It’s a series of classical music collaborations, it’s a jazz fest along the Riverfront and in the concert halls, it’s top notch singers from country to blues to Americana, it’s a string quartets, an orchestra, a jazz piano show down, it’s alt country, Africa, Quebec, and the deep south of the United States. It’s the Savannah Music Festival.

More than one hundred concerts, workshops, and educational presentations will take place over a bit more than two weeks, from 18 March through 3 April. This year, the festival’s involvement with jazz music and jazz education continues under the direction of world renown pianist Marcus Roberts, with workshops for jazz educators as well as the final of a competition that sees twelve of the best jazz bands in the country compete for awards, and the bands will have a chance to do outdoor concerts along River Street as well.

The Sensations Series finds festival associate director (and violinist) Daniel Hope welcoming Mark O’Connor (you’ve met him before at Wandering Educators), Jeffrey Kahan, and Benny Kim, among others. Events include a a concert at Savannah’s oldest synagogue featuring music from pre holocaust composers, and O’Connor’s Hot Swing Trio compositions paired with work by Gershwin, and well as a selction of classical music performances.

There’s a strong American roots music component to the festival, as well, and an international flavor also. Wilco is part of the alt country contingent, while teenager Sarah Jarosz and veteran bandleader Del McCoury hold up the bluegrass flag. Patty Loveless and Kathy Mattea bring two of the best voices in country muisc to town,  while Bassekou Kouyate and Ngoni Ba add a touch of Africa, Chris Thile and Mike Marshall play high test mandolins music around, and Jeffrey Broussard and the Creole Cowboys bring Louisiana spice to the proceedings.

Bassekou Kouyate

That’s just a taste of what will be going on at the Savannah Music Festival these next few weeks. Can’t make it to town? Check out the festival’s web site, where you can find out how to listen to some of the events on line.

http://www.savannahmusicfestival.org

Kerry Dexter is the Music Editor for Wandering Educators.

Kerry's credits include VH1, CMT, the folk music magazine Dirty Linen,  Strings, and The Encyclopedia of Ireland and the Americas. She also writes about the arts and creative practice at http://www.musicroad.blogspot.com Music Road. You may reach her at music at wanderingeducators dot com

Feature photo: Kathy Mattea