UPDATED: Top Jazz artists to perform in Huntsville for 2024 Jazz in the Park series
HUNTSVILLE, AL – This September, Huntsville will host top local, regional, and national jazz artists as part of the 2024 Jazz in the Park-Huntsville concert series.
Like Concerts in the Park, which take place weekly in the summertime, Jazz in the Park is a free community event.
The performances will take place every Sunday afternoon and evening at Big Spring Park East, with a special two-day kick-off on Sunday, September 1, and Labor Day, Monday, September 2.
The lineup for September’s concert series was announced on May 31.
“This cherished free community event is more than just a series of concerts,” said Mayor Tommy Battle at the announcement, held in Big Spring Park. “It’s really a celebration. It’s a celebration about our community. Each Sunday in September this park comes alive with world-class talent, offering residents a unique opportunity to experience new sounds. This long-running event is an unbreakable thread in Huntsville’s cultural tapestry.”
Mayor Battle said that Jazz in the Park fosters a sense of unity in the community, as people from all over the city gather to appreciate live jazz.
“Jazz in the Park is crucial for fostering a spirit of inclusivity in our community while adding an element of musical and cultural diversity to Huntsville’s growing music scene,” said Kenny Anderson, Director of Huntsville’s Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. “It brings people together from all backgrounds to enjoy world-class jazz, enriches our cultural landscape, and showcases the unity that music can create.”
Anderson explained that each Jazz in the Park event typically attracts 5,000 to 6,000 concertgoers.
Thirty-seven groups applied to be a part of the 2024 September concert series. Anderson said that this number grows each year, as word of the excellence of Huntsville–and this event–spreads. Anderson is responsible for carefully curating the lineup.
“As we get closer to our overall goal of being a ‘music city,’ bringing in events like this is pivotal to that ambition,” said Huntsville Music Officer Matt Mandrella.
The festival will also coincide with Huntsville Music Month, held each September.
Mandrella emphasized the importance of Jazz in the Park in attracting world-class artists who engage with local students through classroom workshops on music, production, and the music business.
“The classroom workshop component of Jazz in the Park is significant because it inspires the next generation of musicians,” Mandrella said. “We hope these young talents will stay in Huntsville, get involved with our music scene, and in turn, inspire future generations, creating a lasting legacy of musical excellence in our community.”
On the Mondays after each concert–and the Tuesday after Labor Day–the headline performers will conduct a Master Class with the Jazz Bands in select Huntsville City Schools.
Cynthia Joiner, of the Cynthia Joiner Real Estate Group, is the presenting sponsor for Jazz in the Park.
Schedule of Performers:
Sunday, Sept. 1
- 5 p.m. – Joe Rozum
- 6 p.m. – Jeff Bradshaw
- 7:30 p.m. – Jakiem Joyner
Monday, Sept. 2
- 5 p.m. – Cameron Sankey
- 6 p.m. – Dalen Minnifield
- 7:30 p.m. – Althea Renee
Sunday, Sept. 8
- 5 p.m. – N’General
- 6 p.m. – Sherry Reeves
- 7:30 p.m. – BK Jackson
Sunday, Sept. 15
- 5 p.m. – Nina Marie
- 6 p.m. – Tony & The Kings
- 7:30 p.m. – JJ Sansaverino
Sunday, Sept. 22
- 5 p.m. – Noelette Leader
- 6 p.m. – Dominque Hammond
- 7:30 p.m. – Marcus Anderson
Residents and visitors are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs.
