Twin Cities Hot Summer Jazz Festival
The Twin Cities Jazz Festival is fast becoming one of the largest free civic events in the upper Midwest, attracting upwards of 30,000 people. Founded in 1999 by festival promoter Steve Heckler, The main events of the festival are held at Mears Park in St. Paul in the Lowertown neighborhood. The festival closes several blocks and utilizes clubs such as the Bulldog, Hat Trick, Black Dog, Station 4 and Return to Forever in the Artists' Quarter.
In addition, Media partners include Jazz 88 radio (broadcasting live locally and streaming live on the internet internationally), WCCO-TV, The Rake, City Pages, Jazz Police, La Prenza and MPLS-St. Paul Magazine. The festival has also received extensive coverage in the Star Tribune, St. Paul Pioneer Press, The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder and Skyway News.
Festival performers have included: Joe Lovano, Esperanza Spalding, Return to Forever, Dave Brubeck, Clark Terry, Monty Alexander, Tony Monaco, Spyro Gyra, Butch Thompson, Bill Evans, Red Holloway, Jack McDuff, Joey DeFrancesco, Melvin Rhyne, Benny Golson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Chris Michalek, Chick Corea, Alicia Renee, Heatin' System, Bernard Purdie, Howard Levy, Debbie Duncan, Big Walter Smith, Percy Strother, Ben Sidran, Von Freeman, Tiger Okoshi, Peter Schimke, YellowJackets, David "Fathead" Newman, Eric Alexander, Jimmy McGriff, Kristin Korb, Hiromi, Phil Hey Quartet, Lew Tabackin, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Bettye LaVette, Ira Sullivan, Henry Johnson's Organ Express, Nachito Herrera, Salsa del Soul, Bobby Sanabria, Mose Allison, George Avaloz, Dewey Redman, Barbara Morrison, US Air Force Falconaires, Norman Simmons, Frank Morgan, David Young, Jon Weber, Jerry Weldon, MN Big Band.