This week is Knox Rootabaga Jazz Festival 36th year of bringing acclaimed national artists to Galesburg as well as featuring regional musicians.
Featured artists this year are New York based Matuto who describe their sound as something akin to “Brazilian bluegrass” and Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band.
Blade has played on sessions with Bob Dylan, Herbie Hancock and Joni Mitchell and the fest’s organizer Nikki Malley calls Blade one of the world’s best jazz drummers
Malley says it’s cool to get national artists for Rootabaga but the integration of those artists with local and regional talent is paramount.
“I think that’s one of the reasons we’ve lasted so long,” Malley says. “If it’s just once a year you bring in a bunch of hot shots from out of town that’s cool but it doesn’t really embed the community and we have so much talent here.”
The Knox Jazz Ensemble will play the front half of a free concert Friday 5 p.m. at the Orpheum Theatre, with Blade playing the second half.
When choosing artists like Blade and Matuto to come in Malley hopes to expand audiences musical taste.
“I try to bring in artists who challenge people’s notions about what jazz is,” Malley says. “And obviously for our students and students in the community who hear these things, kind of open their ears to what jazz is now, not just what jazz was historically.”
To see a full list of Rootabaga events visit knox.edu and click on campus life, clubs and organizations and then Knox Jazz Ensemble.
