The 5th annual Springfield Jazz Festival will present a full evening-long jazz festival on two stages around Park Central Square in downtown Springfield, featuring various local artists along with nationally known headliner, trumpeter and jazz educator Bob Lark, performing with the Missouri Jazz Orchestra. The date is Friday October 3rd, and it's FREE and open to the public. The stage on Park Central East will feature the Linda Sala Jazz Project at 6:00pm; the Richard Bruton Quartet at 7:00, and Brandon Mezzelo's Haus Quintet starting about 8. And the main Park Central Square stage gets underway at 6:15pm with the Missouri State University Jazz Studies Ensemble. From 7:15 to about 8:30pm it's the Arthur Duncan Trio; then featured artist Bob Lark and the MOJO, the Missouri Jazz Orchestra, will take the main stage about 9:00pm. For those in interested in getting a little more into the action, “Gold Level Seating” is available for $10.00, with a reserved floor seat in front of the main stage at Park Central Square.
Bob Lark will also perform and speak to more than 200 high school students at 1:25 p.m., Friday, Oct. 3, at the Youth Empowerment Summit (YES!) in the Plaster Student Union Theater on the Missouri State University campus. The YES! Conference was started 12 years ago by former Springfield NAACP President Larry Maddox as a way to emphasize the importance of rigorous classes and college preparation for African-American students.
The Springfield Jazz Festival was an idea springing from the FieldGuide 2030, the community’s strategic plan. The vision for the Global Perspectives & Diversity Chapter is for the Springfield region to become a welcoming community that celebrates our differences by valuing a commitment to service and economic prosperity; through innovation and creativity; with knowledge and leadership; and that improves quality of life for all.
For more information visit www.springfieldjazzfestival.com.