One of the points to ponder for music fans during the next couple weeks is if they favor works by a Pulitzer Prize-winning composer or Grammy-winning musicians. Fortunately, if the answer is simply “yes” the schedule allows time for both.
A husband-wife folk duo who’ve both won Grammys for their work will perform the opening concert of Juneau Jazz and Classics’ 38th annual Spring Festival on Saturday night. The final days of the two-week festival will feature the world-premiere performance of a composer with a notorious Alaska history (and the aforementioned Pulitzer) by a contemporary experimental string quartet at the National Shrine of St. Thérèse.
“It really does bring a slice of all different kinds of genres from blues (with) Memphis Gold to jazz (with) the Lionel Hampton Big Band to the cutting-edge contemporary classical music — which is the JACK Quartet world premiere to national Grammy Award-winning fiddling,” said Zuill Bailey, JJAC’s artistic director and an award-winning cellist scheduled to perform several shows.
As is tradition for JJAC, the lineup includes a mix of returning and new performers, most of whom will perform shows in multiple venues. Several events are free, including four weekday Brown Bag Concerts at noon at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center, a jazz jam at the Crystal Saloon, and a Rush House concert next Monday evening by The Navy Band Northwest Bangor Brass Band at Pioneer Pavilion.
The opening headliner is Mark and Maggie O’Connor, who have performed together as a couple for the past decade, with a 7 p.m. concert Saturday at Thunder Mountain Middle School. Mark is an award-winning fiddle player, composer, guitarist, and mandolinist; Maggie an award-winning violinist and singer.
“They just played in Carnegie Hall this past week,” Bailey said. “So literally they’re coming from Carnegie Hall to perform for us to open our festival.”
Another headline performance is the JACK Quartet’s world premiere of John Luther Adams’ classical composition “Never and Always Becoming,” scheduled during two shows at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. at the shrine. Adams, a Lower 48 musician beginning in his teen years, moved to Alaska in 1978 at the age of 25, spending the subsequent decades composing works for various genres and media. He won the 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Music for his orchestral work “Become Ocean.”
“Basically they champion his music,” Bailey said of the quartet. “So if you want to hear his music at its best you’re going to hire the quartet that does it best, and they are known for cutting-edge new music and championing living composers, and he is one that they have done so much with. I’ve been trying to figure out a way to feature his music for years and I was thrilled that the stars aligned to literally get a world premiere of his work by a quartet that not only adores him, but it was written for.”
Bailey is scheduled to perform two shows Sunday and Monday with classical pianist Bryan Wallick, who he has collaborated with extensively elsewhere including a tour in South Africa. Beyond that, as the festival’s artistic director, he plans to play numerous improvised gigs at various times and spots around town during the festival that continues through May 17.
“That’s why people have to get onto our social media — because we do pop-ups almost every day,” he said.
The festival is essentially spread out over three weekends, with some interspaced weekday shows. The first weekend will feature the O’Connors, and Bailey and Wallick duo concert. The next weekend features a Saturday blues cruise with Memphis Gold performing, followed by a Mother’s Day concert Sunday by classical guitarist Martha Masters. The final weekend features the Christian Fabian Trio on Friday night followed by the Lionel Hampton Big Band on Saturday.
Some of the performers will also appear at other events — including the Navy band appearing at the Juneau Maritime Festival on Saturday, where Bailey also plans to do some pop-up playing — as well as out of town. Sandy Fortier, JJAC’s executive director, said the Christian Fabian Trio is scheduled to perform a concert in Tenakee Springs. The JACK Quartet is also scheduled to perform May 16 as part of the Sitka Music Festival.
Juneau Jazz and Classics’ Spring Festival schedule
Friday, May 2
6-8 p.m.: Festival Kickoff Party, Crystal Saloon. Zuill Bailey and other festival officials will be at the Crystal Saloon (upstairs) for the kickoff party.
Saturday, May 3
11 a.m.-5 p.m.: Juneau Maritime Festival booth, Elizabeth Peratrovich Plaza. Zuill Bailey will perform.
7-9 p.m.: Mark and Maggie O’Connor, Thunder Mountain Middle School. Grammy-winning husband/wife duo.
Sunday, May 4
2-4 p.m.: Everlasting Classics with cellist Zuill Bailey and pianist Bryan Wallick, Ḵunéix̱ Hídi Northern Light United Church.
Monday, May 5
Noon-1 p.m.: Free Brown Bag Concert with cellist Zuill Bailey and pianist Bryan Wallick. Juneau Arts and Culture Center.
5:30-7:30 p.m.: Free Rush Hour Concert by the The Navy Band Northwest Bangor Brass Band. Pioneer Pavilion.
Thursday, May 8
Noon-1 p.m.: Free Music at the Museum by pianist Bryan Wallick. Juneau-Douglas City Museum, as part of its summer exhibition “Wild Joys: Creating Community Through Performing Arts.”
Friday, May 9
Noon-1 p.m.: Free Brown Bag Concert with Memphis Gold. Juneau Arts and Culture Center.
7-9 p.m.: Blues Dance with Memphis Gold, Juneau Arts and Culture Center.
Saturday, May 10
8 p.m.-11 p.m.: Blues Cruise featuring Memphis Gold. Meet at Statter Harbor in Auke Bay.
Sunday, May 11
2-4 p.m.: Sunday Serenade by classical guitarist Martha Masters. Egan Library at University of Alaska Southeast.
Tuesday, May 13
Noon-1 p.m.: Free Brown Bag Concert with the JACK Quartet. Juneau Arts and Culture Center.
6-8 p.m.: Community Workshops for jazz and classical techniques, University of Alaska Egan Wing. By members of the JACK Quartet and the Christian Fabian Trio. $10 auditor, $25 participant, scholarships available.
8 p.m.: Free Jazz Jam, Crystal Saloon. Featuring Christian Fabian from the Lionel Hampton Big Band. All ages welcome; under 21 should be accompanied by a guardian.
Wednesday, May 14
5:30-7 p.m. and 7:30-9 p.m.: Strings at the Shrine, Shrine of St. Therese. Features the JACK Quartet performing the world premiere of John Luther Adams’ classical composition “Never and Always Becoming,” plus other works.
Friday, May 16
Noon-1 p.m.: Free Brown Bag Concert with the Christian Fabian Trio, Juneau Arts and Culture Center.
7-8:15 p.m. and 9-10:15 p.m.: Jazz & Jive featuring the Christian Fabian Trio. Crystal Saloon.
Saturday, May 17
7-9 p.m.: Festival Finale: Lionel Hampton Big Band, Elizabeth Peratrovich Hall.
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at mark.sabbatini@juneauempire.com or (907) 957-2306.
