The Lake George Arts Project celebrates the 40th anniversary of Jazz at the Lake, a free, three-day festival (September 13-15) featuring renowned and rising jazz stars. This year's stellar lineup includes rising star Jahari Stampley, trumpet virtuoso Michael Mayo, GRAMMY-winning artists Ulysses Owens, Linda May Han Oh, Nicole Zuraitis, Danilo Perez, and many more. The festival also showcases local favorites, offering a vibrant mix of styles throughout the weekend.
"As we celebrate forty years of bringing world-class jazz to Lake George, we are incredibly proud to present a lineup that reflects the festival’s rich history while also pushing the boundaries of contemporary jazz. Jazz at the Lake has always been a cherished tradition, and this year's event promises to be our most unforgettable yet," said Tanya Tobias, Executive Director of the Lake George Arts Project.
The full lineup for this year’s Jazz at the Lake can be found at: www.lakegeorgearts.org.
The Festival Kicks Off Friday Night (Sept 13)
Opening night (September 13) sets the stage for our big 4-0, where we welcome the 2023 First Place winner of the Herbie Hancock International Competition, Jahari Stampley, who will perform with his family trio, comprised of 7-time GRAMMY Award nominee Erania Stampley and Miguel Russell (drums), who, before he was 21, had played with jazz greats Wynton Marsalis, Nestor Torres, and Paquito D'Rivera.
Local bands remain an essential part of the festival, and on Friday night, returning favorites and new artists to our festival will be playing at multiple locations around town as part of our Jazz Around Town program. Local artist highlights include The Arch Stanton Trio, Nook & Cranny, Dylan Perillo and Brad Brose, the Scott Hopkins Jazz Trio, and the Chuck Lamb Trio. Partner businesses include The Barnsider, The Inn of Lake George, The Caldwell Lake George Library, Gaslight, and The Lagoon.
Unleash Your Inner Jazz Fan on Saturday (Sept 14)
We start early on Saturday with our popular Coffee and Jazz (10 a.m. - 12 p.m.) program at Hello Sunshine Bagel Bistro. Jazz fans can grab a free coffee (generously donated by Hello Sunshine) and experience the sounds of the Chad McLoughlin Trio.
Saturday on the Shepard Park Stage, Michael Mayo (1 p.m.), a trumpet virtuoso celebrated for his soulful and innovative playing, will ignite the stage with his infectious energy. Renowned saxophonist Ben Wendel (3 p.m.) will mesmerize audiences with his lyrical and complex compositions. At 5 p.m., three-time GRAMMY™ Award-winning drummer Ulysses Owens Jr., known for being a drummer who "takes a back seat to no one," according to The New York Times, will perform with Generation Y, the next generation of dynamic talent from the top music conservatories in NYC and beyond. We’ll finish Saturday night with a Shepard Park Stage favorite, GRAMMY winner Nicole Zuraitis (8 p.m.), jazz singer-songwriter, pianist, and arranger, New York-based bandleader, and winner of the prestigious 2021 American Traditions Vocal Competition Gold Medal.
Savor the Final Notes of the Festival on Sunday (Sept 15)
On Sunday, jazz fans can take a tour of Lake George on our Jazz Cruise. Passengers will enjoy live music, light breakfast fare, and breathtaking views while cruising the sparkling waters of the Queen of American Lakes.
Sunday on the Shepard Park stage, the Daniel Kelly Group (1 p.m.) will pay tribute to festival founder Paul Pines in a performance that uses Pines’ poetry (read by David Gonzales) as inspiration. At 3 p.m., GRAMMY award-winning bassist and composer Linda May Han Oh, who has performed and recorded with artists such as Pat Metheny, Kenny Barron, and Joe Lovano, takes the stage with her dynamic quintet. We end the festival with GRAMMY Award-winner and UNESCO Artist for Peace, Danilo Pérez, who will be performing with John Patitucci and Adam Cruz (5 p.m.), lauded as creative powerhouses in contemporary music.
The Lake George Arts Project would like to extend its deepest gratitude to Kenneth and Susan Gruskin and Gruskin Creative for their years of generous support and dedication to one of our most vital programs. We are also thankful to the Town of Lake George, the Village of Lake George, the New York State Council on the Arts, Anonymous, and our generous members and supporters for their contributions to this year’s Jazz at the Lake.
For more information about the 40th Anniversary of Jazz at the Lake, visit: lakegeorgearts.org.
About Jazz at the Lake
Since its inception in 1984, Jazz at the Lake has become a wildly popular and critically acclaimed event. The festival brings thousands of visitors to the Lake George region during the off-season and is the largest free cultural event in Lake George. Since 2019, Jazz at the Lake has evolved from a two-day festival with seven performances to a four-day experience with eight shows in Shepard Park, nine performances in partner locations around the village, and an estimated 4,000-6,000 attendees. Our festival is unique in that it strives to present the work of both emerging and established artists, as well as provide opportunities for international, national, regional, and local musicians to perform.
About The Lake George Arts Project
The Lake George Arts Project was established in 1977 to offer comprehensive programs in the arts. Its mission is to provide exposure and income opportunities to professional and emerging artists, and to provide quality arts programming for the residents and visitors of the Lake George region. Our music and art programs include year-round Courthouse Gallery exhibitions, as well as exhibitions of work by regional artists in our Project Local program, Jazz at the Lake in September, our Wednesday Night Summer Concert Series, and many outreach programs, partnership events, and special programs.
