Greensboro's African American Community Newspaper since 1967
The hometown music festival celebrating the local boy who became a legend is back and bigger this year.
The annual John Coltrane International Jazz and Blues Festival happens Sept. 5-6 at Oak Hollow Festival Park in High Point. The renowned saxophonist and composer spent formative years in the city.
This will be the 15th edition of the event, for which folks come from all over the country and as far away as South Africa, according to its director, Joe Williams. This year will feature a master class and a golf outing on Friday, Sept. 4, as well.
“It’s grown organically, which is really what you want,” Williams said. “I think you just try to treat people the way you want to be treated and you try to help them have a memorable experience by providing talent that they may not have seen before but also providing talent that they are aware of - different combination.”
It’s been a hundred years since John Coltrane was born in Hamlet, a few months before his family moved to High Point. So it’s only fitting that his son, award-winning saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, should make a return appearance as one of this year’s stars.
Other headliners include singers Ledisi, a Grammy winner, and Cyrille Aimée, a Grammy nominee. Also performing will be saxophonists Mike Phillips and Marcus Anderson; the latter will share the stage with guitarist Adam Hawley.
Singer-songwriter Raul Midón appears as well.
Keyboard artist Lao Tizer returns with his band and the NC Coltrane All Star Band is back too, led this year by guitarist and Reidsville native Garry Percell.
Another star is bassist Victor Wooten. In addition to his Saturday performance with the Wooten Brothers, he’ll lead an interactive master class on Friday evening at High Point Theatre.
“You could talk to him, up close and personal, and ask, you know, what was his career path and how did it happen, and get advice,” Williams said.
That session will be valuable to mature musicians looking to level up as well as to students, Williams said. Supporting young talent is an important part of the festival; a major way that happens is via instrument giveaways.
When the event was getting started years ago, Williams said, organizers considered what they might do that could have an impact beyond a weekend of great entertainment.
“It’s finding a young person that has aptitude in music and has a desire but just doesn’t have the means to help them get a brand new instrument,” he said.
He told stories of young people who have gotten instruments from the festival and gone on to study at the esteemed Berklee College of Music, play professionally, or just go forward with higher confidence and better grades. He estimates the festival has awarded $250,000 worth of instruments to date.
“Giving them a brand new instrument that’s the seed to the next potential Coltrane or next potential Herbie Hancock, the next potential Kenny G, whoever you love, they have to start somewhere,” he said.
So there’s more to the festival than meets the ear over Labor Day weekend, though the lakeside music remains the main thing.
“I say it’s two festivals,” Williams said. “It’s the daytime festival when the sun is out and you see the water, the lake and all that kinda stuff and it’s wonderful and people look out and say ‘Man, this is a beautiful setting.’
“Then it’s the evening part of the festival where the sun starts going down and the mist off the water starts, you know, coming up and it’s just like a nice breeze, then you hear that music bouncing off the lake and it turns into a really majestic, just cool vibe that happens.”
Tickets range from $35 one-day admission for students and youth up to $389 for the two-day Super VIP experience. They and more information are available at https://coltranejazzfest.com/.
