You can always count on a fantastic mixture of music at JazzFest, and this year is no different. Check out what’s in store…
Once she stepped off a greyhound bus in Chicago in October of 1984, it took Joanna but a few months to take the city’s highly competitive blues circuit by storm. Chicago magazine hailed her as “the most exciting new talent on the blues scene.” Joanna Connor and her searing slide guitar work have been raising eyebrows of blues aficionados and critics everywhere ever since. Connor set the The Windy City’s hallowed blues bars on fire with her slashing lead guitar work, her passionate slide solos, and incendiary vocals. Expect nothing less at JazzFest.
Singer/pianist Marcia Ball knows how to raise roofs and tear down walls with her infectious, intelligent and deeply emotional brand of southern boogie, rollicking, roadhouse blues and heartfelt ballads. After performing at JazzFest in 2001, Ball went on to win 3 additional Grammys, hit #1 on the Billboard singles charts, and received accolades from the likes of People Magazine: “Like most of the great blues singers, Ball has a throaty, penetrating voice and a style that manages to combine romance, sorrow and defiance.” It’s definitely time to catch back up with Marcia Ball.
Quickly proclaimed by many as the “hardest working blues woman in frigid Minnesota,” Davina Sowers hit the Midwest scene in 2005 and hasn’t looked back since. With great vocals and piano, she commands attention on stage and leaves everyone smiling. Davina and the Vagabonds are known in The Twin Cities as being the busiest band in town because of their hard-working professionalism, high energy stage performance, and original sound. John Hammer of Blue Monday explains: “(They) play hot jazz-blues-cabaret-soul-lounge-rock that warms the soul and just plain makes ya wanna dance.”
Hitting the cover of a recent USA Today and moving into the Amazon.com Top 500 are validating the phenomenon that is Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews. Drawing both the unqualified respect of jazz legends and delivering a high-energy rock show capable of mesmerizing international rock stars and audiences alike, Andrews had to create his own name to describe his signature sound: Supafunkrock! Beyond an unprecedented mix of rock, funk, jazz, hip-hop and soul, Andrews charisma is undeniable. Upon hearing an early demo Lenny Kravitz said, “I’m gonna have to get on there.”
Over the past 35 years, The East L.A. five-piece Los Lobos has assembled a body of work diverse enough to cripple most bands and to captivate fans world wide. Along the way, they’ve redefined how a rock band—and rock music—can sound. This eclectic group has brought home Grammys, notched a number one single, sold millions of records, shared the stage with Dylan, The Clash and U2 and tied with Bruce Springsteen as Rolling Stone’s Artist of the Year. As Rolling Stone writes, “With the exception of U2, no other band has stayed on top of its game as long as Los Lobos.”
The Johnson/McKinney Quintet is one of the most venerable jazz groups in South Dakota. Sharing a love for jazz, the duo began performing in concert, clinics, and jazz clubs in 1975. Deeply dedicated to Jazz Education, Corliss Johnson and James McKinney have been associated with adjudications, concerts, clinics, and jazz festivals throughout the upper Midwest. Faculty recitals have had them playing with artists such as Ronnie Bedford, Connie Evingson, Steve Wright and a host of regional talent. Johnson and McKinney are committed to music that celebrates the “Great American Songbook.”
Visit website
Photo by Christopher Reistroffer
Short Fuse is a jazz/fusion band that will cure your fear of jazz forever. Featuring locals such as guitarist Dan Donahoe, sax player Matt Hackett, bassist Brian Masek, keyboardist John Kelly, trumpeter Jim Speirs and drummer Dick Bartling, this group performs a mix of high energy tunes from artists such as Billy Cobham, Jeff Beck, John Scofield, Average White Band and Santana plus some standards thrown in for fun. Even the staunchest of jazz fans have been known to erupt into spontaneous dancing when Short Fuse takes the stage. That won’t be a problem with the great fans of JazzFest.
From a small mountain town in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, the name DOTSERO has several meanings. “Something Unique” according to Ute Native Americans, DOT-ZERO on the earliest geographical railroad maps to others, but to jazz fans worldwide, and Denver’s DOTSERO means Smooth Jazz at its best. Full of life energy and spontaneity that few artists in the genre have been able to match. A no nonsense sax and guitar driven thrill ride of energy and excitement.
Photo by Ebet Rogets
How do a seventeen-year-old and his younger siblings get the blues? Rife with powerful, puissant songs that lyrically and musically epitomize the blues, this young trio from Tupelo, MS are literally the youngest blues band in America. The trio exudes nothing but confidence and attitude as they sing of betrayal, love, hard times and other bad things gone down as if they’ve lived a life rich in strife. They are, to be sure, a veritable blues explosion poised to make the big sound. Even B.B. King himself exclaimed, “In my 84 years, I’ve never seen something musically… so remarkable.”
The Yellowjackets have been cutting-edge purveyors of innovative, eclectic jazz for more than 25 years. With every note they’ve played in the studio and onstage since 1981, the Yellowjackets have pushed the boundaries of improvisational jazz, and have been leaders in the music’s inescapable evolution. That being said, the band’s distinctive name is of no particular circumstance. After recording their first album with Robben Ford, they have been creating a buzz all their own ever since.
Since Los Lonely Boys were introduced to fans around the world just a few years ago, everything has changed for the unique and gutsy musical hermanos from West Texas. With their deeply personal and stunning fusion of electric blues and Texas roots, soulful grooves and good old-fashioned rock’n'roll, searing six-string licks and Latin beats, it’s no wonder they were the 2005 Grammy winner for best Pop Vocal Duo/Group.
Heartland bred blues rocker Corey Stevens is still considering all his angles. Although his earliest influences were early rock and rollers like Chuck Berry, it was a performance of Ike and Tina Turner that really turned his head. Soon he was flourishing as a songwriter, guitarist and singer. Appearing all over the US and Canada, Stevens is one of those hard working blues artists that covers so much ground, it’s just as easy for him to call the road his home. When he does wind down, he makes his basecamp in Los Angeles. His music is heard regularly on FM radio and XM Sirius satellite radio.
Kickin’ Analog is a blend of mostly acoustic music with powerful female vocals by Becka Cavin and Laura Jean Pulscher, along with Jim Dews and Jay Kirschenmann on guitars. Cavin oozes Corinne Bailey Rae-like vocals, soul-filled strains punctuated by controlled gravelly rasps. Dews can growl it out like the old blues guys and Pulscher brings you along with soulful melodies and story songs, smooth vocals reminiscent of Alison Krauss. Kirschenmann fills in with lead guitar work. It’s a streamlined band without drums, but full-sounding with instrumentation from the guitars geared toward filling the lows and mid-ranges.
“Pasque is an attempt at a soundtrack for a Midwest Saturday night”, says Thomas Hentges, front man of the unique 
blues-rock band. The five members of the Sioux Falls based band have seen their share of stage time. Thomas Hentges, Tim Munce, John “slap” Myers, Adam Jones, and Martin Lien have all put in ten years or more of writing, performing, and recording original music. All old friends and admirers of one another’s talents, this group, sound as if they are destined to work together. Influenced heavily by the music of the early 1970s, Pasque delivers their interpretation of what most call classic rock. Basking their collective ear in classic blues, R&B, and a healthy dose of roots, Pasque manage to bring something unique to the SD live music scene. (Photo credit: Alix Hentges.)
Polyphase is a 5 piece jazz group that is dedicated to playing music somewhat different from the norm. The 
instrumentation consists of Jim Speirs on trumpet, Joel Shotwell on saxes and the occasional jazz flute, John Kelly on keyboards, Andrew Reinartz on bass and effects and Al Bervin on drums. The group also features Vermillion vocalist Jami Lynn. Polyphase has been a band for almost 2 years, and limits itself to playing once every few months. This keeps the music fresh and interesting for the musicians and the listeners. (Photo credit: Greg Latza.)
Originally starting in a downtown Sioux Falls apartment as a simple project to create happy pop tunes, We All Have 
Hooks for Hands recorded “Hold on, c’mon” with minimal members or a name for the project. Afterward a six piece set off for a short west coast tour. Upon returning, a full-length album was put into production. The result is a full band with a radiant sound, which includes dueling drummers, a violinist, three guitars, two horn/keyboard players, and a lonely bass. The size of the band and collective feel is a means to experiment with sound and dynamics. The influences that formed the subsequent album, “The Shape of Energy,” are as colorful as they are plentiful. The party lifestyle in a rural city fuels the music: “We love everyone and the party’s at our place.”
Photo by Walter at Studio Blu
Trey Lane is a creative artist that takes every opportunity to craft music that uses more than one style of hip-hop. With influences ranging from old school Biggie to the newest Jay-Z, Lane clearly knows how to create killer beats and catchy rhymes. Using lyrics based around his own life, it’s easy for listeners in any area to relate to his songs. Lane has used his hardworking ability to build his name on a purely do-it-yourself mentality. He has shared the stage with artists like The Game, David Banner, Flo Rida, and Murs, and his latest single, “Far Away,” is quickly gaining radio airplay on pop stations. (Photo credit: Studio Blu & 605 Magazine.)
Photo by Walter at Studio Blu
Blossoming during an age in which independent hip-hop was creating its own self industry, much of the Midwest was watching its artists putting their cities on the map, Soulcrate Music took the model to a new plateau. DJ Absolute and siblings Attention Def and Dirt Dee built their following from scratch in their hometown of Sioux Falls, SD, focusing on creating new style of energetic music with a high regard for soul and classic hip-hop. Quickly, the trio found itself opening local shows for national heavyweights, from Atmosphere, 311, and The Spill Canvas. “The Heartland Panic,” Soulcrate’s newest release is a ground breaking effort that shatters the genre boundaries that will be supported by multiple national tour throughout 2010. (Photo credit: Studio Blu & 605 Magazine.)
A concept band conceived by Minneapolis musicians Patrick Baker and Tom Valentine, Houdek is comprised of SD native musicians performing original music inspired by their early lives growing up and coming of age in the rural state. The project takes its name from Houdek loam, the official soil of South Dakota and native only to that state. The music represents a wide array of perspectives and musical styles, from rock and blues to alt-country and folk. This is reflected in the diversity of the band members’ other groups, such as Wumpus, Marlys Roe & The Talismen, P. Skunk Willy, and Brandon Sprague Blues Band.
The Public Domain Tune Band was formed 30 years ago by Nick Schwebach (guitar/vocals) and Owen DeJong (violin) when they discovered their common interest in music from America’s Big Band era. The music adapts to the Public Domain Band acoustic setting of guitar, violin, Sax, and bass in the Jango Reinhardt musical tradition. The music and performance brings back musical performance from the early days of radio broadcasting and recording. Members of the band also include Larry Rohrer on bass/vocals, Dr. CJ Kocher on saxophone.
Take up-and-coming vocalist, songwriter, and pianist influenced by many genres of music, Elisabeth Hunstad and 
combine her outstanding vocals with Take Two, a classic jazz band with a twist and you’ve got a fantastic jazz experience. Dan Peterson on guitar, Will Prines on keys, Dave Fermenich on bass, and Fred Evans on drums. Elisabeth Hunstad and Take Two will renew your love of jazz with a mixture of instrumental and vocal arrangements to entertain and enlighten music fans of all ages. (Photo credit: Brienne Maner.)
“Jazzed” is a state of being – an anticipation of something special unfolding as you’re witnessing it, in this case, in a musical context. They will be playing compositions by artists such as Cole Porter, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock and a host of other jazz and blues classics and standards. The members of “Jazzed” will bring their own unique approach to this music. Drummer Bobby Gripp leads the group with Jeff Moe on bass, Tom Church on sax, Jonathan Kelly on keyboard, Dan Donahoe on guitar. (Photo credit: Greg Latza.)
Lazer Rocket Arm is a group that tows the line between hip-hop and jazz. Hip-hop beats twisted by The Sound Insurgent mixed with the live saxophone played by Primetime are laced up with lyrics by EBOLI and Biggs to bring your ears a sound that you are likely not accustomed to. Whether you have felt a groove like this before is moot, you will definitely enjoy the laid-back style and pleasant sounds this Sioux City band provides.
Sioux Falls based Lunar Funk Theory have been at it for over 6 years. During this time, they have developed a 
cohesive Jam Band sound that includes some funk, reggae, rock, blues, and even hip-hop, while growing a committed base of the best freaky, furry, fuzzy, fun loving fans. Inspired from music of all genres, the exceptional talent of each member is only surpassed by the melding of sound that can only be described as the Lunar Funk.
A force as powerful as a Midwest tornado is gathering steam and rolling out of America’s forgotten state and into your eardrums – The Blues Bashers. The band features a man who’s forgotten more musical adventures than most of us will ever have: Bobby Berge. Wanting to add some new blood to the mix, Bobby hooked up with Jesse Christen. On harmonica and vocals is Derek Snow and rounding out the group on piano is Terry Brooks. (Photo credit: Kristen Mors.)
Comprised of brothers Billy and Danny Yost, Zachariah Verdoorn, and recent addition Tyler Zee, The Kickback is 
primarily a group of South Dakotans living in Chicago. The band’s continually evolving sound and penchant for choir-inspired harmonies and intertwining guitar lines has found growing success in its new home. Jim DeRogatis of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote of the group: “… since the group… immigrated here from South Dakota last summer, the stories have begun to spread about its explosive live performances…” J. Edward Keyes of Rolling Stone claimed the band “conjures the very best parts of the Veils and the Walkmen and the Killers, writing lean, nervy songs that snarl and snap…”
* Artists and schedule subject to change
The Friday night headliners of this year's JazzFest, Los Lobos, recently performed on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Click the above link to watch them perform the song "Burn it Down" from their latest album Tin Can Trust.
Don't forget that next year's JazzFest is the 20th anniversary! We hope to see you all at Yankton Trail Park on July 14, 15, and 16, 2011!
… read more![[Click here to view & order photos from Jazzfest 2010!]](http://siouxfallsjazzfest.com/wp-content/themes/jazzfest2010/images/btn_zenfolio.jpg)
![Download the Map! [Click here]](http://siouxfallsjazzfest.com/wp-content/themes/jazzfest2010/images/btn_download-the-map.gif)