Jazz Festival returns this Labor Day weekend for 10th year

||| FROM BETHANY MARIE for ORCAS CENTER |||

The Orcas Island Jazz Festival (OIJF) lights up Orcas Center every Labor Day weekend to celebrate and share the music of jazz. As a program of Orcas Center under the artistic direction of Martin Lund, OIJF consistently showcases superb jazz. Each year at this Festival, audiences enjoy some of the most highly regarded jazz artists working today.

This year, audiences will enjoy highly regarded jazz artists on the following dates:

Sunday, August 24: Duende Libre
Free Concert on the Village Green at 5pm
Duende Libre is an award-winning jazz ensemble which combines jazz virtuosity with roots rhythms from Cuba, Brazil, and West Africa into a “strikingly authentic blend.” Each having apprenticed with direct descendants and master musicians of these traditions; they consider themselves disciples of their teachers. The result: A euphoric new jazz that honors its historical roots, pushing open the boundaries of genre to invoke a powerful sonic freedom.

Friday, August 29: Greta Matassa
Orcas Center Main Stage – Concert at 7pm
Greta Matassa's 40-year career has been a whirlwind of exciting opportunities and experiences. Over the last 20 years she has become established as one of the greatest jazz singers of her time. Working with top jazz musicians in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York. In 2016 She was featured with bassist John Clayton’s group in a centennial tribute to Ella Fitzgerald.

Saturday, August 30: EntreMundos Quintet
Orcas Center Main Stage – Concert at 7pm
EntreMundos Quintet is an electrifying Seattle-based group that brings to the stage an uplifting and kinetic mix of deep Brazilian roots flavored with world rhythms––a deft blending of funk, jazz, and soul melding with the classic sounds of samba and bossa nova. EntreMundos means “between worlds” and the group’s mélange of seductive sounds embodies their name, stirring a personal and uncommon blend into a sound with universal appeal.

Sunday, August 31: Martin Lund and the Off-Island All-Stars
Orcas Center Main Stage – Concert at 7pm
Martin Lund, one of the most diverse musicians in the universe, lives and breathes music in many different colors and cultures. He has played with some of the great blues artists of our time and worked in the studios of LA as a composer, arranger, and musician. He is well known for bringing great artists to this island and providing some of the best shows at Orcas Center.

Tickets are on sale now at www.OrcasCenter.org. Pricing ranges from $30 – $70. For questions or assistance, please contact the Orcas Center box office at info@OrcasCenter.org or 360-376-2281 ext 1.