Features
Blue Note Announces Jazz Festival Napa Valley: Exclusive
The impressive line-up includes Robert Glasper, Erykah Badu, Black Star, Maxwell, Anderson .Paak, FlyLo, GZA, Thundercat, Soul Rebels, Terrace Martin, DJ Jazzy Jeff and hosted by Dave Chappelle
The Blue Note Entertainment Group today announced the launch of the inaugural Blue Note Jazz Festival Napa Valley, which will run July 30-31 at the historic Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena, CA. The top-tier line-up, encompassing jazz, hip-hop, soul, R&B, electronic and more, features Robert Glasper, Erykah Badu, Terrace Martin, a reunited Black Star, Anderson .Paak, Maxwell, Ledisi, Thundercat, Flying Lotus, The Soul Rebels, GZA, Pharoahe Monch and Corinne Bailey Rae among others.
Glasper, a Grammy-winning piano virtuoso, songwriter and producer, was named the festival’s Artist In Residence and his sets will feature special guests, who include Badu, Ledisi, D Smoke, Martin, and BJ the Chicago Kid. Comedian Dave Chappelle will host the Glasper sessions.
“The idea for the Blue Note Jazz Festival Napa Valley came out of Robert Glasper’s month-long residency at the Blue Note New York, held each October and dubbed Robtober,” said Blue Note Entertainment Group President Steven Bensusan in a statement, noting the breadth of special guests the keyboardist often brings out. “It is our plan to create an outdoor festival style version of Robtober in the spirit of a traditional jazz festival featuring spontaneous collaborations and once in a lifetime improvised performances.”
The two-day, three-stage festival at the historic winery also features a number of historic collabs, including the reuniting of Black Star with Kweli and yasiin bey (formerly known as Mos Def), Maurice “Mobetta” Brown featuring Anderson.Paak, The Soul Rebels featuring GZA & Talib Kweli and the group Th1rt3en, which features Pharoahe Monch, Daru Jones & Marcus Machado.
“I can’t wait to hold a festival with some of my favorite artists along with my boy Dave Chappelle in Napa,” said Glasper in a statement. “On a vineyard with music and wine?! It’s going down! Come drink some wine with us!”
Other acts performing at the festival, include: Emily King, Keyon Harrold, Domi & JD Beck, Phony PPL, Chief Adjuah (formerly Christian Scott), Derrick Hodge, Butcher Brown, Isaiah Sharkey, and Frédéric Yonnet.
“The programming culture and mission of Blue Note is deeply represented within the festival,” Blue Note director of programming Alex Kurland told Pollstar. “Many of the artists featured have a deep kinships and musical history making this festival like a family reunion, with impromptu special moments and collaborations to be weaved throughout the performances.”
Saturday night, the festival will host an after party with legendary crate-diggers DJ Jazzy Jeff and DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown (aka Erykah Badu) and special surprise guests.
As is the Napa way, the fest will pair the music with Napa Valley’s world-class wine culture along with food by renowned area restaurants, wine tasting experiences and other VIP add-ons. A two-day pass for the festival is priced at $385 for GA and $850 for VIP. Tickets can can be purchased at bluenotejazzfestival.com.
The venue, the Charles Krug Winery, is Napa Valley’s first winery established in 1861. During the pandemic, the Blue Note Napa Club partnered with the winery to present nearly 40 outdoor summer concerts. Here, Blue Note will use the entire grounds for the July event.
Blue Note Entertainment Group, was founded in 1981 and from its inception hosted some jazz’s all-time greatest artists, including: Sarah Vaughn, Lionel Hampton, Dizzy Gillespie, Stanley Turrentine, Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, and Tito Puente.
BNEG owns, operates, licenses and/or programs Blue Note Jazz Clubs worldwide, beyond NYC, including Tokyo, Milan, Hawaii, Beijing, Shanghai, Napa Valley, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. The company owns and operates NYC’s Sony Hall and also presents the annual Blue Note at Sea with partners Blue Note Records and Jazz Cruises. Since 2011, BNEG has produce. the Blue Note Jazz Festival. Blue Note is planning a Miami Beach pop-up in June at the North Beach Bandshell.