The 26th Annual Ventura Music Festival Dear Friends, The Ventura Music Festival is back – LIVE in July – and we couldn’t be happier. We know fans of live music will be happy, too, because we stayed in touch throughout this long Covid year. We know people want to experience the thrill of live performance again and they want to feel safe. Thus, for safety and peace of mind, this July festival is designated a “100%vaccination event.” While a little shorter than usual, the 2021 festival shines with the excellence and musical diversity for which VMF is known. The line-up:Aubrey Logan - a trombone-playing jazz singer whose career is soaring; Time For Three - a sensational ensemble at the crossroads of Americana, pop and classical; and Andrea Roberto - winner of the 2019 Parkening International Classical Guitar Competition and on numerous presenter lists worldwide.
Susan Scott, Executive Director
Dr. Richard Reisman, Board Chair
Come to the Festival! We look forward to celebrating live music with you and to being safely and joyfully together again. Nuvi Mehta, Artistic Director
"There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats." Albert Schweitzer
In Remembrance, a Festival Dedication VMF has lost two dear supporters since our 25th Anniversary Festival in 2019. The first is Ben Namba, a successful business owner and gentle, music-loving man who, with his wife Julia Campbell, was an important sponsor of VMF as well as founder of Namba Performing Arts Space in downtown Ventura.
The second person is Virginia Mendoza-O’Neil, who chaired the committee process that led to the creation of the Ventura Music Festival over 25 years ago and who, with her beloved husband Tim, graced the festival with her sparkling presence and exceeding good humor every year after.
It was a privilege to know them. It is a pleasure to remember them.
Aubrey Logan July 23rd 8pm Lovers of Jazz, R&B and Pop—don’t miss this global star of stage and stream with her transfixing voice and slide-in-your-tracks trombone technique during her 2021 Ventura Music Festival concert. Aubrey Logan—a.k.a. the “Queen of Sass” or “Diva of Brass”—has cast a spell on audiences large (2017 Festival international de Jazz de Montréal) and small (Austin’s intimate basement Parker Jazz Club) with her postmodern jukebox concerts that tilt hard for Jazz lounge standards, Pop hits and R&B and Calypso classics. An “American Idol” contestant—who has worked with Quincy Jones, Burt Bacharach, Josh Groban, Dave Koz, Linda Ronstadt, Smokey Robinson and Pharrell Williams—she uses her phenomenal vocal powers— now chanteuse, now opera singer—and sly Tommy Dorsey inspired “glides” on her trombone (the only brass instrument with a slide) to draw her listeners into compellingly sultry and adventuresome arrangements of popular music. Whether it’s Gershwin’s “Fascinating Rhythm,” MC Hammer’s ”Can’t Touch This,” Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody,” Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” Smashmouth’s “ALLSTAR,” Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams,” or Wham’s “Careless Whisper”—around the corner of every familiar tune (and the songwriter’s originals) are “anything but standard” surprises—a favorite song magically transformed by her singular brass and vocal gifts.
By Richard Newsham, VMF Consultant
Time For Three: a string trio that sings July 24th 8pm It’s “time” for “three of a perfect pair”—three musicians flawlessly “pairing” impeccable voices to astonishing strings (two violins and one double bass)—in other words, a string trio who sings! Charles Yang, Nicolas Kendall and Ranaan Meyer bring their sensationally uncommon blend of vocals and instruments to the 2021 Ventura Music Festival live concert on Saturday, July 24, at 8 pm, at the Pacifica High SIt’s “time” for “three of a perfect pair”—three musicians who flawlessly “pair” their impeccable voices to astonishing bow techniques on strings (two violins and one double bass)—in other words, a string trio who sings! Time For Three (TF3) celestially navigates the busy intersection of bluegrass and jazz Americana, modern pop and classical music. To experience this "classically trained garage band of fervent travelers” live is to hear the various eras, styles, and traditions of Western music (including Leonard Cohen, Jack Johnson and Bach’s Chaconne”) fold in on themselves and emerge anew. This unequalled ensemble of energy, intensity and artistry makes every audience—from PBS and NPR to Carnegie Hall and Yoshi’s jazz club—feel transportive joy! “This remarkable group is not to be missed, and its members play and sing with joy, mastery, creativity and supreme artistry in all that they do,” says music critic Leah Hollingsworth. “Truly, no one else is like Time for Three.”
By Richard Newsham, VMF Consultant
Guitar Competition Gold Medalist Andrea Roberto July 25th, 3pm Pre-concert Talk with Nuvi Mehta, 2:15 pm 25-year-old guitar prodigy Andrea Roberto from Italy— Parkening International Guitar Competition Gold Medalist in 2019—returns to California to demonstrate the musicianship that won him this coveted title during the 2021 Ventura Music Festival live concert on Sunday, July 25, at 3 pm.. This wunderkind’s fingers have been on a guitar since age 4, under his father’s tutelage, followed by admission at 9 and graduation at 14 from the Conservatorio di Musica Umberto Giordano and further studies in Naples, Koblenz (Germany) and Maastricht (Netherlands). His artistic career includes performances throughout Europe, including the 14-guitar-festival tour of the European Euro String Project, the Americas and first prizes at eight international competitions. Italian, German, English and Spanish masterworks by Mauro Giuliani, Michael Praetorius, John Dowland, J.S. Bach, Joaquin Rodrigo, Isaac Albéniz, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Francisco Tárrega are all on his ambitious program. Don’t miss this rare “rapt music” performance by a young guitar genius at the Ventura Music Festival’s Sunday matinee finale!
By Richard Newsham, VMF Consultant
Festival Founders Diamond Jordan Laby Barbara Meister
Emerald
Grants
Bob & Mary Braitman Barbara Fitzgerald Herb Hemming Lydia Hopps Bill & Elise Kearney
Barbara Barnard Smith World Music Fund City of Ventura Smith-Hobson Fund Limoneira & Limco Del Mar Julius Gius Memorial Rotary Foundation
Ruby Ann Ahlstone Pete & Diane Dowler Fred & Lynda Evans Jim & Mary Harrison Lydia Hopps Patricia LathropMcPherson Al & Petra Lowe Tim & Virginia O'Neil Steven & Diane Perren Dr. Richard & Lori Reisman Timothy & Diana Smith S. Blake & Charles Wade
Other Donors
Penelope Barnds Mary Ann Cohen Mady Julian Charles Elliott Paul Finkel Sheila McCollum Bruce Walker David and Jennie Whaley Rich Adams, John Baker, Regina Barnes Antoinette Ballenger, John Biggs, Laura Cavaglieri Maryann Cohen, Tina Comden, Judith Delanerolle Ruth Johnson, Alan Kirschbaum, Charles Levin MacFarlane Faletti & Co, Sheila McCollum Alfred & Rose Thot, Russell Richardson Carissa Smith, Judith Ward, Elaine White
"Next to music, beer was best." Carson McCullers
The 26th Annual Ventura Music Festival July 23, 24, 25, 2021 VenturaMusicFestival.org