ESTES PARK – Kansas City’s Angela Hagenbach and New York’s Don Braden are confirmed headliners for the 2009 edition of the Estes Park, CO Jazz Fest and Art Walk on May 16 and 17.
The free early summer event also features a gospel blues choir, an indo-New York Bebop artist, mainstream jazz and a rhythm and blues-soul artist.
Jazz Fest is held in the town’s intimate Performance Park amphitheater, 417 W. Elkhorn Ave., and begins at noon on both days of the event. Those coming for the lineup of great jazz performances should bring blankets or lawn chairs. There is no admission charge.
Hagenbach will headline the Saturday, May 16 performances. She’s known for her lush contralto voice that spans a range of nearly three octaves. The former fashion model has appeared as an artist/clinician at festivals, jazz clubs and educational institutions throughout the world. Her work is heard on the Amazon Records label.
The May 16 line-up begins at noon with the Estes Park Big Band performing the swinging sounds of Duke Ellington, Les Brown, Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller and Count Basie. Others performing on May 16 are the Aakash Mittal Quartet, a group exploring the Indo-New York Bebop style, and the Ken Walker Sextet. Walker’s group is well known throughout the Denver area for its modern mainstream jazz offering and is a Jazzed Media Records recording artist.
On Sunday, May 17, world class New York tenor saxophonist and High Note Records recording artist Don Braden steps on stage. After having spent years as the saxophonist with greats like Betty Carter, Wynton Marsalis, Freddie Hubbard and Roy Haynes, Braden has developed an extensive knowledge of every aspect of jazz performance. He is an imaginative, technically excellent, soulful saxophonist, and his harmonic and rhythmic sophistication give him a unique approach to improvising as well as composing and arranging. Most important of all: he has a beautiful sound, and he swings.
Also performing on Sunday are Hearts of Worship, a gospel choir, Eric Trujillo and the Mambotet Latin jazz combo and the Sheryl Renee Band playing rhythm and blues and soul tunes.
Jazz Fest coincides with Art Walk Weekend, a self-guided tour of galleries, artist studios and special exhibitions throughout the Estes Park area. The Art Walk begins each day at 10 a.m. and continues until 5 p.m., although hours may vary at some locations. Art Walk maps are available at any of the participating galleries or at Performance Park.
Estes Park, Colorado, the gateway city to Rocky Mountain National Park, is about 90 minutes northwest of Denver and an hour from Boulder. For information about Jazz Fest contact the Estes Park Convention & Visitors Bureau at 800-443-
The Jazz Fest Lineup at a glance:
Saturday, May 16
Noon: Estes Park Big Band - Swinging Big Band Sounds
1:05-2:05: Aakash Mittal Quartet - Indo-New York Bebop
2:30-3:30: Angela Hagenbach - State of the Art Jazz Vocalist, Amazon Records recording artist
3:50-5: Ken Walker Sextet - Modern Mainstream Jazz-Jazzed Media Records recording artist
Sunday, May 17
Noon: Hearts of Worship - Gospel Choir
1:05-2:05: Eric Trujillo and the Mambotet - Latin Jazz
2:25 - 3:35: Don Braden - World Class New York Tenor Saxophonist - High Note Records recording artist
3:55 - 5: Sheryl Renee Band - R&B and Soul
