As the Scranton Jazz Festival prepares for its 21st rendition, the event is set to make a significant impact in Northeast Pennsylvania. The festival, which began in 2005 and took a hiatus in 2020 due to COVID-19, is marking its maturity with an impressive lineup.
This year’s festival is highlighted by the appearance of bassist Ron Carter, a legendary figure in the jazz world. With a career that has seen him play alongside icons such as Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis, Carter’s presence is a rare treat for festival-goers. “Well, this is quite a wonderful thing that Ron Carter is going to join us,” said Marko Marcinko, festival co-founder and artistic director. “He’s so significant in America, in American music history, world music history.”
Securing a Jazz Legend
Marcinko, despite his extensive connections in the jazz industry, did not personally know Carter. “Yeah, I took a shot, and through mutual people that I know in the music business over my many years of touring and recording and playing festivals, I was able to get in touch with them,” he explained. The timing was serendipitous, coinciding with what would have been Miles Davis’ 100th birthday.
Carter will grace the stage on Sunday evening, performing with the Scranton Jazz Festival Big Band at the Scranton Cultural Center at Masonic Temple. “He’s going to be our special guest with the big band, … playing the charts (music) that are from his book, his Ron Carter greatest big band book,” Marcinko added.
Grammy-Winning Brass Band
Another major draw is the New Orleans-based Dirty Dozen Brass Band, known for its eclectic mix of bebop jazz, funk, and more. This Grammy-winning ensemble will perform on Saturday at the Theater at North. Since its inception in 1977, the band has toured globally, earning a reputation for energetic performances. Their unique sound is described as a “musical gumbo” on their website.
“The Dirty Dozen Brass Band is a world-famous music machine whose name is synonymous with genre-bending romps and high-octane performances,” the band says.
The festival is also introducing a novel feature this year. In collaboration with the Iron Horse Society and Steamtown National Historic Site, jazz train rides will be available on Saturday. “And first time ever for the families, for the kids, we are doing jazz train rides on Saturday, where there’s a trio, there’s going to be a trio performing on the train car as the train does its excursion from Steamtown all the way up to Nay Aug Park and back,” Marcinko revealed.
Tickets for the train ride, as well as performances by Carter and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, are available online.
In addition to the headline acts, visitors can enjoy performances from local and regional jazz, blues, funk, and soul artists across 25 venues in the downtown Scranton area. For a complete schedule of events, visit here.
