Savannah Jazz Festival – Various Venues – 09/18 to 9/25

The 8-day 2011 Savannah Jazz Festival lineup has been announced, but I’m still waiting for final details re locations, times, etc. This info so far has not appeared on the Savannah Jazz Festival website — I’ll obviously double check everything when it does. Looks like everything is now up on the Savannah Jazz Festival site. All events are free. While the most popular nights are always the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday in Forsyth Park, the Savannah Jazz Festival offers some great, more intimate shows in its opening nights:

Sunday, Sept. 18: Jam Session led by Teddy Adams, 5 to 8 p.m., Blowin’ Smoke
Monday, Sept. 19: Ninety Miles — a movie on Cuban Jazz (cosponsored by Psychotronic Film Society), 7 p.m., Blowin’ Smoke The Anatomy of Vince Guaraldi (cosponsored by Psychotronic Film Society), 7:45 to 9 p.m., Blowin’ Smoke
Tuesday, Sept. 20: Howard Paul Quartet with Scott Giddens and Jody Espina, 7 to 10 p.m., Blowin’ Smoke
Wednesday, Sept. 21: George Petit 4, and Bob Masteller and the Jazz Corner Quintet, 7 to 10 p.m., Blowin’ Smoke
Thursday, Sept. 22: Blues Nite in Forsyth Park with Bottles and Cans, Eric Culberson, and Super Chikan, 7 to 11 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 23: Huxsie Scott & Friends (Hall of Fame Members), Stan Killian Quartet and the University of North Florida Band w/Allan Harris, Forsyth Park, 7 to 11 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 24: Jazz Composers Sextet (Robert Lewis, Sax; Randall Reese, Sax; Bill Schmid, Trumpet; Dave Springfield, Piano; Frank Duvall, Bass; Steve Primatic. Drums); JB Scott/Lisa Kelly Quintet; Deborah Brown Quartet; Savannah Jazz Orchestra featuring Wycliffe Gordon and Ron Wilkins; and the Pat Martino Trio w/Pat Bianchi (B3) and Shawn Hill (Drums), Forsyth Park, 4 to 11 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 25: Youth Jazz Festival with the Savannah Arts Academy SkyeLite Jazz Band and Coastal Jazz Association All-Stars, Forsyth Park, 4 to 6 p.m.

My favorite night of the SJF is typically Blues Nite on Thursday, which usually turns into a pretty good party. This year’s headliner is Super Chikan:

Here’s a clip (uploaded by Benedetto Guitars in Savannah, btw) of Saturday’s headliner, guitarist Pat Martino. The guy can play:

Here’s the trailer for Monday night’s movie (note that the film was changed as of Friday, 9/16):