This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Jazz Arts of the MountainWest (JAM), the 11-year producer of the Salt Lake City International Jazz Festival, announced several changes this year.
Those changes include moving the event to Labor Day weekend (September 1 and 2), and changing the venue from Washington Square to the Gallivan Center.
"The venue change was made because Gallivan is simply a better venue than reto-fitting Washington Square every year plus there is a significant cost savings to utilize Gallivan, a venue designed for events," Floor said in a press release. "The change of dates, while somewhat experimental, was decided because of the extreme heat in July but also because we wanted to try improving attendance to our very important music educational clinics held in partnership with the University of Utah School of Music and also with support of Westminster College."
He continued: "While funding the Festival has been challenging, we are grateful for the George S and Dolores Dore Eccles Foundation, Dennis Merrill, Downtown Alliance and, of course, Salt Lake City. As our Title Sponsor, the City's 86-percent reduction of our funding has been a very difficult pill to swallow, but we appreciate any and all help we can get. We are always in fund raising mode and will be hoping for more help up to the event."
This year, the Festival will be two days, with clinics and performances held at the University of Utah's Libby Gardner Hall. All events on Saturday are FREE to the public and all ages are invited. Attending the clinics will also earn a $5 discount to the Festival activities on Sunday, September 2.
The special one-day Festival will be September 2 at the Gallivan Center, beginning at 1 p.m. with non-stop music until 11 p.m.. Tower of Power, celebrating their 40th year, will headline the Festival.
Deana Martin, daughter of legendary entertainer, Dean Martin, joins the Salt Lake City Jazz Orchestra under the direction of pianist-conductor, Vincent Falcone, music director for Frank Sinatra for over ten years.
Other artists include vocalist Kathy Kousins; trumpeter Chuck Findley, trombonist Ira Nepus, The Drones, Emilee and Greg Floor, the U of U Alumni Band, The Joe Muscolino Band, The Great Basin Street Band and others.