Kamasi Washington leads 15-artist JAS June lineup

The 2022 Jazz Aspen Snowmass June Experience will include more than 15 artists at 10 venues, the nonprofit festival producer announced Tuesday.

The initial lineup of artists includes saxophonist and bandleader Kamasi Washington and many returning Jazz Aspen musicians including bluesman Keb Mo, Latin jazz percussionist Poncho Sanchez with an eight-piece band, bassist Christian McBride, Aspen a capella staple Take 6 and trumpeter/singer Bria Skonberg, who will also perform at a festival-opening VIP show at the Aspen Art Museum on June 23.

The festival will run June 23-26 in staggered shows at multiple downtown Aspen venues.

Concertgoers will be free to hop from concert to concert, a return to the festival’s 2019 format after two years of pandemic disruptions to the schedule. For the 2021 event, which marked the return of indoor music to Aspen following a 15-month pandemic shutdown, ticket buyers were assigned set schedules of concerts.

Venues will include the rooftop at the Aspen Art Museum, Belly Up Aspen, Wheeler Opera House, Limelight Hotel, W Hotel’s 39 Degrees, Sterling Club, Here House and Hotel Jerome’s Felix Coffee and Bad Harriet.

Passes will go on-sale Thursday, Feb. 17, at 10 a.m.at JazzAspenSnowmass.com, where full details about the lineup are also available.

Options include a two-day weekend pass ($199; June 24-25), or a $125 daily pass that will allow access into all participating venues on either June 24 or June 25. A weekend VIP pass is also available and will include three nights of dinner and private performances at the Aspen Art Museum (June 23-25).

Additional artists for Friday include four-time Grammy nominated husband and wife duo The Baylor Project, trombonist/vocalist Natalie Cressman and Brazilian guitarist Ian Faquini, the funk band Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio, blues wunderkind guitarist-vocalist Jontavious Willis, Chicago’s LowDown Brass Band and multilingual vocal and guitar duo Eleanor Dubinsky and Dario Acosta Teich.

Saturday’s shows include pianist Benny Green and percussionist Jeff Hamilton with their “Remembering Ray Brown” tribute, and Memphis-based soul/blues band Southern Avenue.

The festival will close Sunday with a gospel brunch at the Aspen Art Museum featuring vocalist Niki Harris and trombonist Wycliffe Gordon. Brunch tickets will be released at a later date.

Jazz Aspen will require all attendees to show proof of full COVID vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test result taken within 72 hours of arrival. The festival will also follow policies of each venue, meaning a negative test result may not allow access (Belly Up is currently requiring full vaccination for entry). These conditions are subject to change based on CDC and Pitkin County Health guidelines at the time of the event, the announcement specifies.

atravers@aspentimes.com