Litchfield Jazz Festival 2024

Litchfield Performing Arts announces the 29th Annual Litchfield Jazz Festival from July 26 – July 28, 2024. The event will be held on the beautiful grounds of the Frederick Gunn School and its Perakos Art & Community Center’s Tisch Auditorium.

The festival’s founder and Artistic Director, Vita Muir, has a reputation for introducing the next big thing. For its 1996 debut, it was Canadian vocalist-now-superstar, Diana Krall. In 2022, it was 22-year-old vocalist Samara Joy who went on to win not one but two Grammy awards that year. This year the fest claims bragging rights for presenting an artist we have known since she was a 12-year-old Litchfield Jazz Camper and the world has just “discovered.” Our latest phenom is vocalist – Nicole Zuraitis, winner of the 2024 GRAMMY Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album!

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2024 Litchfield Jazz Festival Line-Up:

Friday, July 26th: Friday Opens In Style!
The Fest opens on Friday evening, July 26 at 5:30 PM with its traditional Gala, boasting delicious savories and sweets from Cisco Catering, vintage French wines from Vandoren Vineyards, a full bar by Litchfield Distillery, and music by Litchfield Jazz Camp’s top players. Proceeds support need-based scholarships. Friday night concerts begin at 7:30 with the “Founder’s Choice Jazz Camp Combo ” opening for saxophonist Alexa Tarantino. Alexa, who started at Litchfield Jazz Camp at 14, is now a principal player with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and has appeared with Wynton Marsalis, Cecile McLorin Salvant, Arturo ‘Farrell and many others. Breaking out as a leader these days, she appears, as she does here, with her Quartet. She will be joined by Steven Feifke on piano, Mark Whitfield Jr. on drums and Philip Norris on bass.

Saturday, July 27th: Saturday Is Full Of Stars
We open at 3:00 PM with pianist Amina Figarova Sextet and the Matsiko Orphan Choir. Amina is joined by Alex Pope Norris, trumpet, Wayne Escoffrey, sax, Bart Platteau, flutes, Rudy Royston, drums, Luques Curtis, bass and TWO DOZEN young singers from Liberia! Next up at 4:45 PM we present Allison, Cardenas and Nash. With 25 years of creative collaboration behind them, Ben, Steve and Ted weave music full of subtlety and surprise modeled on Jimmy Giuffre’s drummer-less units of the 50’s and 60’s.The trio has released three albums, with a fourth, Tell the Birds I Said Hello – The Music of Herbie Nichols, set for a February 9 release. Their program for Litchfield is a nod to Nichols, Jim Hall, Carla Bley, Leonard Bernstein and others. Lastly, at 6:30 PM the day closes with one of the best-known jazz pianists in the world. Bill Charlap appears with bassist David Wong and drummer Kenny Washington. Charlap, “a master interpreter of American popular song” (Time Magazine), has performed with leading artists from Phil Woods and Tony Bennett to Gerry Mulligan and Wynton Marsalis. He has led his trio since 1997.

Sunday, July 28th: Sunday Jazz Brunch
Our Festival wraps with al fresco dining and music in the beautiful Bourne Courtyard. The sell-out Jazz Brunch begins at noon with an absolutely delicious meal–we have come to expect nothing less from Litchfield’s Official Chef, Charlene Dutka of Ciesco Catering! Albert Rivera & Nicole Zuraitis (Nicole is the 2024 GRAMMY WINNER for Best Jazz Vocal Album) will be joined by world-renowned guitarist Paul Bollenback, bassist Matt Dwonszyk and drummer (and Nicole’s hubby!) Dan Pugach. Dan and Nicole were also 2019 GRAMMY Nominees! Their program, A Century Of Jazz, is guaranteed to have something everyone loves.