FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE After last year’s “packed house” downtown, organizers are providing two new offers for jazz lovers at this year’s 5th annual Springfield Jazz Festival. The festival is free to the public and combines a variety of grooves that jazz music has to offer, kicking off at 6 p.m., Friday, Oct. 3. The lineup, performing on two stages, includes the Missouri State University jazz studies ensemble, the Arthur Duncan trio and longtime weekly performers such as The Linda Sala Project and The Richard Bruton Quartet. It culminates with a concert by Bob Lark. Bob Lark is recognized regionally, nationally and internationally as a contemporary jazz educator and a trumpet and flugelhorn player. For those in interested in getting a little more into the action, two new options put you stageside. GOLD Level Seating For just $10, patrons receive a reserved floor seat in front of the main stage at Park Central Square. Purchase of GOLD Level Seating also includes two tickets to a sneak peek performance Thursday, Oct. 2, by headlining act Bob Lark at a VIP reception at Q Enoteca, 308 W. Commercial. Cocktails and Lasagna dinner at 6:30; performance at 7 p.m. Jazz Club Package Park Central Square’s inner courtyard will turn into an open-air jazz club as event organizers offer a “Jazz Club” package for four. The $100 package includes a table for four in a high-energy hot spot right in front of the main stage in the Square. “Jazz Club” lanyards are also your ticket to scrumptious appetizers by downtown restaurants served right at your table and special “surprises” commemorating the Jazz Festival. Two drink tickets per person are provided. The Jazz Club package also includes four tickets to a sneak peek performance by headlining act Bob Lark at a VIP reception at Q Enoteca, 308 W. Commercial, Thursday, Oct. 2. Cocktails and Lasagna dinner at 6:30; performance at 7 p.m. Purchase your VIP special offers today online or at the Springfield Area Arts Council offices at 411 N. Sherman For more information, or to reserve a table or seats, visit Springfieldjazzfestival.com or call Cora Scott at 417-864-1009. Lark will also perform and speak to more than 200 high school students at 1:25 p.m., Friday, Oct. 3, at the Youth Empowerment Summit! (YES!). The summit takes place at the Plaster Student Union Theater on the Missouri State University campus. The YES! Conference was started 12 years ago by former Springfield NAACP President Larry Maddox as a way to emphasize the importance of rigorous classes and college preparation for African-American students. Jazz Festival Performance Lineup: Park Central Square Main Stage
- 6:15-7:00 PM: MSU Jazz Studies Ensemble
- 7:15-8:30 PM: Arthur Duncan Trio
- 9:00 PM: Featured Artist: Bob Lark and the Missouri Jazz Orchestra (MOJO)
Park Central East Stage
- 6:00 PM: Linda Sala Jazz Project
- 7:00 PM: Richard Bruton Quartet
- 8:00 PM: Brandon Mezzelo's Haus Quintet
Partners include: Metropolitan National Bank Minorities in Business The Network Springfield Regional Arts Council It's All Downtown.com Springfield Public Schools Downtown Springfield Community Improvement District Juanita K. Hammons Hall for the Performing Arts Missouri State Jazz Studies Missouri State Office of Multicultural Programs City of Springfield # # # About the Springfield Jazz Festival: The Springfield Jazz Festival was an idea springing from the FieldGuide 2030, the community’s strategic plan. The vision for the Global Perspectives & Diversity Chapter is for the Springfield region to become a welcoming community that celebrates our differences by valuing a commitment to service and economic prosperity; through innovation and creativity; with knowledge and leadership; and that improves quality of life for all. For more information, contact: For more information, contact Cora Scott at 417-864-1009 or [email protected] or Rusty Worley at 417-831-6200 or [email protected]