Albany, New York - Mayor Jerry Jennings and the City of Albany are pleased to announce the Port of Albany’s Riverfront Jazz Festival on Saturday, September 11* at Albany Riverfront Park from 12:30 to 8pm.

The event this year features a great line up of local and nationally acclaimed acts & is presented free to the public. The evening will conclude with fabulous fireworks over the Hudson River!

*A special remembrance ceremony will take place at 4:15pm to honor this historic date.

Official 2010 Jazz Festival t-shirts for this line-up will be available for purchase at the event.

The musical group Troika provides an appealing mix of styles that includes pop, jazz, soul, funk, and classic standards from the Great American Song Book. Comprised of Upstate New York jazz veterans Eric Walentowicz, Robert Lindquist, and Jeff Dowd, Troika is a professional trio playing sophisticated jazz music at length in addition to changing gears completely into high-energy rock. The group is a subset of the jazz group New Regime, which began in 2005 and has since become a mainstay in the Albany-Saratoga jazz scene.

A true multicultural woman, Somi was born in Illinois to immigrants from Rwanda and Uganda, then spent her early childhood in Zambia. The African cultural legacy, always crucial to her sound, is as vital as ever in her current music, which Somi likes to call New African Soul. The music she heard upon relocating to New York (American jazz singers like Nina Simone and Sarah Vaughan) are just as essential to her artistic development as the legendary African female voices of Miriam Makeba, Cesaria Evora and Sade. Among the exemplary musicians who provide the coloring that fleshes out Somi’s songs on her album are longtime collaborators Toru Dodo on Fender Rhodes and piano, and guitarists Liberty Ellman, David Gilmore and Locatelli. The album also features the legendary Hugh Masekela, a longtime Somi fan who has become a mentor, guesting on trumpet.

Born the second son of John and Alice Coltrane in 1965 in Long Island, New York and raised in the Los Angeles area, Ravi began his musical interests with the clarinet in middle school and eventually entered the California Institute of the Arts to pursue musical studies, focusing on the saxophone.  In 1991, Ravi hooked up with Elvin Jones, his father's renowned drummer from the 60's and received his first taste of the jazz life. Within a year, he relocated to New York City and began playing with a variety of players. It was in 1997, after performing on over thirty recordings as a sideman, that Ravi entered the studio to record his first album as leader. In addition to working and traveling with his own group, Ravi recently has made several guest performances with McCoy Tyner, Carlos Santana, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Branford Marsalis and many others. Ravi also continues his role as family archivist of his father's unreleased material and is working closely on preparing new projects with Verve.

Multi-instrumentalist, singer & songwriter Ivan Neville (son of Aaron Neville) formed DUMPSTAPHUNK initially on a whim in order to perform a solo gig at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. Ivan called in cousin Ian Neville (guitar), the double-bass bottom of both Nick Daniels and Tony Hall, and drummer Raymond Weber to round out the show. Named after a song Ivan had recently written, Dumpstaphunk’s informal performance became that of immediate legend. The project has since grown from chance side-project into what is now widely considered to be New Orleans’ most popular musical export. The band was voted 2007’s “New Orleans Best Funk Band” by both Offbeat Magazine and Gambit Weekly, and performs at some of the nation’s largest music festivals such as Bonnaroo, Voodoo Fest, 10,000 Lakes, and High Sierra. The New Orleans Funk super-group is made up of world-class musicians including Nick Daniels (Neville Bros),  Raymond Weber (Trey Anastasio/Joe Sample),  Ian Neville (Neville Brothers/Funky Meters) & Tony Hall (Trey Anastasio/Dave Matthews & Friends). 

Touring the world approximately 200 days per year with his own groups, he is also an Adjunct Professor of Music at New York University and is considered one of the "big three" of current jazz guitarists - along with Pat Metheny and Bill Frisell. His influence began in the late 70’s and is going strong today. With a very distinctive sound and stylistic diversity, Scofield is a masterful jazz improviser whose music generally falls somewhere between post-bop, funk - edged jazz, and R & B. He took up the guitar at age 11, inspired by both rock and blues players. After attending Berklee College of Music in Boston  he began his international career as a bandleader and recording artist in the late 70s. From 1982-1985, Scofield toured and recorded with Miles Davis and this stint placed him firmly in the foreground of jazz consciousness as a player and composer. Since that time he has prominently led his own groups in the international  jazz scene  and recorded over 30 albums as a leader including collaborations with contemporary favorites like Medeski, Martin & Wood, Joe Lovano and Phil Lesh. He’s played with many jazz legends and is known for combining his traditional jazz offerings with funk-oriented electric music. The John Scofield Jazz Quartet will feature pianist Michael Eckroth, bassist Ben Street & drummer Matt Wilson.

Food, beverages and a kids area (crafts with the Tulip Queen & Court) will be available.  

Access to the Amphitheatre at Albany Riverfront Park is via the Hudson River Way pedestrian bridge (Broadway).  Parking is available in downtown Albany at various garages and on the street.  The closest parking garage is the Columbia Street Garage ($5).  

Dogs and other animals (except service animals) as well glass containers are not allowed at City sponsored events.  No audio or video recording is allowed.

Rain-site for the event is the Palace Theatre, corner of Clinton Avenue and North Pearl Street.

A Place for Jazz, Clough Harbour & Associates, Columbia St. parking Garage, Fuller & O’Brien Insurance (a division of Arthur J Gallagher NY), Hodgson Russ LLP, Mohawk Ambulance, Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi.

Media sponsors: FOX 23 News, Magic 590 AM, B95.5 FM, Times Union, Metroland, Capital District Home & Style Magazine, WVCR 88.3 FM, Albany.com, Spiral Design Studio.