The Blue Note Jazz Festival Napa Valley is the first Blue Note Jazz Festival to be held outdoors, over multiple days and stages. On July 30 and 31, top-tier talent will perform at the historic Charles Krug Winery in St. Helena, CA, in an intimate festival with restricted seating.
Robert Glasper, a Grammy Award-winning multi-genre pianist, songwriter, and producer, is the Festival’s Artist-in-Residence. Special guests Erykah Badu, Ledisi, D Smoke, Terrace Martin, and BJ the Chicago Kid perform during Glasper’s show, which is hosted by comedian Dave Chappelle.
“The idea for the Blue Note Jazz Festival Napa Valley came out of Robert Glasper’s month-long residency at the Blue Note New York, held each October and dubbed Robtober,” says Blue Note Entertainment Group President Steven Bensusan. “Glasper curates a month of shows and collaborations spanning across the genres of jazz, R&B, hip hop, soul, and comedy resulting in impromptu performances by celebrities and unannounced special guests. It is our plan to create an outdoor festival style version of Robtober in the spirit of a traditional jazz festival featuring spontaneous collaborations and once in a lifetime improvised performances.”
Maxwell, Yasiin Bey, and Talib Kweli reforming as Black Star, Thundercat, and Maurice “Mobetta” Brown featuring Anderson will play at the two-day, three-stage festival. Paak, Flying Lotus, Corinne Bailey Rae, Emily King, Keyon Harrold, Domi & JD Beck, Phony PPL, Chief Adjuah (previously Christian Scott), Derrick Hodge, Th1rt3en (Pharoahe Monch, Daru Jones, and Marcus Machado), Butcher Brown, Isaiah Sharkey, and Frédéric Yonnet. Artists will sit in on one other’s sets as part of the festival’s collaborative vibe.
“I can’t wait to hold a festival with some of my favorite artists along with my boy Dave Chappelle in Napa,” says Glasper. “On a vineyard with music and wine?! It’s going down! Come drink some wine with us!”
On Saturday night, the Blue Note Jazz Festival Napa Valley will hold a funk-filled after-party with two seasoned crate diggers, the iconic DJ Jazzy Jeff and DJ Lo Down Loretta Brown aka Erykah Badu, as well as special surprise guests.
“We’re honored to present a tastefully curated festival, gathering remarkable and culturally important artists with Robert Glasper as the cornerstone and helm,” says Director of Programming and Talent Buyer Alex Kurland. “The programming mirrors the extraordinary depth of Robert’s artistry, style, and collaborative range, and is in the spirit of his annual residency at the iconic Blue Note New York. Just like at Blue Note, this festival reflects our tradition of bringing the highest caliber of artistry and star power to small-scale settings for a most intimate, high-quality experience. Expect the unexpected with spontaneous special moments, and with Dave Chappelle in the house, this festival is bound to be historic.”
By blending a more typical festival-style event with the local wine culture of Napa Valley, the Napa Valley outdoor weekend event offers a fresh audience experience for Blue Note fans. Food from renowned area restaurants, wine sampling experiences, and other VIP extras will be available throughout the weekend. Bluenotejazzfestival.com is selling two-day passes for $385 for General Admission and $850 for VIP.
During the pandemic, Blue Note Napa, which had been in business for six years in the Valley, teamed up with Charles Krug Winery to put on approximately 40 popular outdoor summer performances at a time when few were available. Charles Krug Winery, the Napa Valley’s first winery, was founded in 1861 and is notable for its historical significance and character. Charles Krug was a natural fit as the venue for the next festival, which will now occupy the Winery’s whole grounds for the July event, thanks to Blue Note Napa’s successful cooperation with the winery.
Blue Note continues to present its popular annual Blue Note Jazz Festival, New York, with a variety of performances at locations throughout New York City throughout the month of June. In June, a new Miami Beach pop-up festival will take place at the city’s North Beach Bandshell for two weeks.
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