Community Spotlight
After 25 Years, Jazz Fest Gets a Face Lift
Event Expands To Embrace Diverse Musical Genres
The free Rosslyn Jazz Festival, to be held September 12, is just a week away.
After 25 years of bringing talented jazz musicians to the neighborhood, the world-class music festival is growing and changing this year. It is evolving into a celebration of jazz and its extensions — an evolution that’s been occurring for several years with the inclusion of genre-defying acts, such as Red Baraat last year and The Bad Plus in 2010.
This year’s lineup includes the funk/Afrobeat ensemble The Funk Ark, the soulful Sonny Knight & the Lakers, the eclectic Debo Band, and headliner the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
The festivities get started Friday night with a concert by Troker, a Mexican jazz/rock fusion band with an explosive energy that All About Jazz describes as “noisy, chaotic, sprawling, messy and all together wonderful.” They’ll perform from the 33rd floor of 1812 North Moore, where attendees can enjoy breathtaking views and a cash bar.
Saturday’s headliner, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, will take audiences on a high-octane musical adventure. They’re a New Orleans brass band who incorporate diverse influences to create what baritone sax player Roger Lewis calls “a big old musical gumbo.” They promise the perfect finale to a day of top-notch performances.
For more information, including schedule information, visit the Rosslyn Jazz Festival website.