Healdsburg by The Voices of Healdsburg - June 2018

Through strong community support, stellar lineups and sheer persistence,

This year’s festival lineup features many musicians who have played the festival in the last 19 years including the George Cables Trio, Charles Lloyd with Zakir Hussain, Gerald Clayton, Eric Harland and Harish Raghvan; and the Festival All-Stars with alto saxophonist Bobby Watson, drummer Billy Hartand percussionist Babatunde Lea. GuitaristBill Frisell along with Santa Rosa nativeJ ulian Lage are the opening act.

Another Santa Rosa native, Adam Theis, who participated in and helped promote the first festival, returns with his Costa Nostra Strings project. Other events include“Lift Every Voice and Sing,” showcasing Marcus Shelby Big Band with flutist James Newton, vocalist Ruth Naomi Floyd and the community Freedom Jazz Choir plus Dr. Michael White’s Original Liberty Jazz Band making a rare West Coast appearance.

Jazz Village - Considering how important it is for our community to stay strong and connected, especially in the aftermath of the tragic North Bay fires last fall, the Healdsburg Jazz Festival created a new initiative—Jazz Village to debut at the 20th Anniversary Healdsburg Jazz Festival, said board member Mark McMullen. “It will be a place where musicians, locals and visitors can gather to celebrate this historic milestone.”

Presented in partnership with the City of Healdsburg, Jazz Village will be located in West Plaza Park (across from the Bear Republic Brew Pub) from June 1–10 and will serve as the main hub for festival activities. Hours are 12:00 to 6:00pm on Saturdays and Sundays and 2:00 to 6:00pm during the week. Tickets for all performances will be on sale along with commemorative merchandise. Local jazz musicians will perform on the intimate Pocket Stagealong with jazz historians playing and discussing the works of featured musicians. The Healdsburg Center for the Arts will be facilitating an interactive arts area for all ages. The Healdsburg Library will showcase a jazz virtual reality experience. Jazz poetry and haiku activities and much more!

Bring a blanket for the grass and enjoy the fun. healdsburgjazz.org

SDAT comes to Healdsburg Aug. 13–15. Don’t miss it!

Here’s another exceptional opportunity to strengthen our community’s connections: The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has set the date for Healdsburg’s SDAT, Sustainable Design Assessment Team’s “main event.” A small team of volunteer designers and appropriate to the framework the AIA developed during the April 17th preliminary visit, will engage with collections of community stakeholders for an intensive 3-day assessment (August 13–15).

During these conversations they will gather additional information to inform a set of propositions and proposals for Healdsburg to integrate into its future direction. In addition to “issues” the AIA asks a vital rhetorical question worth considering: “How do you maintain the values and character of your community?” The AIA urged Healdsburg to go into this discovery process without expectations; to be flexible, to let go and let the team come here unburdened with preconceived agendas, so they can do their best unfettered work. The role of the local SDAT steering committee is not to steer the outcome but to expand the culture of inclusion, generosity, openness and caring.

All who live in 95448 are encouraged to engage by signing up on the website: Healdsburg-SDAT.org

The SDAT team will also hold two community-wide meetings at the HHS gym. The purpose of the initial August 13th gathering is to listen to and learn from the community; on their final day, August 15th, the team will share their recommended directions and solutions for “a sustainable Healdsburg 2040.” It will be those recommended implementable programs, those potentially exciting directions and solutions for the City, that a united and respectful community will be able to shoulder and bring to fruition. The community is invited and encouraged to attend these potential history-making events.