The 2006 Stanford Jazz Festival begins June 24 and continues through August 5, featuring more than 100 artists performing more than 30 mainstage concerts. Presented by See's Candies, the annual festival is renowned for offering a healthy dose of straight-ahead jazz, flavored with innovative modern stylings, traditional, blues, salsa, Brazilian, and other cross cultural approaches to improvised music.
The 2006 Stanford Jazz Festival gets off to a robust start with a
lively show on June 24 featuring the Cyrus Chestnut Trio with trombonist Wycliffe Gordon and saxophonist Donald Harrison. Top performances for the 2006 Stanford Jazz Festival will include sets by master saxophonists Jimmy Heath and Phil Woods; acclaimed violinist Regina Carter; talented pianist Cedar Walton in a solo performance and a trio concert; rising saxophone stars Eric Alexander and Chris Potter; and a jazz tribute to Stevie Wonder featuring the Joe Gilman Trio.
Many Stanford Jazz Festival events will feature "Inside Jazz" presentations, a series of free pre-concert talks by prominent jazz artists and educators presented before selected concerts, providing context and insight into the art form. The 2006 Stanford Jazz Festival also features many free events and concerts for families and children.