Civic Park springing to life with Jazz’salive
Popular music festival to provide the soundtrack for green space’s debut
Austin guitarist Jackie Venson will make her Jazz’salive debut this weekend, and, as it happens, it’s in a particularly significant year.
For one thing, this will be the 40th anniversary of the annual festival. For another, it will be the first event at Civic Park, the new urban green space at Hemisfair.
“That’s cool,” Venson said in a telephone interview. “It’s going to be mint.”
She’ll be in great company. The lineup for the festival, taking place today and Saturday, also includes Kirk Whalum,the Yuki Mabuchi Trio, Big Sam’s Funky Nation and the U.S. Air Force Band of the West Dimensions in Blue Ensemble.
It’s the first time the festival has ventured beyond Travis Park and the first time crowds will fill Civic Park, making it a bit an experiment.
“We’re excited to be the guinea pigs and get in there and start breaking it in for fall events season,” said Libby Day, director of communication for the San Antonio Parks Foundation, which produces Jazz’salive.
Two other big events already are on the books for the park: Luminaria is slated for Oct. 21, and Muertos Fest, the annual celebration of Day of the Dead, takes place Oct. 28-29.
Those who go will find broad, emerald green lawns, wide limestone walkways and several water features, including a channel that runs through much of the park. There also are more than 130 native trees to provide shade, and a pretty building for restrooms, which include adult changing tables.
The space is technically open now. But the official ribbon-cutting will happen at noon Saturday during the festival and is open to the public.
Hemisfair CEO Andres Andu
jar is delighted that Jazz’salive is kicking off the opening of the park.
“To have them be at Civic Park as our first, inaugural live event with music, it’s just so logical and really an honor for us,” said Andujar, who is a jazz fan. “It’s basically delivering on a long-term promise to the expectations of what the community feels that they need in an urban park so that they can embrace it and love it like we do.”
Those who turn out this weekend will notice some fencing still up. That’s because there is a second phase in the transformation of the area, which is expected to be competed in just over a year, Andujar said.
As far as Jazz’salive goes, the basics are pretty much the same as before. Admission remains free. There are ticketed aspects — VIP tables and 100 patron chairs — but all of those are sold out.
Those sales help underwrite the event, as do sponsors.
“It’s one of the largest free jazz festivals in the country,” Day said. “It’s very rare these days to see an event of this scale be available to the public with no ticket cost. We truly believe that that is how you showcase the power and purpose of parks — by creating opportunities for people to come and enjoy them.”
There will be two stages, as usual, and the performers on them will alternate to avoid sound bleed.
“That’s something we might reevaluate next year,” Day said. “It depends on how everything sounds and what our production team comes back with in terms of feedback.”
Food trucks and other food vendors will be on site. And bars will offer beer, wine and spirits, including two signature cocktails: Outside on the Rocks, a whiskey-based drink made with Houston-distilled Yellow Rose Whiskey, and Jazzy Lemon, made with Tito’s Handmade Vodka, lemonade and sparkling water.
No coolers or ice chests will be permitted. That was the case at Travis Park, too, but the rule wasn’t really enforced.
“This year, we have a more robust team in place, and we will be strictly enforcing a nocooler, no-ice chest policy at the entrance,” Day said. “Outside of that, what folks have come to expect from Jazz’salive is really what they’re going to get again this year — a good-natured, easygoing, fun-loving time.”
Patrons are welcome to bring blankets to spread on that lush grass. They can bring lawn chairs, too, but those should only be used on paved surfaces to preserve the grass.
The capacity is a little bigger than it was at Travis Park, Day said.
“Folks are going to be able to be a little more spread out, which really lends itself to a comfortable live jazz-in-the-park experience,” she said.
The Melody Masters Music Circle is returning as part of the family activities on Saturday afternoon. It is is an array of preprogrammed keyboards that produce music no matter which key folks press. This year, creator Michael Randolph has added a vest that those who are deaf or hard of hearing can wear so they can feel the music.
“We at the foundation have also really kind of refocused on the inclusivity component, and so we’re really excited to be able to have an activity like that at Jazz’salive that’s designed for truly everyone,” Day said.
In addition, there will be a lounge with free Wi-fi, courtesy of The Espee, outfitted with furniture from Period Modern. And the parks folks have partnered with the Spurs for Rebound to Recycle, a game in which people can win prizes for recycling plastic bottles.
The main reason to head to the event is the music. The parks foundation takes pride in the nationally and internationally known artists they bring in each year, but they also strive to shine a spotlight on homegrown performers. This year, that includes the Aaron Prado Sextet with Azul Barrientos, the Jazz Protagonists and Haile G. & Havana Soul.
“Some 75 percent of the lineup is local San Antonio talent,” Day said. “We know from firsthand experience that San Antonio has an amazing, amazing jazz community. It’s all about creating and establishing that support network that helps these artists thrive and grow while they’re here in San Antonio.”
Venson, who will be playing at 7 p.m. today, has mapped out her set. She’ll play songs that have gone viral over the past 18 months, including “Rollin’ On,” a 2020 clip filmed at Gruene Hall. Another video that went viral on Tiktok features a blazing solo and was shot in black and white, giving it a retro feel.
Venson noted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that “there are more than a few folks in the comments assuming it was filmed decades ago and that I’m actually dead.”
For the record, she is not.
She also will play songs from her latest release, “Evolution of Joy,” a reworking of her 2019 album “Joy.” She decided to dig back into that music to capture how it’s evolved as she’s played those songs live.
“I do this thing where I sing along with the guitar and mimic the melody, like we’re riffing together or scatting together,” she said. “If you hear me do that at this show, you’re not going to hear that on the old record.”
She’s grown as an artist, she said: “I still have work to do, but I’m way better than I was five years ago, and I just think you guys want to hear that.”