The inaugural PAETEC Jazz Festival kicks off tomorrow, Thursday, Aug. 9 in Baltimore and runs through Saturday at various indoor and outdoor venues throughout the city. Headlining the festival will be Earth, Wind & Fire, performing Friday at 8 p.m. at the Inner Harbor’s Pier Six Pavilion, and Al Green, Little Richard and B.B. King (pictured) taking the stage Saturday at 6, 7:30 and 9 p.m., respectively. Little Richard will be performing in place of Etta James, who as JazzTimes.com previously reported, fell ill due to complications from a mid-June abdominal surgery and was hospitalized in Los Angeles.
Other notable performers include saxophonist Boney James with special guest guitarist Jonathan Butler, trombone-heavy brass band Bonerama and the Latin Giants of Jazz, comprising musicians from the former orchestras of Tito Puente and Machito. The festival opens Thursday at 5 p.m. with a performance by the Washington, D.C.-based Michael Thomas Quintet at the Bond Street Wharf Landing, and runs through Saturday night with the last show at 10 p.m. In its three days the festival will feature a range of jazz and jazz-related styles from blues to fusion to funk to hard-bop, and highlight local talent with 20 free concerts.
For directions, show times, or to purchase tickets, visit the festival’s official Web site.
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