Tri-C JazzFest Adds Third Day to Virtual Festival

Livestreamed performances featuring Northeast Ohio jazz talent to air Aug. 21-23

Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C^®) has added a third day of music to the virtual edition of the 41^st annual Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland, presented by KeyBank. 

Livestreamed performances will now flow online Friday, Aug. 21, through Sunday, Aug. 23. The free virtual festival will begin at 7 p.m. each night and run approximately 90 minutes on various online platforms. 

The College has been pre-recording performances from some of Northeast Ohio’s top jazz talent to show at the festival. The growing number of magical musical moments captured in these sessions convinced organizers to expand the event. 

“Those of us who were there — from the technical crew and stagehands to the musicians themselves — were excited to be in the presence of live music again,” said Terri Pontremoli, the festival’s director. “We’re looking forward to sharing these performances with the world.” 

In addition to the pre-recorded sessions, the virtual festival will feature live performances by artists as well as drop-in interviews with international jazz icons and footage of memorable moments from past Tri-C JazzFests. 

The lineup includes more than a dozen acts, including the Dan Wilson Trio, Evelyn Wright Quartet, Sammy DeLeon’s Latin Jazz Sextet, Vanessa Rubin, Joe Hunter, Hubb’s Groove and more. 

Acclaimed trumpeter Dominick Farinacci will co-host the virtual festival with Pontremoli and also perform. His path to becoming an international recording artist began in Tri-C’s classrooms two decades ago. 

Visit 2020virtualjazzfest.eventbrite.com to register for the festival, or tri-cjazzfest.com for more information. The festival will stream on Tri-C JazzFest’s website, YouTube and Facebook pages. 

The virtual event will be free, though viewers will have the opportunity to donate to Tri-C’s Student Emergency Fund. Money raised will specifically benefit creative arts students experiencing unforeseen financial challenges with the potential to derail their studies. 

Tri-C JazzFest turned to the online format after restrictions related to the COVID-19 outbreak forced a change in plans. The traditional festival typically draws tens of thousands of music lovers to Cleveland’s Playhouse Square. 

The virtual Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland is presented by KeyBank and made possible by Cuyahoga Community College, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Ohio Arts Council, Strassman Insurance Services Inc., The George Gund Foundation and a growing list of donors and vendors.

August 04, 2020

John Horton, 216-987-4281 john.horton@tri-c.edu