Brubeck Festival Dates and Events Set

You can start planning your summer festival jaunts now that the dates, places and musicians for the fourth annual Brubeck Festival have been set. From April 4-11 in Stockton and Oakland, Calif., musicians including Christian McBride, Chris and Dan Brubeck (two of Dave’s sons), Bill Smith, the SFJAZZ Collective and the Joe Gilman Trio (which will be celebrating the release of their latest CD, Time Again – Brubeck Revisited Volume 2 ) will be presenting the work of pianist Dave Brubeck, as well as compositions by artists he has inspired.

Six of the festival’s eight days will take place in Stockton, home to both Brubeck and his wife Iola’s alma mater, the University of the Pacific, and the Brubeck Institute. Many of Stockton’s cultural institutions are presenting partners of the festival, including the Pacific Conservatory of Music, Brubeck Institute, Stockton Symphony and Associated Students of the University of the Pacific. For the festival’s other two days, Brubeck will return to his other alma mater, Oakland’s Mills College, and will close the festival with a performance at Yoshi’s Jazz House.

The repertoire at the festival will range from a percussion ensemble, a ballet company and a big band to a commissioned world symphony premiere, instrumental classes and a string quartet.

The festival will offer five free events; those events and a full schedule can be found online at www.brubeckinstitute.org.

Originally Published March 23, 2005