WASHINGTON STREET JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL

SATURDAY, JUNE 13, 2009

FAMILY AREA OPENS AT 4:30, GENERAL ADMISSION AT 5:30

This year's festival includes fantastic new features!

FAMILY ACTIVITIES:  Purchase Festival tickets for the whole family, then come on down a little early for free family activities.  Gates open at 4:30 just for families.   The SpringfieldMoms.org will be on site with music-related crafts.  The Springfield Area Youth Jazz Band will take the stage at 4:45 for a mini-concert to kick off the music.

NEW FOOD OPTIONS: In the spirit of being family-friendly, our long-time caterer, Turasky’s, Inc., has added hot dogs to his great menu! You’ll also see items like grilled shrimp kabobs, BBQ pork chops, cheeseburgers and ribeye steak sandwiches. For the adults, you’ll find chocolate martinis available for the first time, along with Turasky’s popular cherry vodka lemonades, soda and water. Poe Catering’s Old Florida Key Lime Co. is a new addition, where you’ll find refreshing and decadent desert options like key lime and strawberry pie or chocolate dipped key lime pie on a stick. Our old friends E&F Distributing will be on hand to offer your favorite Miller products, specialty beers and wine.

Download the flyer

Friends of Washington Street Jazz

E&F Distributing, Marley’s Pub, Robbie’s, Kim Villanueva & Sarah Iaiennaro, David & Laurie Farrell, Casandra Claman, Urainia Givaras, Bob & Berta Kay, Pat & Don Anderson, Josh Hedstrom, Duane & Bobette Gerlach, Sally Robinson, FWAI Architects, Voices of Love Joy & Peace, Ald. Debbie Cimarossa, Dave & Christi Steelman, Music in Communities & Education, Real World Creations, Representative Rich Brauer and Cold Stone Creamery.

6:00PM – Zach Radwine Trio:

Zach Radwine started playing piano at the age of 4. He has studied classical music with Lucy Hosea and Jean Vitale, and jazz piano with Jane Hartman, Shelly Berg, Peter Martin, and Russell Ferrante. Zach placed 2nd in the 2004 National Federation of Music Clubs State Piano Competition. He has played locally with The Good Brothers, The Odyssey, The Roger Kimball Band and with various groups in St. Louis and Champaign. This summer, Zach will be attending The New School Summer Jazz Workshop in Bassano del Grappa, Italy. Zach is a graduate of Springfield High School and Washington University in St. Louis. He is currently attending the University of Illinois College of Medicine.
Rob Killam is a veteran jazz bassist in central Illinois and beyond. He is busy with his own quartet and is also an in demand bassist by many other area groups. Rob is just back from a U.S. tour with The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra.
John Sluzalis has been the fixture of swing in the region for most of his life. He is a graduate of The American Conservatory of Music in Chicago and is a jazz educator and clinician. He has toured the US, Canada, Switzerland and Japan with several different groups including a six year run with The Ice Capades. John is currently performing with the Dare Devils, the Bowling Alley Big Band and Diversity.

7:00PM – Black Magic Johnson:

Black Magic Johnson has been known for its fun collection of southern delta and Chicago new age blues. This band may have been pumping originals and covers for only the past six years but the players in this band bring over 50 years of experience to the table. Also BMJ has opened for some of the greatest blues acts around today such as KOKO Taylor, David Dee, Lonnie Brooks and Ronnie Baker Brooks just to name a few. In 2006 the Band was nominated as one of the best blues act in central Illinois and performed at the Great Performers of Illinois concert at Chicago’s Millennium Park. BMJ recorded their first CD titled Food for Thought and is currently working on a new one. This year BMJ has become the official blues band of the Springfield Milers and also the most popular blues act among motorcycle clubs throughout Illinois and Iowa and other surrounding states.

8:00PM – Aduki Jazz Quintet:

Formed in 2008, Aduki plays modern latin and groove-based jazz of the Blue-Note era in the style of such artists as Lee Morgan, Blue Mitchell and Horace Silver. The band is fronted by an unutual front line in the form of brassmen Simon Burke on trumpet and Bruce Lane on bass trumpet. The rhythm section consists of Brian Feldkamp on piano, Tom Fatton on bass and John Larson on drums.

9:00PM - Suzy & the Smokers

Featuring Suzanne Carnes (Suzy) singing expressive lyrics backed with some of Springfield’s best blues musicians. The style is mainly hard-driving Chicago style blues with Jazz, Boogie and Swing added to the mix.

Suzanne Carnes – Lead vocals on tunes by Candye Kane, Lou Ann Barton, Debbie Davies, Big Time Sarah and others. She has been a member of Magnum Force, Just for Kicks, Jack Flash and Mojo Jones before starting the band with drummer John Turner.

John Turner – Started playing drums in the early 60’s along with Joe Cooke, of the Joe Cooke Band. Helped start one of the area’s first blues bands ‘the Velvet Jones Blues Band’ and also was a member of the ‘the Rockin Rebels’, and ‘Jack Flash’.

Blake Everist – Bass and Vocals. One of the area’s most well known singing bass player. Now also playing and singing lead vocals for ‘the Texas Groove Band’ and, occasionally sits in with ‘the Sofa Kings’.

Rob Judd – Guitar. Met Suzy in their first working band called ‘Lady Luck’ and also was a member of the well-known band ‘Ramblin Fever’ for 13 years.

Rick Speer – Keyboards. Well known in the community and played in the past with Strange Brew, Still Crazy and Mojo Jones.

10:00PM – Senses

Senses creates musical experiences that mix the best elements of jazz, funk, blues, rock and soul. The sound is original and fresh. “Looking for Your Face” CD nominated for a Grammy in 2007 with sales on the rise in West/East coast, Chicago, and Europe. Featured CD and tracks on internet radio and music sales site. Soon-to-be-released CD (Summer 2009) mentioned for a Grammy nomination.

David Cain (vocals, sax, synths): Hoogland Center for the Arts resident artist. Formerly on the roster of Geffen Records. Coltrane meets Peter Gabriel meets Jack Kerouac

Howard Freitag (guitar and guitar synth): Local guitar legend. Pat Metheny meets Warren Haynes meets Frank Zappa

Jeff Cunningham (bass): Amazing 6 string bassist. Jaco Pastorius meets Stanley Clarke meets Chris Squire

Mike Newberry (drums and edrums): Watch the sticks and feet closely! Dennis Chambers meets Billy Cobham meets Louie Bellson

David Hoffman (trumpet, flugel): Former trumpet soloist and arranger for Ray Charles. Miles Davis meets Freddie Hubbard meets Louis Armstrong

Luda Olifiruck (dance): Fusion dancer extraordinaire! Jennifer Lopez meets Janet Jackson meets Beyoncé

11:00PM – Tombstone Bullet

Tombstone Bullet is a riff driven blues band influenced and inspired by the styles of Luther Allison, Lowell Fulson, Son Seals, Albert Collins, Otis Rush and “The Three Kings”. Tombstone Bullet plays originals and covers with drive, hard hitting blues emotion and a touch of funk feel that gets people out on the dance floor or at least moving to the beat in their seat.

Ricky Hardin – Vocals and Guitar: Ricky has played with many bands in the Springfield area over the past 25 years, playing both covers and originals. He has shared the stage with touring blues musicians and has a deep love for the blues. His powerful gritty vocals and “keep it simple” approach to the guitar bring a true blues experience for the listener

Mike Gillette – Bass and Saxophone: Mike has been a regular in the Springfield music scene for many years. He has performed with touring pros on the stops in Springfield as well as being involved playing in a variety of local and regional bands and productions. He is an accomplished saxophone, clarinet, guitar and bass player. With Tombstone Bullet, Mike holds down the rhythm section with his great bass playing.

Mike Rapier – Lead and Rhythm Guitars: Mike is a long time blues guitar player who until forming Tombstone Bullet with the other members of the band limited his playing to special event gigs and jamming with friends. Mike has had the opportunity to play on stage with touring blues players here and overseas and has performed at Buddy Guys Legends in Chicago while studying with National Guitar Workshop’s Chicago Blues Summit.

Cory Brown – Keyboards: In addition to playing blues with Tombstone Bullet, Cory is busy as a pianist and band leader for a local church playing contemporary worship music services, and he also conducts and plays keyboard in local theater productions. Cory is a great keyboardist, has a fine natural feel for playing the blues and adds and awesome vibe to this band.

Jeff Tucka – Drums & Percussion: Jeff has been playing the drums since the age of 13. His musical interests are extremely carried and include (but are not limited to) jam-band, indie rock, hip hop, heavy metal, electronica and bluegrass. With a good ear and eclectic taste for good music he is now enjoying the world of blues, quickly embracing the nuances of great blues drumming, he now holds down this already solid rhythm section.