Additional Showtimes: 5 pm, Tuesday, April 9 Grenadian-Canadian Kaia Kater’s jazz-fueled voice and deft songcraft have garnered her extensive critical acclaim. Through artful banjo playing and lush songwriting, Kaia draws on influences rooted in Quebec, the Caribbean and Appalachia, all of which reflect the diversity of her background. Kater was a participant in SMF’s Acoustic…
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The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys / AJ Lee & Blue Summit
Additional Showtimes: 7 pm, Sunday, April 7 Formed in the Smoky Mountains, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys are exactly what you would expect and not at all what you would expect from a tattooed East Tennessee bluegrass outfit. However, they take pride in being ambassadors of their genre. The group has brought their music from rural…
Latin Dance Party: Orquesta Akokán
Additional Showtimes: 6 pm, Saturday, April 6 Led by dynamic singer Kiko Ruiz, producer Jacob Plasse, arranger Michael Eckroth and the “island’s greatest instrumentalists” (The New York Times), Orquesta Akokán has a cohesion forged by years of international touring. The Cuban powerhouse ensemble’s sound has blossomed into an intimate dialogue between good friends, allowing for fearless…
Latin Dance Party: Orquesta Akokán
Additional Showtimes: 9 pm, Saturday, April 6 Led by dynamic singer Kiko Ruiz, producer Jacob Plasse, arranger Michael Eckroth and the “island’s greatest instrumentalists” (The New York Times), Orquesta Akokán has a cohesion forged by years of international touring. The Cuban powerhouse ensemble’s sound has blossomed into an intimate dialogue between good friends, allowing for fearless…
Michael Collins & Friends
Back for his second chamber music residency at Savannah Music Festival, clarinetist Michael Collins performs his first Savannah recital, also featuring returning pianist Ana-Maria Vera. As Gramophone noted, “Collins plays with an irresistible exuberance.
Noon30: Tony Trischka
Tony Trischka is considered one of the most influential living banjo players. Trischka’s EarlJam honors Scruggs, the pioneer of a unique three-finger banjo style and one of the most important figures in bluegrass. “The depth of Earl’s genius becomes ever more apparent when I transcribe his solos, which I’ve been doing my entire life and…
Crescent City Funk: Dumpstaphunk / Cha Wa
Additional Showtimes: 5:30 pm, Friday, April 5 Dumpstaphunk is simply one of the funkiest bands out of the Crescent City. Born on the Jazz & Heritage Festival stage, and composed of Neville and Meters family bloodlines, the group ignites deep, gritty grooves that keep audiences on their feet. Alongside Tony Hall, Nick Daniels, Alex Wasily,…
Philip Dukes & Friends II: Bach and Beyond
This concert features two composers that were most definitely not influenced by JS Bach, and in the case of Tchaikovsky, Bach’s music was very much “back and beyond.” Although he acknowledged his technical skills, he in no way regarded Bach as a musical legend.
Cajun Dance Party: The Savoy Family Cajun Band
Additional Showtimes: 7 pm, Saturday, April 6 Aptly named the “First Family of Cajun Music,” the Savoy Family Cajun Band hails from Eunice, Louisiana. Patriarch and celebrated accordion builder Marc Savoy is a National Heritage Fellow. His wife Ann Savoy wrote a well-known book on Cajun music history, and has produced numerous recordings with the…
Cajun Dance Party: The Savoy Family Cajun Band
Additional Showtimes: 4:30 pm, Saturday, April 6 Aptly named the “First Family of Cajun Music,” the Savoy Family Cajun Band hails from Eunice, Louisiana. Patriarch and celebrated accordion builder Marc Savoy is a National Heritage Fellow. His wife Ann Savoy wrote a well-known book on Cajun music history, and has produced numerous recordings with the…
Noon30: Stephane Wrembel Quartet
Widely considered one of the masters of the Django Reinhardt style, French guitarist Stephane Wrembel’s music has expanded to incorporate jazz, blues, classical, swing, flamenco and rock ‘n’ roll. He immersed himself in Django’s native Sinti culture (a Western European Roma group), learning from Sinti guitarists Angelo Debarre and Serge Krief. Wrembel then pursued studies…
Escher String Quartet feat. Philip Dukes
Escher String Quartet has received acclaim for its profound musical insight and rare tonal beauty. Violinists Adam Barnett-Hart and Brendan Speltz have been residents in the Philip Dukes & Friends series for the past two seasons. For this season of SMF, the full quartet returns for their first featured appearance since 2021, welcoming Dukes to…
Crescent City Funk: Dumpstaphunk / Cha Wa
Dumpstaphunk is simply one of the funkiest bands out of the Crescent City. Born on the Jazz & Heritage Festival stage, and composed of Neville and Meters family bloodlines, the group ignites deep, gritty grooves that keep audiences on their feet. Alongside Tony Hall, Nick Daniels, Alex Wasily, John Michael Bradford and Deven Trusclair, cousins…
Doc and Earl: Doc at 100 / Tony Trischka’s EarlJam
Doc Watson and Earl Scruggs both had transformative impacts on bluegrass and American acoustic music. Celebrating their 100th birth years, this co-bill spotlights each of their musical legacies through stories, tunes and songs. Doc at 100 pulls together friends and former musical collaborators of Arthel “Doc” Watson, also featuring commentary from Ted Olson, author of…
Stephane Wrembel Quartet / Tatiana Eva-Marie & Avalon Jazz Band
Additional Showtimes: 8:30 pm, Thursday, April 4 Widely considered one of the masters of the Django Reinhardt style, French guitarist Stephane Wrembel’s music has expanded to incorporate jazz, blues, classical, swing, flamenco and rock ‘n’ roll. He immersed himself in Django’s native Sinti culture (a Western European Roma group), learning from Sinti guitarists Angelo Debarre…
Stephane Wrembel Quartet / Tatiana Eva-Marie & Avalon Jazz Band
Additional Showtimes: 5 pm, Thursday, April 4 Widely considered one of the masters of the Django Reinhardt style, French guitarist Stephane Wrembel’s music has expanded to incorporate jazz, blues, classical, swing, flamenco and rock ‘n’ roll. He immersed himself in Django’s native Sinti culture (a Western European Roma group), learning from Sinti guitarists Angelo Debarre…
Warren Wolf & Wolfpack: History of the Vibes / Isaiah J. Thompson Quartet
Additional Showtimes: 8 pm, Wednesday, April 3 Isaiah J. Thompson is the 2023 Cole Porter Fellow with the American Pianists Association. Thompson has performed with many acclaimed jazz artists, including Ron Carter, John Pizzarelli, Christian McBride, Cécile McLorin Salvant and Buster Williams. As a performer, he focuses on emitting love, spirit and respect, and conveying…
Philip Dukes & Friends I: Bach’s Romantic Odyssey
This opening concert of the series traces a journey from Bach to Brahms and Shostakovich, through the Romantic Era, featuring two composers that admired Bach immensely.
Noon30: Isaiah J. Thompson Duo
Isaiah J. Thompson is the 2023 Cole Porter Fellow with the American Pianists Association. Thompson has performed with many acclaimed jazz artists, including Ron Carter, John Pizzarelli, Christian McBride, Cécile McLorin Salvant and Buster Williams. As a performer, he focuses on emitting love, spirit and respect, and conveying his own experiences and his everlasting love…
Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder
Country Music Hall of Famer and 15-time Grammy Award-winner Ricky Skaggs returns to Savannah Music Festival after five years, fronting his powerhouse band Kentucky Thunder. “This group of guys meets my approval every night,” Ricky says. “Each and every one of the pickers in Kentucky Thunder totally amazes me in every show…and that, to me,…
Warren Wolf & Wolfpack: History of the Vibes / Isaiah J. Thompson Quartet
Additional Showtimes: 4:30 pm, Wednesday, April 3 Isaiah J. Thompson is the 2023 Cole Porter Fellow with the American Pianists Association. Thompson has performed with many acclaimed jazz artists, including Ron Carter, John Pizzarelli, Christian McBride, Cécile McLorin Salvant and Buster Williams. As a performer, he focuses on emitting love, spirit and respect, and conveying…
Sebastian Knauer Celebrates Gershwin
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of Gershwin’s Rhapsody In Blue, Savannah Music Festival favorite Sebastian Knauer brings a program of American music anchored by the solo piano version of the celebrated composition. Knauer has appeared in almost every season of SMF since 2004 in roles including recitalist, soloist, conductor and chamber musician. He began…
Dervish
Additional Showtimes: 6 pm, Saturday, March 30 Dervish is renowned for their live performances, which combine dazzling sets of Irish tunes with stunning interpretations of traditional songs. Having recently received a lifetime achievement award from the BBC, all six members of Dervish are steeped in the musical traditions of counties Sligo and Leitrim in northwest…
Noon30: Germán López: ALMA [cancelled]
Seven years after his sensational SMF debut, bandleader and timple virtuoso Germán López returns with ALMA, a project comprised of musical collaborators performing his boldly original music. The timple soars above its assumed role as an accompanying instrument in his hands. Through ALMA, López connects listeners with flavorful melodies, rhythms and Canary Island “soul”. Please…
Renée Fleming, Voice of Nature: The Anthropocene
Kennedy Center Honoree Renée Fleming is one of the most highly acclaimed singers of our time, performing on the stages of the world’s great opera houses and concert halls. Winner of five Grammy Awards and the US National Medal of Arts, she has sung for momentous occasions from the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony to the…
TISRA: Zakir Hussain Trio with Debopriya Chatterjee and Sabir Khan
Tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain is proud to present TISRA (three) with two of India’s finest young musicians: Sabir Khan and Debopriya Chatterjee. This trio includes tabla (drum), sarangi (strings), and bansuri (bamboo flute), a combination not often heard on the classical stage. Sarangi and bansuri, both folk instruments, have roots in ancient India and its…
Chucho Valdés Royal Quartet
Winner of seven Grammy Awards and five Latin Grammy Awards, Cuban pianist, composer and arranger Chucho Valdés is the most influential figure in modern Afro-Cuban jazz. In a rich career spanning 60 years, through a variety of ensembles, Chucho has pushed boundaries in pursuit of new expressions in Afro-Cuban music. “El maestro Chucho Valdés is…
Dubhe Ensemble feat. Joseph Conyers
Savannah native Joseph H. Conyers is a highly acclaimed, multi-faceted artist whose innovative work in music education and youth advocacy has been recognized internationally. Now principalbass of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Conyers is also the artistic director and founder of Dubhe, a collective of some of the most influential chamber and orchestral musicians in the world…
Dervish
Additional Showtimes: 8:30 pm, Saturday, March 30 Dervish is renowned for their live performances, which combine dazzling sets of Irish tunes with stunning interpretations of traditional songs. Having recently received a lifetime achievement award from the BBC, all six members of Dervish are steeped in the musical traditions of counties Sligo and Leitrim in northwest…
The Art of the Kora: Derek Gripper & Ballaké Sissoko
Additional Showtimes: 5:30 pm, Saturday, March 30 Malian virtuoso Ballaké Sissoko is considered one of the greatest touring kora players. He joins Derek Gripper, a renowned South African guitarist, whose love of the kora set him to transcribing and recording some of its greatest works. In this collaboration, Sissoko and Gripper explore the ancient musical…
The Art of the Kora: Derek Gripper & Ballaké Sissoko
Additional Showtimes: 8 pm, Saturday, March 30 Malian virtuoso Ballaké Sissoko is considered one of the greatest touring kora players. He joins Derek Gripper, a renowned South African guitarist, whose love of the kora set him to transcribing and recording some of its greatest works. In this collaboration, Sissoko and Gripper explore the ancient musical…
Noon30: Marta Pereira da Costa feat. Duarte [rescheduled]
Marta Pereira da Costa is the first and likely only professional female Portuguese guitar player specifically versed in fado, the soulful music from Portugal recently acknowledged by UNESCO as part of the World’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. She draws on threads of fado, jazz and Brazilian folk music, and is joined by fado singer Duarte for…
Marta Pereira da Costa feat. Duarte / Bridget Kibbey’s “Bach to Brazil”
Additional Showtimes: 5 pm, Friday, March 29 Marta Pereira da Costa is the first and likely only professional female Portuguese guitar player specifically versed in fado, the soulful music from Portugal recently acknowledged by UNESCO as part of the World’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. She draws on threads of fado, jazz and Brazilian folk music, and…
Marta Pereira da Costa feat. Duarte / Bridget Kibbey’s “Bach to Brazil”
Additional Showtimes: 8:30 pm, Friday, March 29 Marta Pereira da Costa is the first and likely only professional female Portuguese guitar player specifically versed in fado, the soulful music from Portugal recently acknowledged by UNESCO as part of the World’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. She draws on threads of fado, jazz and Brazilian folk music, and…
Futurebirds / T. Hardy Morris
Rock juggernaut Futurebirds is an Athens, Georgia based group described by singer/guitarist Carter King as “always too indie rock for the jam festival, too country for the indie scene, a little too psych-rock to feel like we were Americana.” Founding members King, Daniel Womack, Thomas Johnson and bassist Brannen Miles began playing together as students…