Jazz is an American art form, and there's no better celebration of jazz then this weekend in Sun Valley. The 21st annual Sun Valley Jazz Jamboree has all kinds of jazz for all types of jazz lovers. The festival will feature contemporary jazz with John Cocuzzi and 2MuchFun, a new band for the festival, the Paul Tillotson Trio, a Sun Valley tradition and new to the festival as well this year, Yve Evans & Co., the Jerry Krahn Quartet and Jim Fryer and the Usual Suspects.
Big band swing music will feature Bill Allred's Classic Jazz Band, Hot Tomatoes with Cami Thompson, who are performing together for the first time in Sun Valley, the Midiri Brothers, Boise Straight Ahead and Kings of Swing.
For New Orleans funky jazz and blues, check out the Sun Valley debut of Meschiya Lake and Dem Little Big Horns, Louis Ford & His New Orleans Flairs and Tom Hook. Having a flair for Zydeco, Tom Rigney and Flambeau also return to the festival.
For rock and jazz sounds, High Street and Sun Valley's Bruce Innes Trio are audience favorites. Traditional Dixieland jazz will be served up by the bands Dixieland Express, Night Blooming Jazzmen, St. Louis Rivermen and Uptown Lowdown.
The Big Bang Jazz Band, Blue Street Jazz Band, Cornet Chop Suey, Titan Hot Seven and Bob Draga will play what the festival calls "sweet and hot jazz." Cabaret jazz sounds will be played by Brady McKay, the Midnight Serenaders, newcomers to the festival, Blue Renditions, Sun Valley's Cheryl Morrell and Alan Pennay, Joe Fos Trio, also a Sun Valley tradition, and the Mike McCaffrey Trio.
Laughter will accompany the music of Bill & Shelley with Westy, Sun Valley's Forever Plaid and We Three. Some crossover jazz will be played by Ivory and Gold, which demonstrates how classical music and jazz can work together.
Other music includes high school and college groups such as the Wood River High Wolverines, the Borah High School Jazz Choir, the Mountain View High School Jazz Choir, the Capital High School Jazz Choir and the Yale University Whiffenpoofs.
In addition, the festival will have dance lessons and a dance competition, which is open to all. For details, visit sunvalleyjazz.com or stop by registration in the Sun Valley Lodge.
The dance competition will take place in the Sun Valley Indoor Ice Rink on Saturday, Oct. 16. Express photo by Mark Oliver
