First Festival Sponsored by GE Vernova After 27 years under Freihofer Logo
By the time New Orleans giant Trombone Shorty blasts his last notes Sunday night on his slide-horn, 21 other acts – jazz, semi-jazz, or not jazz at all – will have played the 48th Saratoga Jazz Festival at Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Biggest and by most measures best jazz blast hereabouts, it’s the first sponsored GE Vernova, and an enticing mix of instruments, voices, styles and sounds.
Trombone Shorty – Seen here playing The Egg in September 2023
On the two stages, this one skews young, mostly; a few including saxophonists Gary Bartz (84). Al Di Meola (70), Cassandra Wilson (69) and Kenny Garrett (64) are around non-musician retirement age.
Veronica Swift. Photo supplied
Veronica Swift (31) and Julius Rodriguez (26) clock in at the opposite demo. But this year’s line-up lacks the youth movement box-office power of last year’s hit, Icelandic pop singer Laufey (26) who drew hordes of fans younger than commonly turn up here. (She plays SPAC Aug. 9: A Night at the Symphony with the Philadelphia Orchestra – between a Gershwin and Bernstein program Aug. 8 and classic rockers Chicago Aug. 10.)
Staggered start times allow fleet-footed fans to catch at least some of everybody. Tough choices remain, however; choosing between acts playing simultaneously on the Amphitheater (I’ll call it the Main, in reviews) and Charles R. Wood Discovery Stage (likewise, the Wood). Tasting at least a bit of every artist, you’ll walk about 11,000 steps daily, in a beautiful place full of happy people, and worth it for what awaits on both ends.
Bria Skonberg – Playing A Place for Jazz last fall
The lineup includes superb singers Cassandra Wilson – my pick set of the Festival – Gregory Porter, Veronica Swift and Nicole Zuraitis; plus Bria Skonberg who also plays trumpet as well as she sings.
Terrific guitarists play both days: bluesman Gary Clark Jr., fusion force of nature Al DiMeola, funk-riffer Cory Wong and Dave Stryker (in the Skidmore Jazz Institute Faculty All-Stars). Wilson’s band also features fine guitarists Marvin Sewell and Brandon Ross.
Al Di Meola. top. Photo supplied
Cory Wong, second from top. Photo supplied
La Excelencia. Photo supplied
Bands range from trios, notably Michel Camilo’s, to the 11-piece La Excelencia.
Gary Clark Jr. Photo supplied
Stylistic border-patrol purists might object to the zydeco of C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band, blues by Gary Clark Jr., Cory Wong’s fiery funk; maybe Lettuce, too. But I expect to enjoy all four.
Brandee Younger. Photo supplied
There’s a harpist, Brandee Younger; and a turntablist, DK Logic; the all-women ensembles Artemis and the String Queens, and the elder-statesman saxophonists Gary Bartz and Kenny Garrett. But apart from the Skidmore Jazz Institute Faculty All-Stars, perennial favorites for their virtuoso tribute sets, no local acts will appear.
DJ Logic. Photo supplied
The crowds, however, are heavily non-local, pilgrimaging to Saratoga primarily from Northeastern cities; but also even from overseas. These are the most rainbow crowds this side of Schenectady’s Music Haven, and about the friendliest, too.
SATURDAY SET TIMES
Amphitheater Stage
1 p.m.: Kenny Garrett – Now 64, the Detroit saxophonist played with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Miles Davis and others, and has led his own bands since 1984
1:45 p.m.: Michel Camilo Trio – Dominican-born pianist and composer, classically trained, bebop-inspired
3:30 p.m.: Veronica Swift – She began singing with her jazz musician parents Hod O’Brien and Stephanie Nakasian
5:15 p.m.: Lettuce – Upbeat funk, with horns, by energetic Boston band
7 p.m.: Gregory Porter – A bass-baritone voice like butter, especially great on ballads, famed for his hat
9 p.m.: Gary Clark Jr. – Texas blues guitarist, fire and soul, variety and force
Charles R. Wood Discovery Stage
11 a.m.: The String Queens – Classically-trained, soul-inspired string players; one of two all-women crews today
12:20 p.m.: Julius Rodriguez – Young Juilliard-trained pianist of Haitian descent
1:40 p.m.: Nicole Zuraitis – Grammy-winning singer and pianist with classical training and big-band experience
3 p.m.: Keyon Harrold – Trumpet ace with jazz pedigree as one of 16 musical siblings, and crossover ambitions; first gig was with rapper Common
Artemis – Pianist/leader Renee Rosnes at left, playing A Place for Jazz last fall
4:20 p.m.: Artemis – All-woman virtuoso quintet of composers and bandleaders in their own right(s)
5:40 p.m.: C.J. Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band – Accordion-playing and singing son of Zydeco pioneer Clifton Chenier
SUNDAY SET TIMES
Amphitheater Stage
12:30 p.m.: Al Di Meola Acoustic Band – Last time here, he played solo; now he brings a fuller sound
2:10 p.m.: DJ Logic & Friends – Innovative turntable artist hybridizes hip-hop with jazz
3:50 p.m.: Cassandra Wilson – Celebrating her best ever album, “New Moon Daughter,” 30 years after release
5:30 p.m.: Cory Wong – Fiery funk guitar with fast urban energy
7:15 p.m.: Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue – He owns the honored Sunday night closing-set spot at Jazz Fest in his hometown of New Orleans; here, too
Charles R. Wood Discovery Stage
11:45 a.m.: Skidmore Jazz Institute Faculty All-Stars – Educators and performers play “lessons” from jazz tradition
1:10 p.m.: Brandee Younger Trio – Young harpist, fresh from a triumphant recent show at The Egg with Ravi Coltrane
2:40 p.m.: Bria Skonberg Quintet – Virtuoso, versatile singer and trumpeter
4:10 p.m.: Gary Bartz – Veteran saxophonist, the Festival’s oldest performer (See https://hokesjukebox.com/2025/06/25/jazz-master-gary-bartz-looks-back-and-ahead/)
5:45 p.m.: La Excelencia – New York salsa dura (rhythmic Latin jazz) big band: 11 players including lots of percussion
Gary Bartz. Photo supplied
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