Salem Jazz & Soul Festival Back For 18th Year This Summer

SALEM, MA — The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival — which has helped raise more than $70,000 for North Shore music education initiatives since 2007 — will return to Salem Willows in August for a free day of tunes, beer, cider and vendors on the ocean.

The event will be held at the Willows Bandshell at Salem Willows Park at 165 Fort Avenue from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Aug. 17 and feature a collection of music education clinics to go along with soul melodies and jazz rhythms, arts and merchandise vendors, and a beer and cider garden.

"It's an opportunity to bring our community together over a shared love of jazz and soul entertainment and appreciation of art and education at a historic place where you can still hear echoes of Duke Ellington resonating from his first stint here almost 100 years ago," Festival president Larry Claflin Jr. said. "We aim to amplify those good vibes with the Salem Jazz and Soul
Festival and with our giving initiatives in the community, as well as a lot more evenings of entertainment throughout the year."

The Salem High School Jazz Band will perform from 11 a.m. to noon, followed by Barrence Whitfield and Four Piece Suit from 1:30 p.m., the Jambalaya Horns Orchestra from 2 to 3 p.m., Yahuba Garcia's Boogaloo Collective from 3:30 to 5 p.m. and Sonya Rae Taylor from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

DJ Skot Void will play a combination of northern soul, rare funk and deep disco jukebox 45s between sets.

The festival continues the tradition of the Charleshurst Ballroom at Salem Willows in the 1920s, which attracted big bands from across the country, including Count Basie, Guy Lombardo, Glen Miller and Ellington for a famous run of shows in 1927.

The Salem Jazz and Soul Festival's inaugural fundraiser, a sold-out event, took place on April 21, 2007. The festival draws thousands of visitors each year to enjoy a free day-long concert at the Salem Willows as well as several concerts and events throughout the year.

So far, the festival board has hosted more tan 100 free concerts and raised more than $70,000 to support music education efforts throughout the North Shore.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)