‘Masters in jazz’
14th annual festival aims to bring the best of the genre to New Mexico
Tom Guralnick’s mission is to bring the best in jazz to New Mexico.
It’s been the goal for 14 years for the executive director of the New Mexico Jazz Festival.
“I want to present the masters in jazz in different venues across different communities in New Mexico,” he says.
The 14th annual festival starts Thursday, July 11, with a performance by the Doug Lawrence New Organ Quartet at the Outpost Performance Space.
The quartet is led by renowned tenor saxophonist Doug Lawrence and includes Hammond B-3 organist Dan Trudell.
Lawrence, who grew up in Albuquerque and lives here now, spent many years in New York City, where he played with musicians including Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder. He has been the lead tenor saxophonist for the 18-time Grammy-winning Count Basie Orchestra for over 20 years.
“I like to keep the music varied,” Guralnick says. “I look for the right spaces to be the home to the artist for one or a few shows. You have to find the thing that works for each artist.”
The festival begins on Thursday, July 11, and runs through July 28.
It also features continuing partnerships with the city of Albuquerque for the Route 66 Summerfest in Nob Hill on July 20, as well as for the New Mexico Jazz Festival at Civic Plaza on July 13. The Civic Plaza show will have legendary Marica Ball headlining an allfemale lineup which includes Leyla McCalla and Honeyhouse.
Also scheduled to perform is Cha Wa, on July 17 and 18. And jazz pianist Joey Alexander will bring his trio on July 28.
The John Lewis Celebration concert this year on Friday, July 19, features pianist Aaron Diehl Quartet with vibraphonist Warren Wolf — an ensemble that replicates the instrumentation of John Lewis’ worldrenowned Modern Jazz Quartet. And on Sunday, July 21, there will be a screening of the newly produced film “The Modern Jazz Quaret: From Residency To Legacy,” directed by George Schuller.
For a complete schedule, visit outpostspace. org.