(Saratoga Springs, NY) -- The 2018 Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival, slated for Saturday, June 23 and Sunday, June 24 at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, features a roster of artists, ranging from jazz luminaries -- Jon Batiste, Chris Botti, Herbie Hancock, Gregory Porter, Joey Alexander, and gospel and R&B legend Mavis Staples, who will headline this year’s legendary festival -- to emerging artists making their Saratoga debuts such as José James, Lakecia Benjamin and SoulSquad, Scott Sharrard & The Brickyard Band, Jazzmeia Horn and Keyon Harrold. In addition, unique collaborations will take center stage including Saratoga debuts by the TEN Trio, which features Terri Lyne Carrington, Esperanza Spalding and Nicholas Payton; the newly formed all-star trio Mark Whitfield, Ben Allison and Billy Drummond; Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez Duo; and New Orleans @ 300 featuring Evan Christopher, Quiana Lynell, David Torkanowsky, Roland Guerin & Shannon Powell.

Performances will begin at 11am on both days on the newly built Charles R. Wood “Jazz Discovery” Stage, and at 3pm on SPAC’s Amphitheater Stage.

SPAC also announced the addition of “Saratoga Jazz Fest Friday,” a new initiative in collaboration with the city of Saratoga Springs to celebrate the rich history of jazz in the region. “Many of our dedicated jazz fans don’t realize that Saratoga has a vibrant live music scene, which dates all the way back to the 1900s when speakeasies and jazz clubs were thriving in the area," said Elizabeth Sobol, President and CEO of SPAC. "This year – for the first time – we are offering our guests a completely unique opportunity to experience the rich community of incredible local musicians and our lively restaurants and bars with a Friday evening curated for jazz lovers. If you are traveling for the festival, we recommend arriving early to experience this extra day of jazz.”

By popular demand, SPAC is also bringing back the $20 student and child amphitheater pass, available for children ages 15 and under and students with school-issued ID at time of entrance. Children ages 15 and under are free on the lawn.

2018 FREIHOFER’S SARATOGA JAZZ FESTIVAL LINE-UP:

SATURDAY, JUNE 23

Amphitheater:

Chris Botti

A master musician and performer, Chris Botti is the largest selling American jazz instrumental artist, with nearly three million albums sold worldwide. His success has crossed over to audiences usually reserved for pop music and his ongoing association with PBS has led to four #1 Jazz Albums, as well as multiple Gold, Platinum & Grammy® Awards. Botti will be performing on June 23, the first day of the two-day event; it will be his fifth appearance at the festival.

Herbie Hancock

Herbie Hancock will make his return to SPAC for his 12th appearance and first in 12 years. A legendary pianist and composer, Hancock received an Academy Award for his Round Midnight score and 14 Grammy® Awards, including Album of the Year. He currently serves as Creative Chair for Jazz for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and as Institute Chairman of the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. He received a Kennedy Center Honors Award in 2013 and a Grammy® Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2016.

José James

Celebrating the 80th birth year of the legendary R&B singer songwriter, Blue Note recording artist José James presents "Lean On Me: José James celebrates Bill Withers." Vetted personally by Mr. Withers himself, the show is an exploration of the deep musical catalogue that touched millions of hearts and united communities worldwide. Featuring Withers' top ten hits as well as his soul ballads and rare grooves, James brings both a deep musical appreciation and a contemporary approach to songs such as "Ain't No Sunshine," "Hope She'll Be Happier," and "Just the Two of Us." Fittingly, James has assembled a truly all-star cast of musicians: Nate Smith on drums, Ben Williams on bass, Sullivan Fortner on keys and Brad Allen Williams on guitar.

Joey Alexander

Returning for his second Saratoga Jazz Festival appearance, 14-year old Indonesian jazz pianist, developing contemporary bandleader and promising composer, Joey Alexander, only recently came onto the scene in 2014. Since then, Joey has performed at the prestigious Montreal and Newport Jazz Festivals and even caught the attention of and performed for industry legends such as Herbie Hancock and Wynton Marsalis. Joey has released two studio albums to critical acclaim, having garnered three Grammy® Award nominations for “Best Jazz Instrumental Album” and “Best Improvised Solo”, making him the youngest jazz artist ever nominated for a Grammy® Award. Joey. Monk. Live!, an album that documents Alexander's stand with his trio at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Appel Room in June of 2017 was recently released on Motema Music.

Anat Cohen Tentet

Clarinetist-saxophonist Anat Cohen is renowned for her expressive virtuosity and delightful stage presence. The Jazz Journalists Association voted Anat as Clarinetist of the Year nine years in a row, and she has topped both the Critics and Readers Polls in the clarinet category in DownBeat magazine every year since 2011. She was also named Rising Star in the soprano and tenor saxophone categories in DownBeat, as well as for Jazz Artist of the Year. Anat’s Tentet release, Happy Song, draws inspiration from Brazilian music to African grooves, from vintage swing to touching ballads and features arrangements by both Anat and Oded Lev-Ari, the band’s music director.

Charles R. Wood “Jazz Discovery” Stage:

Lakecia Benjamin and SoulSquad

Charismatic and dynamic saxophonist/bandleader Lakecia Benjamin has become one of the most highly sought-after players in soul and funk music. Known for her electric stage presence and fiery sax work, Benjamin has shared stages with Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, The Roots, Macy Gray and many others. A native of New York City, she currently is a featured musician for Gregory Porter as well as a featured musician and arranger for comedy star Craig Robinson and the Nasty Delicious.

Alfredo Rodriguez & Pedrito Martinez Duo

Grammy® Award nominated artist, Alfredo Rodríguez, reflects the talents of legendary jazz pianists Keith Jarrett, Thelonious Monk, and Art Tatum. Schooled in the rigorous classical conservatories of Havana, Rodríguez’s riveting artistry is informed as much by Bach and Stravinsky as it is by his Cuban and jazz roots. Quincy Jones once expressed, “Alfredo is without a doubt one of the best young pianists I’ve ever seen and with the enormous skills that he already possesses, his potential is limitless.”

Pedro Pablo “Pedrito” Martinez is a founding member of the highly successful, Afro-Cuban/Afro-Beat band, Yerba Buena, with which he recorded two albums and toured the world. Awarded the Thelonious Monk Award for Afro-Latin Hand Percussion, Martinez was also featured in the documentary film, Calle 54. Pedrito has recorded or performed with Wynton Marsalis, Paul Simon, Paquito D’Rivera, Bruce Springsteen, and Sting and has contributed, as a percussionist and vocalist, to over 50 albums. He has released two albums as the leader of the Pedrito Martinez Group and this appearance marks his 4th at the festival.

Keyon Harrold

Raised in Ferguson, Missouri, Keyon Harrold has developed a reputation as one of the world’s most sought-after, emotionally electric young trumpeters, producers, arrangers and songwriters on the scene. Making his festival debut, Keyon has been featured on nearly 100 albums ranging from gospel to hip hop, and has toured and recorded with, or produced for the likes of Erykah Badu, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, and more recently, Big Krit. Keyon is the trumpet player behind Don Cheadle in the 2016 Miles Davis biopic, Miles Ahead and recently released The Mugician on Sony Legacy Recordings.

Jazzmeia Horn

Hailing from Dallas, Jazzmeia Horn has earned her reputation as a rising star in New York, where she’s received a litany of accolades and performed at legendary venues such as The Apollo and The Metropolitan Room, to name a few. Shortly after winning the Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Competition and being featured as one of the stars in South Australia's Generations In Jazz 2017, Jazzmeia released her debut album, A Social Call, which ranked #1 in the JazzWeek year-end jazz chart for 2017, and earned a Grammy® Award nomination for “Best Jazz Vocal Album.”

New Orleans @ 300 featuring Evan Christopher, Quiana Lynell, David Torkanowsky, Roland Guerin & Shannon Powell

Celebrating the city’s tri-centennial year, New Orleans @ 300 will bring the musical heritage of New Orleans to Saratoga for the festival debut of this special project. Evan Christopher, “one of the world’s major clarinetists” (The Wall Street Journal), leads this homage to the traditions that established New Orleans as ground zero of African and African-American culture in the United States.

Christian Sands Trio

Pianist and five-time Grammy® Award nominee Christian Sands draws influence from a diverse range of styles, from Afro-Cuban rhythms to hip-hop beats and dirty blues. Christian Sands Trio, also featuring bassist Eric Wheeler and drummer Jonathan Barber, will be making their festival debut.

SUNDAY, JUNE 24

Amphitheater:

Jon Batiste with The Dap-Kings

Jon Batiste is a globally celebrated musician, educator, bandleader and television personality, recognized for his originality, jaw-dropping talent and dapper sense of style. Jon transitions from commanding the piano with virtuosic skill, to soulfully crooning, to wailing on the “harmonaboard” (a kind of harmonica and keyboard), to curating unique "social music" experiences all over the world. The Forbes “30 under 30” honoree balances a demanding performance schedule with his role as bandleader for the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Artistic Director At Large of the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, public speaking engagements, master classes and occasional acting gigs as well as his signature impromptu ‘love riot’ street parade.

The Dap-Kings recently joined forces with Jon Batiste after years of performing with the late Sharon Jones. The soulful retro sound of The Kings was the centerpiece of Amy Winehouse’s album Back to Black and the band toured with her throughout the United States. This performance will mark the festival debut of this new collaboration.

Gregory Porter

Critically acclaimed, American jazz singer-songwriter Gregory Porter will be returning to the festival on the heels his recent MOBO Outstanding Contribution to Music Award. Porter’s latest album Nat “King” Cole & Me is his highest charting success yet, following his Grammy® Award nomination in the Best Traditional R&B Performance category for his dynamite Motéma Music album Be Good.

Mavis Staples

Making her festival debut is soul and gospel icon Mavis Staples who has inspired artists and audiences alike for nearly 70 years. The two-time Grammy® Award winner has worked with greats such as Prince, The Gorillaz, George Clinton, Van Morrison, and many others. She’s accumulated several prestigious awards and honors, including a Kennedy Center Honor, the First Amendment Center/AMA "Spirit of Americana" Free Speech Award, the National Heritage Fellowship awarded by the National Endowment for the Arts – the highest honor in the folk and traditional arts in the United States, and multiple honorary doctorates.

TEN Trio featuring Terri Lyne Carrington, Esperanza Spalding, Nicholas Payton

The TEN Trio, featuring Terri Lyne Carrington, Grammy® Award-winning drummer, composer and bandleader; Esperanza Spalding, Grammy® Award-winning composer, vocalist and bassist; and Nicholas Payton, Grammy® Award-winning trumpet master, pianist, composer and prolific writer – will come together for a rare appearance and this group’s festival debut.

Charles R. Wood “Jazz Discovery” Stage:

Scott Sharrard & The Brickyard Band

Hailed as Gregg Allman’s secret weapon, Grammy® Award nominated and acclaimed artist Scott Sharrard has received praise from critics and musicians alike for his prolific songwriting and talent as a singer, guitarist and bandleader. The late Gregg Allman said of Scott, "I know all about guitar players. I’ve seen the very best - and Scott Sharrard is the perfect guitarist for my band. He understands that you don’t need to play just for the sake of playing; Scott isn’t one of those guys who thinks they get paid by the note. He never steps on the vocals, and he leaves plenty of room for everyone else to do their thing, but when it’s time to solo, Scott delivers, boy." Scott Sharrard & The Brickyard Band will be making their festival debut.

Deva Mahal

Becoming known as a genre-defying artist, powerhouse vocalist and astute songwriter, Deva Mahal’s songwriting talents were discovered in 2008, when “Never Let You Go,” a co-write with her father, Taj Mahal, gained acclaim on the Grammy® Award nominated album Maestro. She’s also collaborated with a wide-ranging array of artists, including TV on the Radio, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, and Fat Freddy’s Drop and has performed at such renowned festivals as Sonar, Womad, the Atlanta Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival and Montreux Jazz Festival.

Jane Bunnett & Maqueque

Jane Bunnett & Maqueque brings the rhythms and culture of Cuba back to Saratoga for the 2nd consecutive year. An internationally renowned saxophonist and pianist, Bunnett has been nominated for two Grammy® Awards and received five Juno Awards, an Order of Canada, The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal, and, most recently, Ontario’s Premiers Award for Excellence. She will lead her all-female sextet with original music featuring lush, inventive vocals from their latest release, Oddara.

The Jazz Passengers 30th Anniversary

The Jazz Passengers are a fusion of post-bop and musical comedy, once called a “perverse mainstream … hard-bop group as imagined by Frank Zappa.” (Boston Globe). Their name, a take-off on Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, speaks volumes to the musicians’ influences as well as their playful, creative, and uniquely colorful brand of jazz.

Mark Whitfield, Ben Allison, Billy Drummond

The success of Mark Whitfield’s debut release has led to a recording career that has produced a total of 14 solo recordings and a myriad of collaborative efforts with some of the most important artists in recent years: Sting, Steven Tyler, D’Angelo, Mary J. Blige, John Mayer, Chaka Khan, Jill Scott, Diana Krall, Christian McBride, Chris Botti, Roy Hargrove and Nicholas Payton.

In a career that spans nearly 30 years, bassist/composer Ben Allison has developed an instantly identifiable sound, solidifying his reputation as one of the leading voices of his generation. Known for his inspired arrangements, inventive grooves and hummable melodies, Ben draws from the jazz tradition and a range of influences from rock and folk to 20th century classical and world music, seamlessly blending them into a cinematic, cohesive whole.

Bandleader, recording artist, with over 300 albums to his credit, educator, and much in-demand sideman, Billy Drummond is a thrilling, powerful, and highly musical drummer, who plays "fertile, exciting music" (New York Times). Billy has made three albums as a bandleader, including Dubai which was picked as the Number 1 Jazz Album of the Year by the New York Times, and six as a co-leader, including 2016's Three's Company with Ron Carter and Javon Jackson.

This new all-star trio will feature music from their initial recording, Live and Uncut, (Chesky Records) which was recorded live at Rockwood Music Hall in Manhattan.

Sammy Miller & The Congregation

Los Angeles native and Grammy® Award nominated Sammy Miller has become known for his skills as a bandleader, drummer and singer. After completing his masters at Julliard, Sammy formed his ensemble, The Congregation. Individually, members of The Congregation have worked with notable artists such as Wynton Marsalis, Lady Gaga, and Queen Latifah, but have opted to continue playing together as a group to bring joy to the masses through their music.

TICKETS:

Tickets for the festival will be available online at www.spac.org beginning Thursday, March 1.