Barbara and Tom Hazzard of Boise created a jazz festival for Sun Valley to bring together the nation's jazz and jazz-inspired musicians in the mid-1980s. In 1990, the event premiered in Sun Valley. Today the festival celebrates 21 years and is now a 501(c)(3) public charity, which will allow for the festival to expand educational outreach programs.
"We are developing a 20-year continuance plan," said Carol Loehr, co-director of the Sun Valley Jazz Jamboree and daughter of the Hazzards. "The new nonprofit status plays a significant role in our ability to reach more people and educate them about jazz."
Loehr and her husband, Jeff, have taken the suggestions of festival attendees seriously and have made a few adjustments to this year's lineup.
"One of the suggestions we received was to employ only American musicians because of the economy," she said. "People want to support local musicians."
The Loehrs have made trips to New Orleans to listen and discover new musicians for the festival. This year they have scheduled some of the city's most talented performers.
"Louis Ford and His New Orleans Jazz Flairs are a party," Loehr said. "They are a good picture of what is going on in New Orleans."
Finding musicians on the street such as festival newcomers Meschiya Lake and Dem Little Big Horns will be a very authentic modern-day jazz experience at the festival.
"Meschiya has a voice you can hear over and over again," Loehr said. "They have an old jazz style with a rhythm-and-blues feel to it and they're young."
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In addition, this year the festival will focus on attracting new jazz fans and has expanded its dance competition and classes.
"We are really pushing the dance preliminary competition," Loehr said. "Anyone can enter the dance competition. Signups are available at the dance classes."
Loehr said the dance package is allowing young instructors an opportunity to come to Sun Valley.
"It's a blast to watch them, and they're amazing," she said. "They will all be at the competition and will take turns so everyone can see them."
Long-time festival attendees will also be happy to see many of their favorite bands returning, including Titan Hot Seven, Blue Street Jazz Band, Midnight Serenaders, Midiri Brothers Sextet and Uptown Lowdown Jazz Band.
"We're all about building bridges with a new generation of dancers and young bands," Loehr said. "We've started to attend dance events and different jazz festivals to get a feel on how to appeal to people and how to draw them to Sun Valley."
Loehr said the bread and butter of the festival are the people who come back every year. Those who took advantage of early-bird ticket sales will be honored.
Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com
Ride free
Mountain Rides will take passengers to the festival on the regular Valley route service. For details, call 788-7433.
Badge prices
Five-day, all-event badge is $136.
Day badges: Wednesday $45 and after 5 p.m. $23, Thursday $51 and after 5 p.m. $26, Friday $56 and after 5 p.m. $29, Saturday $62 and after 5 p.m.$32, Sunday $45 and Afterglow $43.
High school student all-event badge is $27 and college student all-event badge is $60 with student I.D. Student dancer's package $220 and adult dancer's package $275.
Tickets available at the Sun Valley Lodge.
Souvenir programs will be available for sale for $5.
For details, visit www.sunvalleyjazz.com.
St. Louis Riverman Steve Lilley blows his horn at the 2009 Sun Valley Jazz Jamboree. Photo by David N. Seelig
