Jazz Fest Twenty-eight to Present Wide Spectrum of Styles in 2010

From the velvety sounds of legendary song stylist Richie Havens to the bold world music beats of bassist Richard Bona, and from the gospel-infused funk of the Kimberly Jordan Band to the sophisticated jazz soul fusion of Toph-E & The Pussycats, 2010's main stage performers at the 28th annual Syracuse Jazz Fest represent a wide range of musical styles.

The Kimberly Jordan Band from Washington, D.C. takes the main stage at 6:30 p.m. Friday, after an opening set at 5 p.m. by CNY's own Evan Knight. "Evan is a young artist who's really ready to break out. So we're hoping the same jazz fest stage that helped launch Nancy Kelly, Jane Monheit and New York Voices can work the same magic for Evan, by serving as a showcase and launching pad that will ignite his career at the national level. And he's definitely ready."

"And Kim Jordan is already a bona fide show stopper and scene stealer, and an honorary Funk-A-Teer who brings it every time out." said Jazz Fest Artistic Director Frank Malfitano. She's simply a phenomenal artist and a great entertainer, with incomparable keyboard skills. She's mesmerizing and a major wow."

At 8:00 p.m. Saturday, Cameroon-born bassist Richard Bona returns to Syracuse after a 7-year absence. "Richard's a singular artist, and an artist who's currently without peer on his instrument, He's simply the best electric jazz bassist on the planet. Period. And he's carrying on the tradition of the late Jaco Pastorious brilliantly!" Malfitano said.

New York City guitarist and singer-songwriter KJ Denhert will perform what she calls "Urban Folk and Jazz" at 5:00 p.m. Saturday. An award-winning songwriter, KJ's disc, Another Year Gone By, Live won the 2006 Independent Music Award for Best Live Performance. "She's great. And Fans of Tracy Chapman and Phoebe Snow are absolutely going to LOVE KJ!" said Malfitano

Woodstock legend Richie Havens, one of the world's greatest song stylists, stars at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, June 26. "You already know all you need to know about Richie," Malfitano said. "Extraordinary. Singular. Genius, and elder statesmen and spokesman for the Woodstock Generation. As one of the preeminent song stylists in the history of our music, he makes every song he sings his own. A living legend."

Another 1960s' icon, vocalist Gil Scott-Heron, performs Saturday at 8 p.m. "He's the greatest male jazz vocalist alive," Malfitano said. "No one in the history of the music has ever blended jazz, soul, R&B, funk, poetry, storytelling and politics more skillfully or as seamlessly. And that's not an exaggeration. He's magical and simply one of a kind. Every year I'm asked which artist or act people should be on the lookout for. In 2010, Gil is that artist. His return to touring and performing after a long absence is the top musical story of the past decade."

On Sunday, June 27, at 5:00 p.m., Canadian keyboardist-vocalist Michael Kaeshammer makes his Jazz Fest debut. "Already being hailed as the next big thing, this Canadian wunderkind is an entertaining high-energy keyboardist and singer who'll instantly remind folks of Harry Connick Jr., Jamie Cullum and Michael Buble," Malfitano said.

Veteran Manhattan sidemen and session stars, Toph-E and the Pussycats, follow Kaeshammer at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday. The Pussycats include leader Chris Parker on drums, bassist Will Lee, percussionist Ralph MacDonald, keyboardist Clifford Carter and saxophonist Dave Mann. "But this isn't just any supergroup," Malfitano maintained. "This is the one that features the world's greatest sidemen."

Between them, the members of Toph-E and the Pussycats have recorded and toured with James Taylor, Paul Simon, Natalie Cole, Rosanne Cash, George Benson, Martin Sexton, Joan Armatrading, Bette Midler, Art Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Linda Ronstadt, Bryan Ferry, The Four Tops, Herbie Mann and Grover Washington Jr. They've also appeared on countless platinum, gold and Grammy-winning albums by artists such as the original Brecker Brothers, Cher, Donald Fagen, Ashford and Simpson, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Freddie Hubbard, Salt n' Pepa, Miles Davis, Patti LaBelle, Michael Bolton, Boz Scaggs, Christopher Cross, Joe Cocker, the Saturday Night Live band, The Paul Shaffer CBS Orchestra, and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Band.

Headliners Jeff Lorber and Boz Scaggs will appear on the Louis H. Everding Main Stage at 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, respectively, and Natalie Cole will close out the festival at 8:00 p.m. Sunday.