Hall High Jazz Band and Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz spotlight “Summer in the City” – We-Ha

The West Hartford’s Hall High School Jazz Band, featuring special guest trombonist Chris Crenshaw, will kick off the three-day Greater Hartford Jazz Festival in Bushnell Park, which is expected to attract 70,000 music fans as part of the one of the key “Summer in the City” events. .

By Ronni Newton

The Hall High School Jazz Band will take the stage in Bushnell Park on Thursday evening, July 14, for the opening act of the 31st Annual Greater Hartford Jazz Festival, which will continue throughout the weekend as one of flagship events of the “Summer of Hartford”. in the city.”

Current students of West Hartford’s Hall High School, as well as recent alumni of the award-winning Hall Jazz Band, will also perform alongside special guest trombonist Christopher Crenshaw.

“We couldn’t be more proud to kick off our 31st Annual Greater Hartford Jazz Festival with West Hartford’s own Hall High School Jazz Band and special guest Jazz at Lincoln Center trombonist Christopher Crenshaw on Thursday, July 14 at 6:30 p.m. at Bushnell Park in downtown Hartford,” said Charles Christie, president of the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz. “As Hartford’s own jazz show, offering four nights and three full days of free live jazz to 70,000 visitors who travel coast to coast for our celebrated guest lineup, we are thrilled to heralding another year by saluting our own talented aspiring jazz musicians and heating things up for 13 jazz icons who are part of our 2022 program.”

Thursday’s performance is scheduled from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Chris Crenshaw. Courtesy photo (photo from file we-ha.com)

The Festival reflects all styles and rhythms of jazz, “from classical to funk and fusion, with more than a dozen performers and beloved bands, from Chembo Corniel Quintet to Spyro Gyra, reflecting many facets of the world jazz,” Christie said.

The Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz’s 2022 Friday-Sunday schedule, according to the event’s website, includes:

friday july 15

• Chembo Corniel Quintet – 7 p.m.
• Boney James – 8:05 p.m.
• Vincent Ingala – 8:30 p.m.
• Art From Da Hart with Whitney Lucky-J – 10 p.m.

Saturday July 16

• Will Prince and Friends – 2:30 p.m.
• Isaiah Sharkey – 4:30 p.m.
• Art From Da Hart with Betty Bruk Up – 6:05 p.m.
• Brian Simpson/Jakeim Joyner/Steve Oliver – 6:30 p.m.
• Spyro Gyra – 8:30 p.m.
• Medium White Band – 10:30 p.m.

Sunday July 17

• The Hot Cat Jazz BandMass at Christ Church Cathedral Downtown Hartford – 10 a.m.
• Funky Dawgz Brass Band – 1 p.m.
• Matt Marshak – 2:30 p.m.
• Firey String Sistas – 4:30 p.m.
• Art From Da Hart with Klassy Katz – 6:05 p.m.
• Marquis Hill: New Gospel Revisited (100%) – 6:30 p.m.
• The Manhattan Transfer – 8:30 p.m.

The Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz will also feature items from 50 artists and artisans selling handcrafted jewelry, apparel, gifts and beauty products. Area health and social service providers will also be present at the festival. An array of 20 food vendors, including mobile food trucks, reflecting the diversity of the greater Hartford area, will offer freshly prepared food and beverages throughout the festival, including plant-based cuisine as well as comfort, barbecue, Caribbean, etc.

Summer in the City, a program of the Greater Hartford Arts Council, highlights and celebrates the diversity of the community through a series of free musical and cultural events. Sponsored by Raytheon Technologies, following the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz, the following events remain on the 2022 schedule:

• Black-Eyed and Blues Festival, Bushnell Park, July 30, 3-9pm and July 31, 3-7pm
• Taste of Caribbean and Jerk Festival, Mortensen Riverfront Plaza, August 6, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• West Indies Independence Celebration, Bushnell Park, August 13, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
• Riverfront Dragon Boat & Asian Festival, Mortensen Riverfront Plaza, August 20, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Puerto Rican Day Parade and Coqui Festival, Bushnell Park, August 21, 11am-8pm
• Hartford Pride & Concert, Trumbull Street, September 10, 12-6 p.m.

The Greater Hartford Latino Festival held on June 25 and Hartford Bonanza on July 2 and 3 were also part of the Summer in the City lineup.

Do you like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to the We-Ha newsletter so you’ll always be up to date with what’s going on in West Hartford! VSClick the blue button below to become a supporter of We-Ha.com and our efforts to continue producing quality journalism.