Scranton Jazz Festival set for Aug. 2-4

Tickets on sale now for 19th Annual Scranton Jazz Festival Main Stage Act: Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

Tickets are on sale now for two performances at the 19th annual Scranton Jazz Festival that are designed to make summer swing in the Electric City. The festival will be held Friday, August 2 through Sunday, August 4, in Downtown Scranton.

On Saturday, Aug. 3, at 7:30 p.m., multi award-winning swing group Big Bad Voodoo Daddy will perform as the Main Stage Act at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple, 420 N. Washington Avenue.

Co-founded by singer Scotty Morris and drummer Kurt Sodergren in Ventura, California, 31 years ago, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy was at the forefront of the swing revival in the 1990s.

Their unique style blends classic American jazz, swing, and dixieland with the energy and spirit of contemporary culture. Their music has been featured in numerous films and television shows, including “The Wild,” “Despicable Me,” “Phineas & Ferb,” “Friends,” and “So You Think You Can Dance.”

They appeared on “Dancing With The Stars,” “Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” NBC’s Christmas in Rockefeller Center, and the Super Bowl XXXIII Halftime Show, just to name a few.

On Sunday, Aug. 4, at 6 p.m., the Emmy-nominated Scranton Jazz Festival Big Band featuring Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Joe Lovano will perform at The Ritz Theater and Performing Arts Center, 22 Wyoming Avenue. An accomplished saxophonist, composer and producer, Lovano is the Gary Burton Chair in Jazz Performance at Berklee College of Music in Boston, and a founding faculty member of the college’s Global Jazz Institute.

He released 25 records as a leader for the historic Blue Note Records. In 2019, Lovano released his debut album as a bandleader on ECM Records, Trio Tapestry, with Marilyn Crispell and Carmen Castaldi.

The Scranton Jazz Festival Big Band is a 16-piece band comprised of world class jazz musicians who live in Lackawanna, Luzerne, and Monroe counties and surrounding areas. Under the direction of drummer/arranger Marko Marcinko, the ensemble performs classic big band arrangements and modern selections. The band has performed with jazz greats, including Phil Woods, Jon Faddis, Jimmy Heath, John Pizzarelli, Ilona Knopfler, Randy Brecker, and Dave Liebman, to name a few.

Tickets for Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at the Scranton Jazz Festival are $30 to $60 per person. Tickets for the Scranton Jazz Festival Big Band featuring Joe Lovano are $15 to $25 per person. For tickets and more information, visit scranton jazz festival.org.

The festival lineup includes performances by more than 80 national, regional and local swing, jazz, blues and world beat musicians. Reminiscent of a New Orleans style festival, the event takes place in more than 20 venues throughout the Downtown Scranton Business District.

In partnership with Lackawanna Market, festival goers will enjoy a new feature on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. – an interactive marketplace on Courthouse Square with live music and family-friendly activities. In celebration of the festival’s commitment to the arts, there is no admission fee to attend the Jazz Walk on Friday and Saturday nights. Admission is also free to the marketplace on Courthouse Square on Saturday.

The Scranton Jazz Festival is made possible through partnerships with Blu Elefante Events, PA Jazz Alliance Inc., Lackawanna County Visitors Bureau, First Friday Scranton, Lackawanna County, and Scranton Tomorrow, and with the generous support of sponsors and media partners.

For tickets and more information, visit www.scrantonjazzfestival.org and follow Scranton Jazz Festival on Facebook and Instagram.