20
The Bakersfield Californian Thursday, May 5, 2011
Eye Street
Index First Friday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 26th annual PCRA Stampede Days Rodeo . . . . . .23 Arts Alive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Back From The Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 The Lowdown with Matt Munoz . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 13th annual Crawfish Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 All-American Car Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30-33
Editor Jennifer Self | Phone 395-7434 | e-mail jself@bakersfield.com
A good idea keeps giving Jazz Festival marks 25 years as local institution BY SUSAN SCAFFIDI Contributing writer
I
t was right after the first Bakersfield Jazz Festival in 1986 that music director Doug Davis realized he was in for the long haul. “I realized we’ll have to do it again,” Davis said. “Because it was a success.” This year marks the 25th anniversary of the festival, a daring project when it started, and now a mainstay of Kern County’s entertainment calendar. “We had a lot of success in the very early concerts, even before the festival began,” Davis said, referring to performances by Chick Corea, Spyro Gyra and other big names, at the CSUB Dore’ Theater.
From Dizzy to Bela, the greats have taken bows at CSUB The record turnout for those events demonstrated to at least a few people that Bakersfield might be ready for a large-scale festival, which first began as a collaboration with Bakersfield College. Davis said the two schools scheduled their respective events on successive days at their respective campuses. But the tandem arrangement did not last after the second year. In fact, the festival itself almost didn’t survive the second year. “It was pouring rain at like 11 in the morning and we were supposed to start at 2,” Davis said. “We couldn’t put anything up — the lights, sound equipment were still in the trucks.” Davis said he came close to having to cancel the day, but at the last minute the weather cleared, and the show went on. But the unstable weather was something concert-goers did not forget. Davis said organizers tried to get around the weather by holding the festival at the fairgrounds the next year, but audiences remained wary. “That was the biggest threat to survival after the second year because (the festival) took such a big hit financially,” Davis said. Davis said BC stopped participating at that point, and he went on his own. But he hasn’t been alone. Long-time sponsors such as the late Bill Burton of Advance Beverage, the college itself and the local music community have kept the festival going. There is also Davis’ wife, Adele, who has marshaled an army of volunteers each year and has dedicated as much time to the festival as Davis has. Moving the festival to later in the spring — audiences can now count on the festival occurring Mother’s Day
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BAKERSFIELD JAZZ FESTIVAL
Saxophonist Eric Darius started playing at the age of 10, and within a year was touring with the ensemble America’s Youngest Jazz Band. He produced his first commercial CD, “Cruisin’,” at age 17, and has grown to become a leading solo performer.
Bakersfield Jazz Festival When: 7:30 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. Saturday Where: CSUB Amphitheater, 9001 Stockdale Highway Admission: $55 for two-day combo tickets; $35 students; $32, $23 in advance for Friday only, $36 and $27 at the gate; $35 and $25 in advance for Saturday only, $40 and $30 at the gate. Available through Vallitix, 322-5200.
weekend — helped clear up the weather problem, and the festival has enjoyed a solid turnout year after year. The festival can boast an all-star line up performers over the years: Dizzy Gillespie, Wynton Marsalis, Freddie Hubbard, David Benoit, Dianne Schurr, Lee Ritenour, Yellowjackets, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, and dozens of others. But beyond promoting jazz and adding to the local entertainment calendar, the festival has also provided scholarships to hundreds of CSUB students. Davis estimates that in the last 10 years
alone, the festival has provided about $30,000 each year for scholarships. “It’s about 50 scholarships a year, so they’re not necessarily huge checks,” Davis said. “We’re spreading out a little bit of support over eight to 10 academic disciplines each year, not just music.”
Who will take over when the Davises move on? Davis has been on leave from the CSUB music department this year, but not from the festival, an arrangement that has left him with less, not more, free time. “To be perfectly frank, rehearsals and classes were a great relief (from managing the festival),” Davis said. Davis has used the time to document everything he does to make the festival happen, hoping to leave a legacy to keep the festival going, as he nears retirement. “The last move that I can make is to pass on all the decision-making to somebody else in the hopes that it will continue after me,” Davis said. “Everyone knows that Adele and I can’t continue doing this,” Davis said.
Pete Escovedo will be making his third appearance at the Bakersfield Jazz Festival.