood
Janet Zimmerman
Tom and Jana Zmozynski
American Eagle Builders
Tom Barron and Carol Francisco
Anonymous
Highland Consulting Associates
Gaylen Emond and Sally Siegel
Margo Jeanchild and Dwayne Seher
Jack Kluznik and Jeanne Cunningham
Myranda Nash and Garry McGinnis
Dave Bortz and Amy Singer
Alice Flowers and Dr. Jack Marchbanks
Sharyse Jones and Doug McKissack
Frederic J. Levine and Janine Martyn
Vickie Moreland and Mark Bradenburger
Mary Neagoy and Ed Markey
Sherrie and Gloria
We are “jazzed up” for the 46th festival –Congratulations, Tri-C!
— Char and Chuck Fowler
Program Spotlight: POETRY OUT LOUD
Investing state and federal dollars, the Ohio Arts Council funds and supports quality arts experiences for all Ohioans to strengthen communities culturally, educationally, and economically.
Learn more about our grant programs and resources, find your next arts experience, or connect: OAC.OHIO.GOV.
on 46 amazing years of honoring the legacy of jazz and promoting its future.
Debbie and Jim Strassman
WE BELIEVE THE SPIRIT OF MUSIC AND ART ARE THE PULSE OF THIS CITY!
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO KEEP THAT SPIRIT ALIVE!
As valued members of our community, we’d love for you to share your opinions on your experience attending Tri-C JazzFest.
Please scan the QR code to launch a short survey.
You could win one of five $100 Amazon gift cards for taking this short survey. Your opinions really matter! Please share them to help us inform our work.
There’s a place in Cleveland where conversations are celebrating the arts and changing the course of history. Find out more about upcoming forums at cityclub.org
by
2 5 2 5 E R o y a l t o n R o a d
U n i t 4 7 0 2 1 8
B r o a d v i e w H e i g h t s , O H
4 4 1 4 7
2 1 6 - 2 6 0 - 3 5 3 0
c l e v e l a n d j a z z o r g
e d u c a t i o n a l p r o g r a m m i n g .
F o r i n f o o n o u r c o n c e r t s a n d a l l
o f o u r o t h e r p r o g r a m s , h e a d t o : c l e v e l a n d j a z z . o r g
T h e C l e v e l a n d J a z z O r c h e s t r a p r e s e n t s :
F e a t u r i n g v o c a l i s t s
A v a P r e s t o n & L o u A r m a g n o
L e a r n , l i v e , a n d l o v e j a z z . F R I D A Y , J U L Y 1 1 T H
T I C K E T S : b i t . l y / C J O n i g h t d a y
Support Tri-C JazzFest and future jazz musicians!
Text JAZZFEST to 44321 to donate today or scan the QR code.
Your gift helps fund scholarships, programs, and the next generation of artists. Every note matters—thank you for your support!
We’re honored to support the 46th Annual Tri-C JazzFest as it inspires vibrant communities through the arts. In 2024, we invested more than $1.3 million in grants to 200 organizations throughout Ohio. We’re excited to continue building on our legacy of giving in our communities. Visit enbridgegas.com/ohio to learn more.
October 4 – December 13 (no class November 29)
Academy classes take place on Saturdays from 1 – 4 p.m. The session will close with a final semester concert on Saturday, December 13, at 1 p.m. Fee: $350 ($50 discount if you register before July 1st!) For more information and to register, visit tri-c.edu/jazzfestacademy or call 216-987-4249.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
Fran and Jules Belkin
Char and Chuck Fowler
Debbie and Jim Strassman
