5th International Jazz Day is April 30 at Phoenix CityScape Park
By Patricia Myers
“Jazz is really about the spirit of life; the more creative you are with it, the better it is. Jazz has the ability to take the worst of circumstances and struggles and turn them into something creative and constructive.” So says William “Doc” Jones, producer of the annual International Jazz Day Arizona from 4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, April 30, at CityScape Park, One E. Washington St., Phoenix 85004.
“I had the pleasure of being in New Orleans back in 2012 when Herbie Hancock and UNESCO (an arm of the United Nations) started the very first International Jazz Day event in Louis Armstrong Park,” recalled Jones, founder and president of the NextStudent Academy of the Arts in Phoenix.
“At 7 in the morning, there were more than 5,000 people in the park. After the event, I met and talked with Herbie about my jazz magazine, 504mag. He told me I had a duty, not only as a musician but as a publisher, to do my part in keeping jazz alive. I came back from New Orleans when my wife had knee surgery in Phoenix.
“In January 2013 I decided to produce Phoenix’s first International Jazz day at CityScape. I made a call to (guitarist-vocalist) George Benson and he agreed to be guest speaker, and now we’re up to number four for Phoenix,” he said. “This year, my festival team and I are honoring a local well-known and accomplished musician, trumpeter Jesse McGuire. He’s an Arizona resident who has performed for three presidents and at many high-level sports events. We also will have Dowell Davis, a first-call drummer in this town who has performed and recorded with me on every major gig and recording session during the past 12 years. And I wouldn’t think of doing jazz day without without international star Carlos Rivas, my friend for over 25 years.” Other musicians will be Ioannis Goudelis-keyboards, Dan Pinson-sax, Kerry Campbell-sax, Royce Murray-organ, Chris Finet-bass, Tim Robinson-drums and Jones-keys-sax.
Jones expects this year’s festival to attract the largest audience to date. “We have more than six organizations partnering to promote the event. Attendance has grown from 200 in 2012 to more than 700 last year. Also, this is the first year that International Jazz Day is on a weekend. We invite families and listeners of all ages to attend.”
Admission is $10 advance, $20 at the gate ($5 for children 2 to 10), VIP seating is $100. Advance purchase is at www.ticketlobster.com or call 602-268-0600. Proceeds will support the NextStudent Academy, a local 501(c)(3) organization working with local schools to make jazz education and instruments available to students from kindergarten through college. For more information, go to www.nextstudentmusic.com or call 602- 524-7998.
Jones formed his Niambi big band 35 years ago, naming it for his first-born daughter, and it featured young alto saxophonist Steve Coleman. Jones himself was a horn-line leader with Pop Staples and The Staples Singers, played with saxophonist Von Freeman and also Kool and The Gang in Chicago before relocating to Phoenix. He since has toured with Jerry Butler and The Temptations, and has performed with Kermit Ruffins.
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