28th annual Litchfield Jazz Festival, on July 28, 29, and 30th in Washington, CT. The event will be held on the beautiful grounds of the Frederick Gunn School and in its new, acoustically-excellent Tisch Auditorium with unobstructed views from every seat.

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/28th-annual-litchfield-jazz-festival-tickets-493925684017

Last summer the festival made its first appearance at Tisch to an exuberant crowd. The founder and Artistic Director, Vita Muir, who has a reputation for introducing the next big thing first, was the first to present Canadian vocalist Diana Krall to American Audience in 1996. Last year it was vocalist Samara Joy who wowed Litchfield opening night audiences and went on to win, at age 22, not one but two Grammy Awards. This year’s Opening Night Star-In-The-Making is 17- year-old pianist Brandon Goldberg.

Brandon came to Litchfield Jazz Camp as a 10-year-old who had been playing since he was 3, and he stayed with the program for a number of years. He was already performing professionally when he released his first album, Let’s Play to a 4-star review from DownBeat at age 12. In Good Time, his second release appeared 3 years later to another 4-star reception.

Brandon, a high school Junior, can be heard at clubs and festivals across the US and Canada when his class schedule permits. He has performed at the Newport, Litchfield, Twin Cities, Caramoor, Monterey, and Bravo Niagara Jazz Festivals and has played top venues like Jazz at Lincoln Center, Dizzy’s, Birdland, The Blue Note, Mezzrow, The Apollo Theater, The Side Door, Keystone Korner, The Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami, and Carnegie Hall with the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra. He is the youngest recipient ever of the ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award. Brandon takes the Tisch stage with his trio, on July 28th at 7:30, with Ben Wolfe, bass, Jimmy Macbride, drums, and Special Guest the long-time Music Director at Litchfield Jazz Camp, saxophonist Don Braden.

Wolfe has had a long career collaborating with artists like Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick, Jr., and Diana Krall. He is a two-time recipient of Chamber Music America’s New Works grants.
Macbride was the youngest student ever at Litchfield Jazz Camp. Muir found him at 8 years old working with a band that included his father. They called themselves Jimmy and the Has-Beens. Walking across the lunchroom the summer he turned 12 sporting a cap with an embroidered logo, a teacher called out: “Hey Jimmy. You got an endorsement?” Without missing a beat, he replied, “Not yet.” Well, he’s got plenty now. A Juilliard grad, he has played with Terence Blanchard, Kenny Barron, Jimmy Green, Roxy Coss, Melissa Aldana, and others.

Don Braden’s career began with a call from Freddie Hubbard that lured him away from Harvard in his sophomore year, and he has not slowed down since. He has toured with Wynton Marsalis, Betty Carter, Tony Williams, Roy Haynes, and others. Music Director at Litchfield Jazz Camp for 26 years, he’s back at Harvard again, this time as Director of the Harvard Jazz Combo Initiative.
The fest opens officially on Friday evening at 5:30 PM with its traditional Gala, serving delicious hors d’oeuvres from Ciesco Catering, vintage French wines from the VanDoren Vineyards, a full bar by Litchfield Distillery, and music by Litchfield Jazz Camp’s top players. Proceeds support need-based scholarships.
Music continues on Saturday, July 29th, with Jazz Camp combos warming up the crowd outdoors. Then, at noon, the fest brings to the stage some of the best jazz artists working today. Opening on the mainstage is the Ehud Asherie Trio, with Ehud on piano, Dezron Douglas, bass, and Jason Brown, drums. Ehud has worked with Cécile McLorin Salvant, Wycliffe Gordon, Catherine Russell,

Charles McPherson, and others. Dezron, another former Litchfield Camper, is a long-time member of the Cyrus Chestnut Trio, and Jason is now a member of Amina Figarova’s Sextet.
Next up at 1:45 PM is the Steve Nelson Quartet with Steve on vibes, Rick Germanson, piano, Charles Goold, drums, and Kiyoshi Kitagawa, bass. Steve is a veteran member of the bands of Dave Holland, George Shearing, Mulgrew Miller, and Karrin Allyson. This is Rick’s third time at Litchfield. Goold, a Juilliard graduate, makes his Litchfield debut this year as does Kitagawa who was a member of the Harper Brothers band and played with Kenny Barron, Kenny Garrett, Jimmy Heath, Terrell Stafford, and others.

At 3:30, the festival is delighted to welcome back one of the most delightful double threats in jazz, a singer-pianist who is top-flight in both. Champian Fulton appears for Litchfield with Fukushi Tainake on drums and Hide Tanaka on bass, the Trio with whom she has performed worldwide for more than 17 years. Champian grew up surrounded by music as the daughter of flugel hornist Stephen Fulton. Never timid, she performed with her own band at age 10 at the 75th birthday of family friend, trumpeter Clark Terry. With a career in full bloom, she can look back at collaborations with Lou Donaldson, Frank Wess, Scott Hamilton, Buster Williams, Louis Hayes, and many more.

Peter Bernstein appears on the Tisch Stage to close the 28th annual Litchfield Jazz Festival with his Quartet, featuring the legendary Al Foster on drums, Adam Birnbaum, piano, and Doug Weiss, bass. Bernstein has released nine albums and a DVD as a leader. He has appeared in groups led by Sonny Rollins, Bobby Hutcherson, George Coleman, Lou Donaldson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Fathead Newman, Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Diana Krall, Lee Konitz, Jimmy Cobb, and more. His current projects include his album, Monk, with Doug Weiss and Bill Stewart, Solo Guitar-Live at Smalls, and the acclaimed organ trio with Larry Goldings and drummer Bill Stewart.
When Juilliard School inaugurated its Jazz Studies program in 2001, Adam Birnbaum was one of two pianists selected to participate. By 2004 he had won the American Jazz Piano Competition and the American Pianists Association’s Cole Porter Fellowship. Now one of the busiest pianists in New York, he has played the Vanguard, the Blue Note, Birdland, Dizzy’s, and major international festivals. With four albums as a leader, he has recorded as a sideman on more than 25 more. He has performed and toured with Al Foster who appeared on his latest Downbeat Editor’s Pick and 4-star-reviewed album, Three Of A Mind (Daedalous). Other collaborators include Greg Osby, Wynton Marsalis, Darcy James Argue, Regina Carter, and Cecile McLorin Salvant. Birnbaum teaches at SUNY Purchase College and is a Steinway Artist.
Doug Weiss, has a 30-year career supporting performances by Al Foster, Eddie Henderson, George Coleman, Lee Konitz, Clifford Jordan, Harold Mabern, Eric Alexander, The Birdland Big Band, David DeJesus, Chris Potter, Brian Blade, Jorge Rossy, Kevin Hays, Timothy Hill, Fleurine, Paula West, Bill Stewart, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Lew Tabackin and others. He teaches at SUNY Purchase College and New School.

Al Foster is a jazz legend, and we are delighted and honored to have him at Litchfield. Al began playing drums professionally at 13 and made his first record with Blue Mitchell at 20. He has worked as a sideman with Kenny Barron, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Dexter Gordon, McCoy Tyner, Horace Silver, and many more. Foster joined Miles Davis in 1972 and played with him until 1985. Later he toured and recorded with Herbie Hancock, Sonny Rollins, and Joe Henderson. He has recorded with almost every great player you can name for 90 records as a sideman and 8 as a leader. He began composing in the 1970s and tours with his own band, with Doug Weiss and Adam Birnbaum and saxophonist Dayna Stephens.
Foster turned 80 in January. In a recent Downbeat interview, he told drummer Joe Farnsworth, “I’m getting old, and I am not as fast as I used to be… (but) I’m always coming up with new stuff when I practice…I have two (drum) sets in my living room. I just sit there for a few minutes, you know, almost like, “Whatcha gonna show me today?… Show me something I don’t know. I want something different.”

We expect to be at the edge of our seats at this concert being treated to that something different. On Sunday, July 30th, Litchfield Jazz Festival wraps up with a Latin Jazz Brunch al fresco in the Bourne Courtyard with a delicious Latin-inspired menu, vintage wines, and music by the David DeJesus Sextet. David, who teaches at Litchfield Jazz Camp, heads the Jazz Department at SUNY Purchase and is Music Director for the Birdland Big Band and Ron Carter’s Great Big Band. With David on saxophone, the band includes Luques Curtis, bass, Damian Curtis, piano, Dave Ballou, trumpet, Joe Beaty, trombone and Marco Torres, percussion.

Major Sponsors for the 28th annual Litchfield Jazz Festival include Major Sponsors

DownBeat Magazine, Connecticut Office of The Arts through the Department of Economic and Community Development, Litchfield Performing Arts Members

Tickets for the 28th Litchfield Jazz Festival are available at LJF2023.Eventbrite.com For info call 860-361-6285.

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/28th-annual-litchfield-jazz-festival-tickets-493925684017