As a hometown Sonoma girl, I have to admit that of the five years Sonoma Jazz + has been around, this is my very first year attending the festival. It was nothing as I expected.
I was thinking, “Field of Dreams. This must be a tiny hometown festival that somehow arranged for big names.” Boy, was I wrong. First, I should admit that I love large venue concerts and have been to my fair share. The Sonoma Jazz + temporary tent rivals many of the permanent venues I have attended. The lighting was extensive, the sound was incredible, and thanks to the two large screens at either side of the stage, there were no bad seats. Myself, and friends included, chose not to go the route of seating and stood along the sides of the tent in the standing room only areas so we could dance while having what I considered the best view of the stage, aside from that of the patrons’ area. Outside the main event tent was a festival area, with many sponsors, food and drink tents, and of course souvenirs from your favorite acts. I would suggest that, if you had an inkling of going this year and didn’t make it, that you pencil it in right away for next year. If you didn’t make it, here’s what you missed …
Thursday night is different than any other night of the festival as it is the official opening night dance party. A popular event with the locals, the set-up is completely unlike the rest of the weekend. Chairs are removed to make way for the giant dance floor, and a band guaranteed to move you is provided. Last year, I remember walking around town hearing the sounds of Kool & the Gang. This year, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy was what brought the town to swing.
On Friday night, Joe Cocker was truly the hit of the night. “Up Where We Belong” had the entire audience singing along. “Come Together” brought the crowd to its feet. My personal highlight of the evening was seeing local favorite, The Whiskey Thieves, playing on the special outdoor stage set up in the festival area for music between the larger acts. Tourists and locals combined were dancing in the grass as the band with added guests on keyboard and sax showed that they had the chops to run with the big dogs.
Lyle Lovett commented on how honored he was to share the stage with Shelby Lynn as opener and Willie Brown, two-time Mayor of San Francisco, who addressed the crowd between acts. This was Lovett’s first time in Sonoma and he played a song requested by couple, Ted and Alison, whom he met wandering the Sonoma Plaza that afternoon. At one point he shrunk the band to four members, Lovett included, to do a traditional bluegrass song titled “Keep It in Your Pantry.” Whether the big band or the foursome, listeners were not disappointed by Lyle Lovett and his Large Band.
Finally, the closing night and Ziggy Marley probably had the greatest buzz in Sonoma since the announcement of the 2009 Jazz + lineup. Whether they were there for Chris Isaak or Ziggy Marley, the crowd sucked up every available ticket in the Valley. Isaak had the girls screaming with the likes of his hit song “Wicked Game,” combined with his rhinestone studded pink suit, complete with colored fog at his feet. On the other hand, not only was the town excited to see Ziggy Marley, whose father is the legendary Bob Marley, but they were also happy just to be in the vicinity to hear him, a direct descendant and heir to the legacy of his father. The field outside of the festival was something to rival the 4th of July in the Congregational Church field. Families gathered outside the festival boundaries on blankets with picnics to enjoy a subdued version of the sold-out show inside.
According to festival staff, preliminary numbers show that Thursday’s show was a little light this year. Friday and Saturday were at 90 percent capacity, and Sunday was sold out or just under. If you have not attended Jazz +, mark your calendars for Memorial Day weekend 2010: Thursday May 27 to Sunday May 30. You won’t be disappointed. And as an avid concert-goer, I can attest that we are so lucky to have an opportunity to see world-class musicians in a large performance venue without leaving our comfort zone of Sonoma Valley.
