Our Mission
The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival Concert Series will be held each summer at venues around the city of Salem, Massachusetts. Over time, the
Festival will become a self-sustaining entity, which raises money through consistent corporate sponsorship and special events. Proceeds will support
music education in Salem and fund the Festival.
Overview
The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will recreate and renew the city's vibrant jazz scene that began at the Salem Willows in the 1920s, when Duke
Ellington and other musicians from the Big Band era played there. The Festival's aim is to build on that rich musical history by adding soul and funk to
the foundation of jazz laid down in the early '20s. Festival concerts will spotlight the wealth of talented musicians on Boston’s North Shore, and is
expected to become one of New England's premier music events.
On April 21, 2007, we staged our first fund raising event. This was a terrific success, having sold out tickets to performances by Barrence Whitfield,
The Boston Horns, Los Sugar Kings, Eric Reardon and Catfish Lucy, with free food, auction items and a raffle. Our series continued throughout the
summer, culminating in the main outdoor music festival at the Salem Willows on August 18.
The Festival
The first annual Salem Jazz and Soul Festival was a hit! Some highlights:
The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival Concert Series will be held each summer at venues around the city of Salem, Massachusetts. Over time, the
Festival will become a self-sustaining entity, which raises money through consistent corporate sponsorship and special events. Proceeds will support
music education in Salem and fund the Festival.
Overview
The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival will recreate and renew the city's vibrant jazz scene that began at the Salem Willows in the 1920s, when Duke
Ellington and other musicians from the Big Band era played there. The Festival's aim is to build on that rich musical history by adding soul and funk to
the foundation of jazz laid down in the early '20s. Festival concerts will spotlight the wealth of talented musicians on Boston’s North Shore, and is
expected to become one of New England's premier music events.
On April 21, 2007, we staged our first fund raising event. This was a terrific success, having sold out tickets to performances by Barrence Whitfield,
The Boston Horns, Los Sugar Kings, Eric Reardon and Catfish Lucy, with free food, auction items and a raffle. Our series continued throughout the
summer, culminating in the main outdoor music festival at the Salem Willows on August 18.
The Festival
The first annual Salem Jazz and Soul Festival was a hit! Some highlights:
- Over 5,000 people enjoyed Festival events throughout the summer
- Dozens of artists shared their music at 25 events
- Nearly 100 volunteers helped make the Festival a success
- 5 Festival Sponsors, 6 Charleshurst Sponors, and countless others donated goods and services to the cause
- 40 vendors sold arts and crafts at the Festival
- $2500 was raised for public music education programs in Salem.
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| Posters designed by Daksayani Design |
August 17, 2008
Members of the committee who organized this year’s three-day
Salem Jazz and Soul Festival at the Salem Willows this weekend
want to extend our gratitude to the Salem and North Shore music
lovers who made all of our events throughout the Festival week
such an outstanding success. The event once again exceeded
our hopes and expectations
There are so many people who helped us on our journey: the
musicians, our corporate sponsors, city agencies and elected
officials, the local clubs and restaurants that offer live music, and
of course all of the more than 1,500 jazz and soul fans who came
out to enjoy the music. We also extend a special thank you to
Salem mayor, Kimberly Driscoll, Rep. John Keenan, Cynthia
Napierkowski, Director of Bands, Salem High School and Berklee
College of Music's Thaddeus Hogarth for speaking at Saturday’s
concert.
We are excited about the community’s support and acceptance
of the festival and we look forward to bringing the Salem Jazz and
Soul Festival to the North Shore again next August.
With heartfelt thanks,
Board of Directors - Salem Jazz and Soul Festival
Members of the committee who organized this year’s three-day
Salem Jazz and Soul Festival at the Salem Willows this weekend
want to extend our gratitude to the Salem and North Shore music
lovers who made all of our events throughout the Festival week
such an outstanding success. The event once again exceeded
our hopes and expectations
There are so many people who helped us on our journey: the
musicians, our corporate sponsors, city agencies and elected
officials, the local clubs and restaurants that offer live music, and
of course all of the more than 1,500 jazz and soul fans who came
out to enjoy the music. We also extend a special thank you to
Salem mayor, Kimberly Driscoll, Rep. John Keenan, Cynthia
Napierkowski, Director of Bands, Salem High School and Berklee
College of Music's Thaddeus Hogarth for speaking at Saturday’s
concert.
We are excited about the community’s support and acceptance
of the festival and we look forward to bringing the Salem Jazz and
Soul Festival to the North Shore again next August.
With heartfelt thanks,
Board of Directors - Salem Jazz and Soul Festival
We're taking a little break, but check the website again within a
couple of weeks for photos of the 2008 Festival events, footage
from the main performance on August 16 and more!
Join the mailing list.
Sponsor the Festival.
couple of weeks for photos of the 2008 Festival events, footage
from the main performance on August 16 and more!
Join the mailing list.
Sponsor the Festival.