Annual Center City Jazz Festival Returns April 22nd
Annual Center City Jazz Festival Returns April 22nd
The Center City Jazz Festival (CCJF) will be back for its ninth year this April. After a three covid hiatus, Philadelphia-area jazz fans clamored for its return. Saturday, April 22, an electrifying multi-venue extravaganza will showcase some of today’s most accomplished talent.
CCJF is one of the most anticipated annual events on Philadelphia’s music calendar. Exceptional artists are slated to appear.
The Center City Jazz Festival is Ernest Stuart’s love note to jazz and Philadelphia, which despite its challenges has become a fixture on the city’s music calendar. This year’s event offers a jam-packed schedule with more than 20 acts performing at five venues over six hours, all within walking distance of each other in the heart of Center City. Scheduled to coincide with Philadelphia Jazz Appreciation Month, one $20 ticket (purchased in advance) provides access to all performances.
This year’s smash lineup of artists includes Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Jeannie Brooks; Louis Fouché, saxophonist with The Late Show Band on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”; 2019 winner of the “Downbeat” critics poll in the category of “Rising Star bassist” jazz double bassist Dezron Douglas; Professor Brent White, trombonist and Director of the Jazz Orchestra and Jazztet at Drexel University.
Also performing will be an impressive line-up of homegrown talent including saxophonist/vocalist Max Swan and Chris Beck, noted world-renowned drummer.
Ernest Stuart
Ernest Stuart is the Founder/Artistic Director of the Center City Jazz Festival. A native of Philadelphia, Stuart attended Temple University, where he developed his art as a versatile trombonist, proficient in countless genres of music, including jazz, salsa, R&B, neo-soul and hip-hop. After receiving his degree in jazz performance from the school, he moved to New York City, where he kept busy as an in-demand musician, performing at notable clubs including, The Village Vanguard, The Iridium, Smoke and The Blue Note, among many others. Never far from his roots, he recorded his debut CD, Solitary Walker, in Philadelphia, which was released in 2011. He followed that up with the EPs, Love/Loss in 2014 and Same Walking Animals in 2015. In addition to his work as a soloist, Stuart is a member of the Brooklyn bhangra band, Red Baraat. Ernest earned his Master’s Degree in non-profit management in 2021 from Columbia University.
Event at a Glance
Ninth Annual Center City Jazz Festival
Date and Time: Saturday, April 22 from 1:00pm – 7:30pm
Venues: Franky Bradley’s, Chris’ Jazz Café, Fergie’s Pub, TIME Restaurant
Tickets: $20 in advance and $25 day of festival
Tickets and more info at www.ccjazzfest.com
Annual Center City Jazz Festival Returns April 22nd