THURSDAY, MAY 5, 2016 | Editor: Jennifer Self • Phone: 395-7434 • Email: jself@bakersfield.com
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Eye Stre reet
AT A GLANCE Stefani Dias on the arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Celtic Woman coming to Rabobank. . . . . . . . . . . . 21 First Friday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 CALM gears up for Beastly Ball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
The Lowdown with Cesareo Garasa . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Walk for a Lupus Cure makes its debut. . . . . . . . . 25 Ticket roundup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30-31
PHOTO COURTESY OF JIM SCULLY
Grammy Award-winning musician Brian Lynch will lead the “Unsung Heroes” project, featuring Ralph Moore, at the 30th annual Bakersfield Jazz Festival.
What do they do for encore? As Bakersfield Jazz Festival enters 30th year, organizers planning for the future BY CESAREO GARASA For The Californian
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or Jim Scully, jazz is a very big tent, one that blankets different influences, sounds and inspirations and that doesn’t — and shouldn’t — follow any rigid definitions or restrictive paradigms. As it turns out, the same can be said for the Bakersfield Jazz Festival, INSIDE which Scully Meet the performers: has helped coordinate for Brian Culbertson, 19 the past three Tito Puente, Jr., 19 years with mentor and festival Aubrey Logan, 19 founder Doug Mike Stern, 28 Davis. It’s still all about the Now in its scholarships, 28 30th year, the festival is in change mode. After this year, Davis will no longer have an official role and with a slight dip in ticket sales last year, the new organizers are looking ahead at what the festival might be in the future. But first, Scully wants to give credit to the festival for what it’s been — to fans, students and to him personally. “I started as a student in 1991, and kinda figured out what I wanted to do around 1995,” said Scully, 42, who teaches music
30th annual Bakersfield Jazz Festival When: Friday and Saturday Where: Cal State Bakersfield, 9001 Stockdale Highway Two-day pass: $65, $40 for students; free for children under 12. Friday only: $40, $26 for students in advance; $50, $30 for students at the gate. Saturday only: $45, $29 for students in advance; $55, $35 for students at the gate. Tickets available: vallitix.com Friday lineup (gates open at 6 p.m.): 7 p.m., Doug Davis; 8:05 p.m., Mike Stern Band; 9:40 p.m., Brian Culbertson Saturday lineup (gates open at 3 p.m.): 4 p.m., Kern County Honor Jazz Band; 5:10 p.m., Tony Rinaldi; 6:20 p.m. Aubrey Logan; 7:40 p.m. Brian Lynch’s “Unsung Heroes” project, featuring Ralph Moore; 9:15 p.m., fireworks show; 9:20 p.m., Tito Puente Jr. Orchestra
at Cal State Bakersfield. “I switched majors from concentrating on choral music to instrumental music, specifically on composing and playing guitar, after watching Mike Stern and Bob Berg play at the festival. After the set was over, I looked at Doug and said ‘So, that’s jazz?’” The freedom, diversity in types of jazz
CASEY CHRISTIE / THE CALIFORNIAN
Doug Davis, right, appears with “First Look” host Scott Cox in 2013. Davis will end his official role with the Bakersfield Jazz Festival this weekend.
and other hallmarks of the festival will be on full display this milestone year. “I didn’t want to change a thing this year for the 30th anniversary,” Scully said. “It felt like the wrong time to make any changes, so everything is kind of as it’s been: the fireworks (on Saturday), the side stage, the traditional artist placements throughout the nights.”
But like the music form the festival celebrates, a little experimentation couldn’t hurt, Scully said. For years now, the festival — affectionately nicknamed “the Rite of Spring” — has been running with an almost elegant efficiency, thanks to Davis and his wife, Adele, the longtime volunteer coordinator Please see JAZZ / PAGE 28