Artist, venue lineup announced for JAS June Experience

The initial artist and venue lineup has been announced for the JAS June Experience, slated for June 26-29 in downtown Aspen.

Jazz Aspen Snowmass (JAS) said in a Monday news release that the Experience will consist of multiple staggered shows daily, taking place at 12 different venues, allowing attendees the opportunity to stroll around town and enjoy a full night of diverse music genres and settings.

From Grammy winners and nominees to the best emerging talent, international artists to vocalists and instrumental groups, there will truly be something for everyone, the release states.

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“The JAS June Experience has found its footing in the last few years and now is marked by huge anticipation. The multi-venue format really has become as much the star as any individual Artist. So much to choose from in such a small area, the downtown Core of Aspen,” JAS Founder Jim Horowitz said in the release. “With planning heating up for JAS’ permanent home at The Paul JAS Center above the historic Red Onion, an intimate venue for performance, education, events and recording, it’s exciting to imagine the future of this event when we add this exciting new venue to our collection of diverse concert locations at the June Experience.”

Passes for the event go on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 20 and will include the choice of single- or two-day general admission passes or three-day VIP passes. General admission passes include entrance into all venues each night, including the opportunity to enjoy the late performance at the VIP tent in Rio Grande Park. Weekend VIP passes include three nights of dinner and drinks at the VIP tent, stellar music performances at the tent, and entrance into all other venues, according to the release. 

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Performing artists

Thursday, June 26

Cool, Cool, Cool at the Rio Grande VIP tent blends the best of funk, house, and R&B to create a sound that is truly unique. With dynamic female-led vocals, a tight horn section, swirling synths, and a rhythm section that lays down a wicked, dance-driven groove. This band knows how to deliver an electrifying performance.

Friday, June 27

Christian McBride Conducts the JAS Academy Big Band, featuring special guest vocalists Jose James and Alicia Olatuja at the Rio Grande VIP tent: The JAS June Experience weekend overlaps the conclusion of the two-week all-scholarship residency of the “JAS Academy Big Band,” conducted by multi-Grammy winning bassist and artistic director Christian McBride. Special guest vocalists Jose James & Alicia Olatuja, two of the hottest artists to emerge in the worlds of jazz, R&B, and soul in the last decade, will join the Academy Big Band in this special performance.

Samantha Fish at Belly Up: As an artist, singer, songwriter, and guitarist, Samantha Fish has earned numerous accolades for her unique self-expression, which she channels through explosive riffs, visceral rhythms, and spine-tingling vocals.

Marcia Ball at the Wheeler Opera House: “A welcome ray of sunshine…Ball is a killer pianist, a great singer and songwriter. Potent blues, sweet zydeco, soulful, fast and furious Texas boogie…heartfelt, powerful and righteous,” – Billboard.

Dumpstaphunk at the Aspen Art Museum: Dumpstaphunk stands out amongst New Orleans’ best, cementing themselves as one of the funkiest bands to ever arise from the Crescent City. Descended from Neville and Meters family bloodlines, these soldiers of funk ignite a deep, gritty groove that dares listeners not to move.

Matt Schofield at Gravity Haus: Matt Schofield continues to push the frontiers and reshape the boundaries of the British blues tradition. A multi-award winning guitar virtuoso, singer, songwriter, producer and band leader, after more than 30 years of performing, and 20 years into his solo career, Schofield’s impact as one of the most influential and distinctive guitarists of his generation is unquestionable.

Saturday, June 28

Salin at Unravel: Salin is a Thai-born drummer, composer and Juno nominated producer. Her current sound explores the enchanting sounds of Northeast Thailand and marries it with the ’70s psychedelia of West Africa, all through the lens of a modern soulful production. A global blend of music that will inspire hips to swivel and feet to move.

Shayna Steele at the Rio Grande VIP tent: This dynamic vocalist puts new meaning to diversity and grass-roots talent. Her natural ability to traverse musical genres be it in the studio, on the stage, or the screen, has kept her on the A-list of in-demand singers in the industry. Shayna’s effortless execution of both soul and jazz has grabbed the attention of audiences globally, be it the upcoming Monterey Jazz Festival in September, North Sea Jazz Festival with Snarky Puppy or the hundreds of Symphony Orchestras throughout North America.

Tank & the Bangas at Belly Up: “Tank and the Bangas string together grooves from funk, hip-hop, rock and gospel; serious storytelling, self-empowerment exhortations and dance instructions to share the band’s exuberant stream of consciousness,” – The New York Times.

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram at the Wheeler Opera House: GRAMMY-winning guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Christone “Kingfish” Ingram has quickly become the defining blues voice of his generation. With his jaw-dropping guitar playing and his reach-out-and-grab-you-by-the collar vocals, he performs every song with unmatched passion and precision.

Remembering Russell Malone w/Christian McBride, Benny Green & Yotam Silberstein at the Limelight: JAS Remembers the virtuoso jazz guitarist and longtime Friend of JAS, Russell Malone in his favorite small band format, featuring multi-Grammy winning Bassist Christian McBride, pianist Benny Green and guitarist Yotam Silberstein. Russell’s warm and lyrical playing lifted both artists and audiences at JAS in Aspen performances with Diana Krall, Christian McBride, Monty Alexander, John Clayton and numerous students across literally decades.

Morgan James at the Aspen Art Museum: Morgan James is a Juilliard trained singer, songwriter, actress and recording artist in New York City. “A phenomenal talent whose feel for classic soul music is bone deep…This woman is on fire.” — The New York Times.

JAS Academy Bands at The Jerome: Jam session celebrating the future of jazz music with the JAS Academy students in the four ensembles they will have created during their residency.

OLATUJA at Unravel: “…from the start this band made rhythm paramount. Mr. Olatuja, who grew up in both Lagos, Nigeria, and London, favors an amalgam of West African styles, often overlaid with soul and gospel harmony. Ms. Olatuja is an American gospel singer with a strong, lustrous tone and an amiable regal presence onstage.” – The New York Times.

Takuya Kurado at Gravity Haus: A highly-respected trumpeter born in Kobe, Japan, Takuya is a forward-thinking musician that has developed a unique hybrid sound, blending soulful jazz, funk, post-bop, fusion and hip hop music. Takuya’s live shows are riveting and deeply rhythmic, high-energy affairs.

Friday and Saturday shows

Parlor Greens at Sterling: Perhaps one of the most exciting and anticipated projects in the world of heavy instrumental music, the Organ trio features steady, heavy pockets and as funky as they come.

Alex Cuba Duo at Bad Harriet: Cuban singer/songwriter whose warm, elastic vocals float above a sound essentially from everywhere – an effortless mix of funk, soul, and pan-Latin textures.

Additional artists will be announced in the coming weeks.

The June Experience will close on Sunday, June 29 with a New Orleans Brunch taking place at the Rio Grande Park VIP tent featuring Sasha’s Bloc, a hard swingin’ jazz collective celebrating the boisterous big band sounds of the 1920s-40s, when America was dancing and the music was taking the world by storm.

The full JAS June Experience daily schedule, ticket information and more can be found at jazzaspensnowmass.org.