2017 Selby Ave JazzFest lineup announced

Mychael Wright, founder of the Selby Ave JazzFest and owner of Golden Thyme Coffee Café, recently announced the entertainment line-up for the 2017 Selby Ave JazzFest.

“With 2017 marking our 16th anniversary, I wanted to bring in a mix of past fest performers and a few acts who are starting to tear things up,” stated Wright, regarding this year’s line-up. “I think people are going to be really impressed.”

The 2017 Selby Ave JazzFest lineup on the U.S. Bank Main Stage will include:

• Selby Ave Brass Band: This group of local musicians will kick off the Fest in a traditional New Orleans procession.They will also perform on the main stage later in the day.
• Walker West Music Academy’s Urban Legends of Jazz: Staff and students from this noted St. Paul music academy will perform a variety of tunes…from historical jazz standards to vocal numbers.
• Salsa del Sol: This Twin Cities-based, nine-piece orchestra performs various styles of dance music from the Spanish-speaking regions of the Caribbean. Self-described as a group of friends that enjoys, hanging out and playing music together, Salsa del Soul’s styles of music include Son Montuno, Cha-Cha-Cha, Merengue, Plena, and, of course, Salsa.
• New Sound Underground: Drawing inspiration from a wide array of styles including funk, jazz, fusion, rock, soul, R&B and debut gospel, the band released its self-titled album in 2013, a year in which they also went on to play the Telluride Jazz Festival. This success has allowed the band to perform at prominent venues including First Avenue, The Dakota Jazz Club, The Twin Cities Jazz Festival (’13, ’16) and Prince’s renowned “Paisley Park After Dark” series. In 2014, New Sound Underground was voted “Best Jam Band of 2015” by City Pages. In March of 2016, the band partnered with Last Triumph’s annual Take Off Tour to SXSW in Austin, TX. The band released its second album this summer entitled Push and continues to captivate audiences with their original sound.
• The MotorSOUL Collective: An all-star group composed of jazz performers from throughout the United States, The MotorSOUL Collective is the brainchild of classically trained violinist, composer and music producer J Daemyon. The group also includes Twin Cities resident and Sounds of Blackness member Patty Lacy. Stated Daemyon, “The essence of The MotorSOUL Collective is an artistic desire to reclaim and revitalize music and creativity. The MotorSOUL Collective embodies the musical hybridization of traditional art forms and culture in modern ways. We are here to articulate a personal and culturally enriching artistic and esthetic statement through a globalized and diverse musical vernacular that is innovative and evokes a cross-disciplinary artistic theory of cultural diversity through melodic expression.”

Besides a free day of great entertainment, JazzFest will also feature a variety of great food vendors (from ethnic specialties to state fair food with a soul food twist!), family activities and live artist demonstrations. “We’re working hard to make sure there’s plenty to do to for folks to make a full day of it,” added Wright.

The 16th annual Selby Ave JazzFest will take place from 11 am — 8 pm on Saturday, September 9 at the intersection of Selby and Milton in St. Paul.

For more information, interested parties can visit the event’s website at www.selbyavejazzfest.com. Admission is free.

—Information provided by the Selby Ave JazzFest