Welcome to the 42nd annual Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland, live from Cain Park! Just a few short months ago, we weren’t sure a live event was even possible. But we pushed back the date and changed the location so that we could present the safest festival — outdoors in a covered venue and with enough time for artists and fans to be fully vaccinated. Last year’s virtual festival showcased Northeast Ohio’s jazz talent, giving local musicians a global stage. To our amazement, 75,000 people tuned in over three nights. This year, our priority was to present an outstanding menu of memorable performances and wall-to-wall live music. Our intention was to create a festival experience that honors jazz, young and exciting musicians, and fans who love this music as much as we do. The talent is fresh, the music diverse, and the setting exquisite. Behind the musicians you will notice a wonderful set, heavily inspired by Henri Rousseau’s painting “Repast of the Lion.” Tri-C JazzFest production manager, William Horschke, and Hughie’s AV designer Dave Brooks thought the natural elements worked beautifully within Cain Park and decided it was the perfect place for Footnote, the JazzFest mascot. They’ve titled it “Repast of the Jazz Cat.” Sincere thanks to Erin Cameron-Miller and her team at Cain Park; to our JazzFest Board of Advisors for much-needed encouragement and counsel; and to Cuyahoga Community College for supporting this beautiful art form for 42 years! And last, but certainly not least — big applause to festival staff for the ability to pivot and create two unique festivals during a pandemic.
On behalf of KeyBank, presenting sponsor of the 2021 Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland, I am pleased to welcome you to this exciting community festival as we celebrate more than 40 years of musical tradition! KeyBank is proud to continue its support of JazzFest, celebrating the festival’s rich history of bringing talented musicians from across the jazz spectrum together with the community for world-class cultural arts and music education opportunities. I hope you enjoy JazzFest as much as we do at KeyBank, where supporting the traditions in the community in which our team lives and works is a priority. Cleveland is our home, and our purpose is to help this community thrive. All of us at KeyBank are dedicated to helping our great city grow. We are committed to helping events like this continue for years to come so that future generations see that this festival is indeed part of the fabric of Cleveland. See you at JazzFest this weekend! Sincerely, Timothy M. Burke President, Northeast Ohio, KeyBank
Terri Pontremoli Director, Tri-C JazzFest
Help keep Tri-C JazzFest swinging by texting “JazzFest” to 44321 2
