Bellevue Jazz Blues Festival to feature 40 performances

The festival will take place May 30 to June 2.

From May 30 to June 3, the Bellevue Downtown Association (BDA) will bring together top regional and international talent to Downtown Bellevue at the 11th Annual Bellevue Jazz & Blues Festival.

Featured artists Deva Mahal and Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio will perform at the Meydenbauer Centre Theatre and other top talent will be showcased at various venues across Downtown Bellevue. The festival kicks off on Wednesday, May 30th with local Latin band Carlos Cascante Y Su Tumbao featured at Bake’s Place; The Darelle Holden Quartet plays at Bake’s Place on Thursday, May 31st.Resonance at SOMA will host two shows on Thursday, May 31st featuring legendary singer, songwriter and saxophonist Curtis Stigers with the Full Circle Jazz Band. Tickets for Meydenbauer Center Theatre headliners are available at bellevuedowntown.com via Brown Paper Tickets. Reservations for Bake’s Place performances are available at bakesplacebellevue.com and tickets for Resonance at SOMA Towers at resonance.events.

Bellevue Jazz & Blues Festival featured artists:

Carlos Cascante Y Su Tumbao

8 p.m. Wednesday, May 30 | Bake’s Place | $18

Active member of the acclaimed Spanish Harlem Orchestra, master crooner Carlos Cascante will perform with his Tumbao, covering traditional salsa, modern timba, Latin jazz, and Brazilian music. This Latin sextet includes Julio Jauregui on piano, Thomas Marriott on trumpet, Dean Schmidt on bass, and Jeff Busch on drums.

The Darelle Holden Quartet

8 p.m. Thursday, May 31 | Bake’s Place | $18

Darelle Holden is a silky smooth songstress with deep musicality. Pop Diva, R&B Powerhouse, and Jazz Siren all apply to her unique and diverse vocal styling. Darelle toured Internationally for 17 years with superstar Sir Tom Jones, ala, “20 Feet from Stardom” and along with her constant touring schedule she’s made countless appearances on Dancing With the Stars, The Tonight Show, The View, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Late Night with Conan O’Brian and the list goes on.

Curtis Stigers with the Full Circle Jazz Band

6:30 & 8:15 p.m. Thursday, May 31 | Resonance at SOMA Towers | $50

Enjoy old-school pop and big band jazz with singer, songwriter and saxophonist, Curtis Stigers, with Seattle-based, Full Circle Jazz Band. Experience an up close and personal, intimate and exclusive performance of this world-class performer with a full 17-piece big band. Stigers’ smooth, ballad-heavy blend of soul and rock (along with touches of nearly every other genre one could call to mind) has enthralled audiences since the early 90s.

The Bellevue Jazz & Blues Festival was first held in 2008. Since then it has continued to attract national talent and diverse audiences while also showcasing regional talent. Headlining artists are selected in collaboration with John Gilbreath, Executive Director of Earshot Jazz. Past featured artists include Branford Marsalis, Booker T. Jones, Shemekia Copeland, Poncho Sanchez, Dianne Reeves, Charles Lloyd, Catherine Russell, Terence Blanchard, Hubert Laws, Mingus Big Band, Spanish Harlem Orchestra and Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra. The event was renamed the Bellevue Jazz & Blues Festival in 2015.

Deva Mahal

7 p.m. Friday, June 1 | Meydenbauer Center Theatre | $25 (Students $15)

A powerhouse vocalist and songwriter, Deva Mahal is the daughter of legendary blues musician Taj Mahal, with whom she wrote the song “Never Let You Go” on his Grammy Award nominated album Maestro. A soul as singular as Deva’s can only find voice through an equally unique sound; Deva’s particular brand embraces her blues roots, with an infusion of gospel-tinged vocals, funk rhythms, jazz-like arrangements, and an R&B sensibility. Deva has performed onstage alongside such legends as Etta James, Dianne Reeves, The Roots, and Cyndi Lauper, and made her acting debut in the Academy Award nominated film American Hustle.

Dr. Lonnie Smith Trio

7 p.m. Saturday, June 2 | Meydenbauer Center Theatre | $25 (Students $15)

Dr. Lonnie Smith is an unparalleled musician, composer, performer and recording artist. An authentic master and guru of the Hammond B-3 organ for over five decades, he has been featured on over seventy albums. Consequently, he has often been hailed as a “Legend,” a “Living Musical Icon,” and as the most creative jazz organist by a slew of music publications. Jazz Times magazine describes him as “a riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in a turban!”

The 11th Annual Bellevue Jazz & Blues Festival is produced by the Bellevue Downtown Association, a non-profit membership organization with a mission to strengthen the economic and cultural vitality of Downtown Bellevue. This year’s festival is supported by the following sponsors and partners: City of Bellevue, Microsoft, Washington Federal, 4Culture, KNKX, 425 Magazine, Bellevue Reporter, Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue High School Bands, Eastside Jazz Club &Gravity Creative.

More information about the Bellevue Jazz & Blues Festival can be found online at bellevuedowntown.com/events/jazz-and-blues-festival.