Richmond jazz festival preview

The second annual Richmond Jazz Festival will take over Maymont this weekend. Will you be ready?

August 12, 2011; 8:53 AM • by Aaron Williams

Last year between 7,000 and 8,000 people attended the two-day Richmond Jazz Festival at Maymont. The festival featured some of today’s most important smooth jazz and R&B musicians. This year, the festival has been expanded to four days featuring more acts and even a smidgeon of diversity.

Since the announcement of the festival in June, several local musicians have been added to the lineup. Bio Ritmo, Sharon Rae North and Bop Nation all call Richmond home and they all now have the opportunity to play at Richmond’s most important smooth jazz festival.

Click here for the complete schedule.

Friday August 12th 6:30pm
Richmond CenterStage
Price $30
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Bio Ritmo

Saturday August 13th
Maymont
Price $50
Joyce B. Moore
Soul Rebels Brass Band
Maestro J
Spyro Gyra
Down to the Bone
Christian McBride and Inside Straight
Simone
Soul Summer (Jonathon Butler, Eric Darius, Maysa)
Earl Klugh
The Rippingtons (feat. Russ Freeman)
Kirk Whalum
Chrisette Michele
Aaron Neville

Sunday August 14th
Maymont
Price $50
Shanta “Bunmi” Jasper
Bop Nation
Sharon Rae North
Maestro J
U.S. Army Jazz Ambassadors
Plunky and Oneness
Tizer (feat. Karen Briggs)
Pieces of a Dream
Los Lobos
Jazz Attack (Gerald Albright, Peter White, Rich Braun)
Fourplay
Brian Culbertson
Robin Thicke

If the music isn’t enough motivation to attend, you can count on choreographed dance, zebra print saxophones and enough synthesizers that it could be a health hazard. It’s festival season in Richmond and this weekend it’s smooth jazz.