Sierra Ferrell, Mavis Staples top lineup for 45th annual Clearwater Jazz Holiday

If Sierra Ferrell sings “The Sea” for Clearwater this fall, fans are going to have a pretty great view of, well, the sea, too.

“The festival is going to feature the main stage concerts back on the large green in Coachman Park,” Steve Weinberger told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay.

Weinberger is the CEO of Clearwater Jazz Holiday, which is getting back to its roots for its 45th anniversary by offering large swaths of free seating overlooking not just the ticketed mainstage in Clearwater’s revamped Coachman Park, but free access to stages on the park’s pier and nearby lower plaza.

"For the first 32 of the 45-year history, Jazz Holiday was a free event that was largely supported by corporate partnerships, grants, donations and other fundraising initiatives," explained Weinberger, who's served the nonprofit in various roles for over 20 years, He added "So this format is a hybrid, and in a way, reminiscent of those years."

Ferrell, the fastest-rising star in a bright American roots music scene, is just part of the lineup announced tonight during a special concert by the foundation.

R&B and gospel icon Mavis Staples is also among the headliners for the four-day festival along with St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Cory Wong, Boney James, Tower of Power, Galactic with Anjelika Jelly Joseph, and the U.S. Air Force Falconaires big band.

Tickets to the 2024 Clearwater Jazz Holiday happening Thursday-Sunday, Oct. 17-20 start at $45 and go on sale to the public Monday, June 24 at 10 a.m. A presale happens Friday, June 20 for festival fans subscribed to Clearwater Jazz Holiday newsletters and social media channels.
While reserved seats and reserved seats with VIP area access are available for purchase, Weinberger is excited about fans being able to access parts of the festival-and see headliners-free of charge.

"There's a large bluff, we're calling it the 'Sunset Overlook,' that is a sloping large lawn area that overlooks the green," he added. "Attendees will be able to come in and on a first-come, first-served basis, bring blankets and lawn chairs onto that bluff overlook if they want. But then they can also walk freely around Coachman Park in front of these other stages and also access beer gardens on the green."

The two new side stages, also open to the public at no charge, will book 15 additional artists over four days, effectively setting up the two headliners each night.

Additional acts on the 2024 Clearwater Jazz Holiday lineup include a whole bunch of jazz from ensembles featuring the young musicians the foundation supports year-round, along with groups led by jazz scene mainstays like Hiram Hazley (Ruby’s Elixir, Le Jazz Trio), plus Pete Carney (Jazz Studies Director at State College of Florida), pianist John O’Leary (performing with saxophonist Trace Zacur), and saxophonist Jazmin Ghent.

The Steelin’ Peaches Allman Brothers revue is also on the bill along with Friends of Fil organ trio, Have Gun, Will Travel, The Family Funk, Polyrhythmics, The Castellano All-Stars, and a chilltronic takeover by dance scene staples Jask and Austen van der Bleek.

See the daily 2024 Clearwater Jazz Holiday lineup at the bottom of this post.

Like past Clearwater Jazz Holidays—and like many other jazz fest lineups including the big one in New Orleans—the 2024 lineup coming to Coachman Park ventures beyond straight ahead jazz.

“There is something for everybody and kind of a different vibe each day,” Weinberger said. “The side stages create a festival pre-party each day.”

Also new this year is a flexible ticket package that lets fans choose what kind of seating they want on any given day.

"We wanted to do something special for our 45th anniversary and this format really captures the community feel and magic of the festival tradition," Weinberger added. "Not only is this year’s format more accessible, but It is also a return to something more familiar and an experience unique and special to us.”

And while Clearwater Jazz Holiday’s return to its home at Coachman Park last year included the space’s new venue, The BayCare Sound will not host any music this year.

Part of getting back to the festival’s roots means blending those free and paid elements—and creating more accessibility—as seamlessly as possible.

"The BayCare Sound is a beautiful, first-class, facility, and there may be a time in the future when it’s integrated again in some way, as part of the Jazz Holiday Festival, but this year, we're excited for our community and visitors, to celebrate this milestone year with us in this format and in this familiar setting," Weinberger said, expressing optimism for bringing fluidity to the festival footprint.

"It's more of a festival feel, less of a performing arts center kind of feel. I think for a festival setting, that's important. We really want to take advantage of it, and we want to grow that aspect of our footprint in downtown so that when Jazz Holiday happens, it is something that is special and unique to us and our experience," Weinberger added.
Clearwater Jazz Holiday 2024 daily lineup and schedule
(*support acts on free stages)

Thursday, Oct. 17
Boney James (8:30 p.m.)
Galactic Joseph with Anjelika Jelly Joseph (6:30 p.m.)
—
Clearwater Jazz Young Lions Festival Jam (Alex Markovitch, pier stage)*
Jazmin Ghent* (4:30 p.m., plaza stage)

Friday, Oct. 18
Cory Wong (9:30 p.m.)
Tower Of Power (7:30 p.m.)
—
Austen van der Bleek and Jask* (4:40 p.m., pier stage)
Pete Carney and Orange Alert* (5:30 p.m. plaza stage)
John O’Leary and Trace Zacur quartet* (4:15 p.m. plaza stage)

Saturday, Oct. 19
Sierra Ferrell (9:30 p.m.)
USAF Falconaires (7:30 p.m.)
—
Polyrhythmics* (5:30 p.m., plaza stage)
Clearwater Jazz Youth All-Star Jazz Band * (4 p.m., plaza stage)
The Castellano All-Stars* (4:40 p.m., pier stage)
Hiram Hazley Le Jazz Trio* (6 p.m., pier stage)
Clearwater Jazz Young Lions* (3:15 p.m., pier stage)

Sunday, Oct. 20
St. Paul & the Broken Bones (8:30 p.m.)
Mavis Staples (6:30 p.m.)
—
Steelin’ Peaches* (4:45 p.m., plaza stage)
Friends of Fil* (3:15 p.m., plaza stage)
Have Gun, Will Travel* (5 p.m., pier stage)
The Family Funk* (3:30 p.m., pier stage)

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