The New Mexico Jazz Festival runs September 7–30, so get ready to chill, bebop, and swing, because there’s something for everybody.
This week on the blog, NMBLC gives you the scoop on the New Mexico Jazz Festival, kicking off September 7, 2023. The article “Leaves are Falling, Jazz is Calling” first appeared in the September 2023 edition of NMBLC’s monthly newspaper, the UpLift Chronicles.
For more great articles about the people, places, and happenings of Albuquerque’s Black communities, subscribe to the UpLift Chronicles.
The following piece was written by Shannon Moreau.
Leaves Are Falling, Jazz Is Calling
Jazz is as American as Juneteenth, Maya Angelou, and soul food. And for seventeen years, the New Mexico Jazz Festival has hosted the music and its musicians at various venues throughout Albuquerque and Santa Fe. It runs September 7-30, so get ready to chill, bebop, and swing because there’s something for everybody this year. Festival co-organizer Tom Guralnick says when it comes to selecting acts for the festival, variety is key. That’s reflected in the lineup, with musical styles ranging from blues revival and early jazz, to hard bop, contemporary, and experimental. There are solo artists, quartets, and full orchestras. Some of the concerts require tickets and some are FREE, so keep reading to get hip to the facts.
Who Made the New Mexico Jazz Festival Happen
The Outpost Performance Space is a nonprofit, member- and community-supported performing arts center down the street from UNM. Started by executive director and founder Tom Guralnick 35 years ago, it’s an intimate, listening-focused space for major touring jazz artists. “Every town should have this as an alternative. I call it informally respectful.” Tom collaborates with Lensic Performing Arts Center head Joel Aalberts to make the NM Jazz Festival happen.
How It All Went Down
Inspiration for founding the festival in 2006 was “to keep jazz going,” says Guralnik. The goal is to have a mix of long-time, revered musicians as well as up-and-comers. It’s “really important to be presenting African American artists [and] women artists.” The festival is held at a variety of venues, from the intimate Outpost in Burque to Santa Fe’s 800+ seat Lensic Theatre; and there are outdoor performances at the Albuquerque Museum Amphitheater and Civic Plaza.
New Mexico Jazz Festival Highlights
The Outpost is thrilled about all the acts coming to this year’s festival. Below is a sampling of the incredible talent. Find the full schedule here.
Regina Carter, Thursday, September 14, 2023, 7:30pm, Lensic in Santa Fe. Grammy-nominated violinist and National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Jazz Master explores jazz, R&B, Latin, classical, blues, country, pop, and African music.
“There Ain’t But a Few of Us,” A Conversation with Willard Jenkins and A.B. Spellman, Friday, September 15, 2023, 5:30pm, Collected Works Bookstore in Santa Fe. Talking about the recently released book, Ain’t But a Few of Us: Black Music Writers Tell Their Story.
Christian McBride, Saturday, September 16, 2023, 7:30pm, Lensic in Santa Fe. Eight-time Grammy Award-winning bassist, composer, and bandleader.
Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Sunday, September 17, 2023, 7:30pm, Lensic in Santa Fe.
AND Monday, September 18, 2023, 7:00pm, Albuquerque Museum. Sponsored by local jazz enthusiasts Marcus and Miriam Ray.
Blues Night featuring GA-20, Toni Morgan & Soulful Sounds, and Charlie Musselwhite, Sunday, September 24, 2023, 6:00pm, Civic Plaza in Albuquerque. FREE.
Lakecia Benjamin, Monday, September 25, 2023, 7:30pm, Outpost in Albuquerque. One of the most sought-after and revered saxophonists in the world.
Cindy Blackman Santana Band, Tuesday, September 26, 2023, 7:30pm, Outpost in Albuquerque. Made famous by 10+ years providing the grooves behind Lenny Kravitz.
Special Deal from the Outpost Performance Space:
Buy tickets for four concerts at the Outpost, get the fifth Outpost concert free.
Check out the full 2023 NM Jazz Fest schedule: https://outpostspace.org/outpost-performance-space/new-mexico-jazz-festival/
The Outpost: https://outpostspace.org/
The Lensic: https://lensic.org
Lakecia Benjamin and Phoenix : New Mornings:
Cindy Blackman Santana on PBS NewsHour:
Regina Carter NPR Tiny Desk Concert Video:
Christian McBride Being a Boss:
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Shannon Moreau is the Editor of the NMBLC EQ Blog