Saratoga Jazz Festival Returns Headliners, Upgrades, Hidden Gems 

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The much-anticipated Saratoga Jazz Festival returns this weekend to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) with a new sponsor, upgrades, and a slate of performers encompassing almost every musical genre in existence.

Crafting such a diverse lineup of artists is no easy task, and festival producer Danny Melnick has been at it for more than a year.

“It’s bananas because we are getting inquiries about next year already,” he told Saratoga TODAY.

Musicians are especially eager to perform live nowadays, both to compensate for lost income during the pandemic and because the loss of album sales has necessitated busy touring schedules. This means that finding musicians to take the SPAC stage is not a struggle, but whittling down a list of hundreds of interested artists certainly is.

“One of the great challenges for me is that the festival has 22 sets and not 200 sets,” Melnick said.

The competitive, behind-the-scenes booking process is probably beneficial for festival-goers, however, who will be treated this year to headlining acts like Gary Clark Jr., Trombone Shorty, Cory Wong, Cassandra Wilson, Gregory Porter, Lettuce, DJ Logic & Friends, and Veronica Swift. Just this group alone encompasses a blues/rock/soul fusion, a contemporary spin on New Orleans-style jazz, funk, Grammy Award-winning vocals, nu-jazz, and bebop. Experience levels range from up-and-coming names to established pros. And it’s just the tip of the iceberg. 

Melnick’s picks for gems hidden inside this year’s lineup include Julius Rodriguez, a young pianist/multi-instrumentalist performing at 12:20 p.m. on Saturday on the Charles R. Wood “Discovery” stage.

“He is this literal genius of music,” Melnick said. “He’s put out two of his own albums already and he is mind blowing.”

Another of Melncik’s buried treasures is Brandee Younger, a harpist who just released an album earlier this month. Younger will be the second act on the Discovery stage on Sunday.  

“She played Alice Coltrane’s restored harp at Carnegie Hall and it was totally fantastic, brilliant, amazing, wonderful, gorgeous; everything you could ever imagine,” he said.

In addition to a robust schedule of performers, this year’s fest comes with some upgrades, including more food vendors, new speakers, and larger video screens.

“This winter, Live Nation installed new speakers in the amphitheater facade going out onto the lawn,” Melnick said. “They also installed new high-definition, larger video screens on the amphitheater facade.”

The upgrades provided by Live Nation come at a time when locals have responded less than enthusiastically to the company’s new policy that bans all outside lawn chairs. However, this rule only applies to Live Nation-produced events. The Saratoga Jazz Festival is produced by SPAC, and the venue continues to allow attendees to bring in their own lawn chairs, lawn umbrellas, food, drinks, and blankets.

Also new this year: GE Vernova will sponsor the festival for the first time after agreeing to a $1 million, five-year partnership with SPAC. Although the lead sponsor name on the banner has changed, the festival will still feel familiar to past attendees.

“I think people should feel like the festival that they love is happening again,” Melnick said.

Amenities at this weekend’s Jazz Festival include a fine arts and crafts fair, as well as artist merchandise signings. Parking for the event is free. Performances will begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 28 and at 11:45 a.m. on Sunday, June 29. 

Tickets are still available at www.spac.org. Children 12 and under receive 50% off tickets in the amphitheater and are free on the lawn. Full-time students with a school issued ID receive 25% off tickets in the amphitheater, or $28 on the lawn (student ID must be presented at will call).  

2025 Jazz Festival line-up 

Saturday, June 28

Amphitheater: 

Gary Clark Jr.

Gregory Porter

Lettuce

Veronica Swift

Michel Camilo Trio

Kenny Garrett

Charles R. Wood “Discovery” Stage: 

Artemis

Nicole Zuraitis

Keyon Harrold

Julius Rodriguez

C.J. Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band

The String Queens

Sunday, June 29

Amphitheater:

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue

Cory Wong

Cassandra Wilson

Al Di Meola Acoustic Band

DJ Logic & Friends featuring Vernon Reid, Cyro Baptista, Emilio Modeste, James Hurt, Felix Pastorius & Terreon Gully 

Charles R. Wood “Discovery” Stage:

Gary Bartz

Bria Skonberg Quintet

Brandee Younger Trio

La Excelencia 

Skidmore Jazz Institute Faculty All-Stars Celebrate their Heroes featuring Clay Jenkins, Jimmy Greene, Steve Davis, Dave Stryker, Bill Cunliffe, Todd Coolman & Dennis Mackrel