30 YEARS OF WORLD-CLASS JAZZ ON THE RIVER

2006 Russian River Jazz Festival September 9 and 10
to Feature Etta James and the Roots Band;
The Clarke/Duke Project with Stanley Clarke and George Duke;
The Original Superstars of Jazz Fusion with Roy Ayers, Jean Carne,
Wayne Henderson, Bobbi Humphrey, Ronnie Laws, Jon Lucien and
Lonnie Liston Smith; KEM; The Bobby Hutcherson Quartet;
Al Williams Jazz Society Featuring Barbara Morrison; and More

GUERNEVILLE, CA – The Russian River Jazz Festival celebrates 30 years of bringing world-class jazz to the Bay Area on Saturday and Sunday, September 9 and 10, at Johnson’s Beach in Guerneville. Since the first festival in 1976, the Russian River Jazz Festival has evolved into one of the country’s top jazz events, and the quintessential Northern California celebration bringing great music and the finest local wines together with a picturesque outdoor setting along the banks of the Russian River. To mark the 30th anniversary of top-notch jazz along the Russian River, dozens of jazz legends and pioneers will perform at this year’s festival.

The full 2006 Russian River Jazz Festival lineup includes: Etta James and the Roots Band; the Clarke/Duke Project with Stanley Clarke and George Duke; The Original Superstars of Jazz Fusion with Roy Ayers, Jean Carne, Wayne Henderson, Bobbi Humphrey, Ronnie Laws, Jon Lucien and Lonnie Liston Smith; KEM; The Bobby Hutcherson Quartet; Al Williams Jazz Society featuring Barbara Morrison; Eddie Marshall’s Holy Mischief Ensemble; Clairdee; Nina Sheldon; and Bob Dorough.

“The Russian River Valley has had a long history with jazz music,” said producer Anna De Leon of De Leon Artists – longtime producers of the blues and jazz festivals on the Russian River. “The 2006 Russian River Jazz Festival will celebrate the region’s rich past.”

The Russian River Jazz Festival brings the best jazz, food and wine together in a wonderful weekend for all to enjoy. For a nominal fee, in addition to world-class jazz, patrons can sample Sonoma County and the Russian River Wine Region’s world-famous wines in the Wine Garden while enjoying the music of Bob Dorough.
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About the Artists

Saturday, September 9

KEM
Detroit native and singer/musician KEM already has two hit albums under his belt: KEM, Album II and Kemistry – a certified gold album. KEM is one of today’s most popular jazz artists, playing his soul-and-jazz-juiced R&B minus the hip-hop sideshow. Last year, after the release of KEM Album II, and its hit “I Can’t Stop Loving You,” KEM held the No. 1 spot longer than any other urban male artist. He recently played with India Arie at the 2006 NAACP Image Awards, and has had appearances this year on “The View” and is gearing up for more national television appearances, including “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” and “The CBS Early Show” in July.

The Bobby Hutcherson Quartet
Easily one of jazz's greatest vibraphonists, 65-year-old Bobby Hutcherson epitomized his instrument in relation to the 1960s – the era in which he came of age. Long-time jazz enthusiasts will remember Hutcherson as one of the defining (if underappreciated) voices in the so-called "new thing" portion of Blue Note's glorious '60s roster – a frequent and sought-after sideman in dozens of recording sessions by acclaimed artists. Hutcherson was known on the scene as a forward-thinking, inventive musician whose groundbreaking style featured free-ringing open chords and harmonically advanced solos. He played with other jazz pioneering experimentalists like Jackie McLean, Grachan Moncur III, Archie Shepp, Andrew Hill, and Eric Dolphy. Hutcherson gradually moved into a more mainstream, modal post-bop style that, if not as adventurous as his early work, still maintained his reputation as one of the most advanced masters of his instrument. In his long career, Hutcherson has recorded a dozen of his own albums. Today, Hutcherson continues to tour with his own group and appears regularly as a special guest with Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, and Joey DeFrancesco.

Al Williams Jazz Society Featuring Barbara Morrison
The Al Williams Jazz Society is a quintet composed of some of the finest musicians in Southern California. High in energy, melodically sensitive, they are bebop specialists who also perform a variety of contemporary sounds – blues, ballads, Latin rhythms and more.

Al Williams – drummer, entrepreneur and promoter of jazz – has a well-earned reputation as a musical mover and shaker. Williams’ love affair with music began at the age of eight when he began studying the clarinet. By college, he launched into a music career that ultimately branched off in two directions – one entrepreneurial; and the other artistic – as he developed his own talent as a drummer and bandleader. Williams founded the Long Beach Jazz Festival, which, over the last 19 years, has become a major musical event in Southern California. A talented drummer in his own right, Williams has played with many jazz greats including
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Hampton Hawes, Leroy Vinnegar, Teddy Edwards, Willie Bobo, Kenny Burell, Eddie Harris, Jimmy Witherspoon, Lowell Folsom and Roy Ayers. As a bandleader, he has two well-received recordings to his credit. Sundance and Let’s Celebrate both bring together international favorites, Pancho Sanchez, Roy Ayers, Wayne Henderson and singer Barbara Morrison.

Barbara Morrison is known worldwide for her melodic voice, with its two-and-a-half-octave range. She is an exciting live performer who sings rich, unique, soulful and highly spirited interpretations of both, familiar jazz and blues classics and original contemporary tunes.

Eddie Marshall’s Holy Mischief Ensemble
Drummer Eddie Marshall is acknowledged as a leading figure in the evolution of San Francisco's contemporary jazz sound. For almost fifty years he has played drums with nearly every major name in jazz, from Freddie Hubbard, Jon Hendricks and Dexter Gordon to Rahsaan Roland Kirk and Eddie Harris. His most long-standing musical associations have been with Toshiko Akiyoshi, with whom he has played since 1958, the late Stan Getz, Bobby Hutcherson and Bobby McFerrin. He also co-founded with Mike Nock the seminal jazz-fusion group, The Fourth Way. Since 1989 Marshall has been performing on the alto and soprano recorders, working within a large variety of ensemble arrangements. A consummate sideman, Marshall remains in continual demand. In recent years he has performed internationally with Bobby McFerrin's group, BANG ZOOM, appearing in concert with The Israeli Philharmonic; with Bobby Hutcherson and Cedar Walton at Russian River and with Jon Jang and James Newton in Beijing.

Nina Sheldon
Pianist and singer Nina Sheldon led a quartet opposite Kenny Clarke at the Blue Note in Paris and has performed twice at the Newport Jazz Festival. She has played with many notable jazz artists, like saxophonists Sonny Stitt, George Coleman, Nick Brignola, Jerry Dodgion and Jane Ira Bloom. She led the house band at the Village Gate for four years, opening for Dizzy Gillespie, Charles Mingus and Stan Getz among others. Her album Secret Places features Eddy Gomez and Dave Leibman. She has performed at numerous jazz festivals, including the Montauk Jazz Festival, Kansas City Jazz Festival, and Wall Street Jazz Festival.

Sunday, September 10

Etta James and the Roots Band
Etta James is truly a legend in the music world. With a career spanning five decades, she has garnered countless awards and honors, including three Grammy’s, the NARAS Lifetime Achievement award, the Rhythm & Blues Foundation Pioneer award, a W.C. Handy Blues Foundation award, and a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame.

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Born Jamsetta Hawkins in Los Angeles in 1938, Etta was discovered by Johnny Otis in 1955, who produced her first hit, the saucy “Dance With Me Henry,” immediately topping the R&B charts. Her tenure with Chess Records began in 1960 and would continue for sixteen years with a string of landmark hits including her signature tune, “At Last,” along with “All I Could Do Was Cry,” “My Dearest Darling,” “Trust In Me,” “Something’s Got A Hold On Me,” “Tell Mama,” “Fool That I Am” and “Don’t Cry Baby.” Along with Aretha Franklin and Dionne Warwick, Etta James was one of the most prolific female R&B vocalists of her era.

Even with a impressive catalog of great albums to her credit, it’s only been in the last decade or so that Etta has finally received long-overdue industry recognition – first by being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 1993, followed by her first Grammy in 1995 (after nine prior nominations) for Mystery Lady: The Songs of Billie Holiday. Etta received another Grammy in 2003 for Let’s Roll, and a third in 2005 for Blues to the Bone. She received a NARAS Lifetime Achievement award by the Recording Academy’s National Trustees in recognition of her outstanding creative contributions to the industry.

Etta has undergone major life changes in the last few years, including shedding 200 pounds. Now, in 2006, Etta is, in the words of one of her many classic albums, ‘betta than evah,’ with a new spring in her step, a new lease on life and a new CD – All the Way -- that showcases her enduring talent.

The Clarke/Duke Project featuring Stanley Clarke and George Duke
Stanley Clarke became the first bassist in history who could double on acoustic and electric bass with equal ferocity, as well as the first bassist ever to headline tours, selling out shows worldwide. After arriving on the jazz scene in 1971, Clarke co founded the seminal fusion group Return to Forever with Chick Corea. Among the greats he’s collaborated with are Quincy Jones, Stan Getz, Art Blakey, Paul McCartney, Keith Richards, and Aretha Franklin. An accomplished film and TV composer, his credits include Boyz N The Hood, Passenger 57, Romeo Must Die, and The Transporter.

Multi-Grammy Award-winning bandleader, producer, composer and keyboardist, George Duke has worked with a Who’s Who of musical greats, including Cannonball Adderly, Anita Baker, Miles Davis, Al Jarreau, and Diane Reeves. One of the foremost keyboard pioneers of our era, George helped usher in the ‘70s fusion revolution with his early work with Jean Luc Ponty and Frank Zappa. Through the years, along with his 30 solo projects and busy producing schedule, George has acted as musical director for numerous artists and television specials, including the “Soul Train Music Awards” (nine years), and NBC's “Sunday Night Show.”

In 1981 George and Stanley began their official collaboration together with the release
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of their first album, Clarke/Duke Project, which produced the top-ten smash hit, “Sweet Baby.” Two other albums have followed, and 2006 marks their first extended tour together since 1990.

The Original Superstars of Jazz Fusion
The break from straight jazz in the 1960s caused quite a commotion amongst jazz purists. The pioneering artists who comprise The Original Superstars of Jazz Fusion each led their own path into jazz fusion, and helped create a genre that has thrived ever since, transforming the jazz world. While each artist is an accomplished musician in their own right, in 1982, they were brought together by Roy Ayers and became The Original Superstars of Jazz Fusion. Together, they have sold out more than 40 shows in the Unites States.

Band members include Roy Ayers, on vibraphone and vocals, who helped pioneer the jazz-funk genre with the original Ubiquity Group in the 1970s. Ayers has written and produced several movie soundtracks, and has collaborated with some of the top jazz and funk stars, including Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Rick James and many others.

Vocalist Jean Carne got her start as back-up to Earth Wind and Fire for their first two albums. During the 1970s, she recorded a number of popular songs, including “Valentine Love.” She had a number one hit in 1986 with “Closer Than Close” and tours on a regular basis.

Trombone player Wayne Henderson was a co-founder of the legendary The Jazz Crusaders, leading the jazz-fusion revolution in the 1960s and 1970s that inspired Wynton and Branford Marsalis and David Sanborn.

Bobbi Humphrey – known as the “first lady of the flute – was the first female signed to Blue Note Records in 1971. Her first album, Blues and Blues, was a huge commercial crossover hit in 1976. She has played with Duke Ellington, Lee Morgan and Stevie Wonder, and has won several music industry awards.

Saxophone player Ronnie Laws began playing with The Jazz Crusaders at the young age of 20. He followed that with a two-year stint as tenor and soprano sax for Earth Wind and Fire, and then launched a solo career with his first album Pressure Sensitive in 1975, followed by 17 more albums.

Vocalist Jon Lucien is known for his seamless melding of jazz, R&B, Caribbean rhythms and Brazilian music. In the mid-1960s, Lucien recorded I Am Now and Rashida. His singles "Would You Believe In Me" and "Lady Love" were popular radio hits. In the 1990s he released three new CDs and four compilation records. His older music turns up regularly in new hip-hop
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and acid jams.

In the 1960s and 70s, Lonnie Liston Smith made his mark playing keyboards for Pharoah Sanders, Gato Barbieri, singer Betty Carter, Miles Davis and others. In 1973, Smith formed the Cosmic Echoes and released Astral Traveling that blended instrumental fusion with funk, pop and rock. The Cosmic Echoes released nine albums and had several hits, including “Space Princess” and “Never Too Late.”

The Original Superstars of Jazz Fusion are backed by the Ubiquity Band with Mark Adams (keys), Donald Nicks (bass) and Lee Pearson (drums).

Clairdee
It might seem strange to describe a singer as hip as Clairdee as a throwback, but she’s an artist who embodies creative values that have largely gone out of style. With her lustrous voice and soulful delivery, she hearkens back to a time when jazz, pop, and rhythm and blues often blended seamlessly together. Born in Tucson and raised in Denver, Clairdee grew up harmonizing and dancing with her sisters in a show biz minded family. She focused on jazz after college and was mentored by veteran Hammond B3 organist William "Big Daddy" Sailes, who took her under his wing and taught her a repertoire of standards and how to develop arrangements to suit her voice.

Clairdee moved to the Bay Area in 1976, and performed a wide variety of music -- from R&B and cabaret to country and soul – before dedicating herself to jazz in the mid-90s. Since then, Clairdee has developed a singular sound while working with jazz luminaries like trumpeter Eddie Henderson, alto saxophonist John Handy and pianists Roland Hanna and Allen Farnham.
Appearing Both Days on the Wine Stage - Bob Dorough
Texas-raised singer/musician/songwriter Bob Dorough honed his chops in the 1950s by touring with Sugar Ray Robinson as the ex-boxer’s musical director, often sharing stages with notables like Armstrong, Hines and Basie. For decades, Dorough wrote and performed dozens of songs and albums solo and with bands on a variety of labels, and was one of the few voices to appear on a Miles Davis record. However, millions of 30 and 40-somethings will remember his work as the writer of more than 50 “Schoolhouse Rock” songs from the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s.

In 2002– when Dorough was named Pennsylvania’s “Artist of the Year” – he took his current trio on a State Department-sponsored tour of Latin America that involved over twenty concerts and workshops in seven countries. Today, when he’s not running his organic farm in Pennsylvania, Dorough continues to write, play and tour, delighting audiences in concert halls,
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clubs and at festivals.

While enjoying the music of Bob Dorough, patrons can sample Sonoma County and the Russian River Wine Region’s world-famous wines in the Wine Garden Area hosted by Food for Thought. Proceeds from the wine tasting will benefit Food for Thought and the Guerneville School District’s music programs. Food for Thought serves AIDS patients in Sonoma County, providing groceries, vitamins, supplements, and meals to those who cannot pick up their own groceries.

Tickets and Information
Tickets for the Russian River Jazz Festival are $45/day or $85/weekend when purchased before July 30. From July 31 through September 8, tickets are $47.50/day or $90/weekend. At the Gate, they are $55/day or $100/weekend. Gold Tier seating, which includes a wine tasting voucher and premiere seats are $100/day or $200/weekend. Tickets can be purchased by phone by calling (925) 866-9599 or at rrfestivals.com; in person (cash or check only) at the River Reader in Guerneville (16355 Main Street); and at Back Door Disc in Cotati at (7665 Old Redwood Highway). For additional information, call (925) 866-9599; or E-mail info@rrfestivals.com or visit www. rrfestivals.com.

No glass, cans, alcohol or high-back beach chairs will be permitted. Low-back chairs only (no higher than 32” in full upright position).

For electronic or print photos of the artists and festival, please contact Denise Lamott at (415) 897-5089 or Lamoore1@verizon.net.

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CALENDAR EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE

30 YEARS OF WORLD CLASS JAZZ ALONG THE RUSSIAN RIVER
2006 Russian River Jazz Festival September 9 and 10 to Feature
Etta James and the Roots Band; The Clarke/Duke Project,
Original Superstars of Jazz Fusion with Roy Ayers, Jean Carne, Wayne Henderson,
Bobbi Humphrey, Ronnie Laws, Jon Lucien and Lonnie Liston Smith; KEM;
The Bobby Hutcherson Quartet,
Al Williams Jazz Society Featuring Barbara Morrison, and Many More

WHAT: 2006 Russian River Jazz Festival
Celebrating 30 years of world-class jazz along the Russian River

WHEN: Saturday and Sunday, September 9 and September 10
Doors open at 10 a.m.; music flows from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

WHERE: Johnson’s Beach on the Russian River, Guerneville, California
At 1st and Church Streets

PERFORMERS:
Saturday, September 9: KEM; the Bobby Hutcherson Quartet; Al Williams Jazz Society Featuring Barbara Morrison; Eddie Marshall’s Holy Mischief Ensemble; Nina Sheldon

Sunday, September 10: Etta James and the Roots Band; the Clarke/Duke Project featuring Stanley Clarke and George Duke; Original Superstars of Jazz Fusion with Roy Ayers, Jean Carne, Wayne Henderson, Bobbi Humphrey, Ronnie Laws, Jon Lucien and Lonnie Liston Smith; Clairdee

Wine Garden Stage Both Days: Bob Dorough

TICKETS:
Now through July 30, 2006: $45/day or $85/weekend
July 31 to September 8, 2006: $47.50/day or $90/weekend
At the Gate: $55.00/day or $100/weekend
Gold Tier seating: $100/day or $200/weekend, includes a wine tasting voucher and premiere seats

Tickets can be purchased by phone by calling (925) 866-9599 or at rrfestivals.com; in person (cash or check only) at the River Reader in Guerneville (16355 Main Street); and at Back Door Disc in Cotati at (7665 Old Redwood Highway).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: (925) 866-9599;
E-mail info@rrfestivals.com or visit www.rrfestivals.com.

No glass, cans, alcohol or high-back beach chairs will be permitted. Low-back chairs only (no higher than 32” in full upright position).

PHOTOS: For electronic or print photos of the artists and festival, please contact Denise Lamott at (415) 897-5089 or Lamoore1@verizon.net.

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