Wilmington Celebrates The Legend of Clifford Brown
The Annual DuPont Clifford Brown Jazz Festival will be held at Rodney Square in Wilmington, Delaware from June 21 - 25, 2016. This is a FREE event. According to our friends at VisitDelaware.com, "one of the only forms of music that is purely American, jazz music has been popular across our great country since the late 19th century. That popularity is especially strong in Wilmington, Delaware where we celebrate the music in memory of our very own jazz great, Clifford Brown, each and every summer." This year, the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival will fill Rodney Square with jazz music from June 21 through 25.
Who Was Clifford Brown?
According to the official website, the festival is named after Wilmingtons own Clifford Brown, "who was one of the great American trumpeters of the 1950s. Known to friends and fans as Brownie, Clifford Brown was a trumpeter, whose life tragically ended early one summer morning in 1956. It was the result of a car accident on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which also claimed the life of promising young pianist Richie Powell. At the age of 25, Clifford Brown had already left an indelible mark on jazz." The DuPont Clifford Brown Jazz Festival is our tribute to this great man and a way to keep his memory alive.
The 2016 Festival Performers
Tuesday, June 21: Maya Belardo, the Wilmington Youth Jazz Band, and the Clifford Brown Jazz Supergroup
Wednesday, June 22: Miles Jay and the Ultimate Clifford Brown Tribute featuring Dr. Eddie Henderson, Leon Jordan, Jr., Eric Wheeler, and Sharp Radway.
Thursday, June 23: Adriel Gonzalez and Jibaro con Tumbao featuring Miguel Orlando
Friday, June 24: Nadjah Nicole, Aniya Jazz, and To the Max Band
Saturday, June 25: Robert Glasper, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Kim Waters, and the Saul Rubin Trio will close out the festival week.
Additional Events
Thursday, June 23: the Chase Center on the Riverfront will be hosting Sax in the City, which is an annual fundraiser that benefits many of the cultural events and festivals that happen in Wilmington throughout the summer. Tickets for this event are $25 and can be purchased right from the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival website.
Friday, June 24: The Block Party between 8th and 10th on Market Street. Attending is free and there will also be lots of food, beer, and wine vendors in the area.