Sonoma Jazz+ announces ‘legend’-ary line-up
Bona fide American legends will headline 2007’s Sonoma Jazz + Festival May 24-27 over Memorial Day weekend: Tony Bennett (Sunday), Harry Connick Jr. with Bonearama (Saturday) and Smokey Robinson, with Michael McDonald opening (Friday). Thursday’s artists will be announced later.
Sunday: Tony Bennett is quite simply the most celebrated living American vocalist. At 80, he’s just won his umpteenth Grammy for his latest album, “Duets/An American Classic.” The reviews of the album and ongoing tour make it clear: he’s not lost a step. This giant of American song was the natural choice to open the first Sonoma Jazz + Festival, and we feel lucky and honored to have him back.
Friday: Smokey Robinson is equally iconic, a classic singer coming from the R & B tradition, and one of the great American songwriters. Bob Dylan wasn’t joking when he called him “America’s greatest living poet.” Born in 1940, he founded the Miracles in the late 1950s, and soon fell in with a man named Berry Gordy.
