The Week in Jazz is your roundup of new and noteworthy stories from the jazz…
Tag: Becca Stevens
If you’re looking for some great new music to discover this weekend, look no further…
Discover great new music this weekend with our weekly roundup of new songs and albums!…
Discover great new music this weekend with our weekly roundup of new songs and albums!…
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Looking for some Monday motivation? We’ve got you covered. From a fresh take on a…
Becca Stevens is a singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who has made a career of testing…
Sunday night was the end of a long day that included more than six hours…
“What we have created here is an unusual experience,” said Paul Lehr, Executive Director of GroundUP Music, on a break between sets Sunday afternoon. “Unlike the typical festival in which artists come, go to their trailer, play their set, go back to the trailer and they’re gone … we have them accessible all weekend long. We wanted to have more personal interaction, which is why we’ve done the masterclasses and the workshops and the interesting pairings. It’s an experience that people really value, but that works for the artists as well.”
Creating a community has been invaluable, both artistically and financially, for Snarky Puppy and GroundUP. “This has been the root of our success,” said Lehr. “We have a strong community that really supports and follows us.” Before the festival was set up, they wondered whether it would work. “Last year, 62 percent of the entire 3,500 people in the audience came from outside the state. In fact, they came from 34 countries and 37 states. This year, the attendance is up to 4,000 or 4,500.”
Due to zoning regulations, the music had to stop at a certain time (the North Beach Bandshell is an outdoors venue after all). But nobody on stage or in the audience seemed ready to let it go. “We’ll see you later at the hotel,” said League from the stage, inviting the crowd to the after-hours program – and off they went.
For all we know, they are all still there, making time until next year’s festival. 
Photos by Luis Olazábal / Rhythm Foundation and Fernando Gonzalez