Bellevue Jazz Festival kicks off May 30th

The 5th Annual Bellevue Jazz Festival returns to Downtown Bellevue May 30-June 3, 2012. National artists, local musicians and high school all stars will perform in free and ticketed venues throughout the weekend.

Shows range from concerts at the Theatre at Meydenbauer — with its ideal acoustics and intimate setting — to tableside sets in downtown bars and hotels. Also hear some of the best school jazz bands from around the Seattle area — an area noted for its depth of student and instructional talent.

The 2012 Festival will showcase an all-star lineup of featured shows by the Clayton Brothers Quintet, Booker T. Jones, and the Hubert Laws Quintet.

Award-winning high school jazz programs will be featured in the festival’s Student Showcase. Groups will perform 45-minute sets highlighting the rich and diverse offerings presented by members of the local high school jazz scene.

KPLU School of Jazz and the Bellevue Jazz Festival have teamed up to extend the learning of the region’s top jazz students. The Rising Stars ensembles will rehearse prior to the culminating event of the program on Sunday, June 3 – a performance at downtown Bellevue’s newest music venue Bake’s Place. Doors open at 6 p.m. for dinner reservations with the show starting at 7 p.m. The concert also coincides with the official 2012 KPLU School of Jazz CD release party.

In addition, more than 40 shows in various locations will keep the music flowing throughout the weekend, featuring top local and regional artists.

Individual tickets and packages for the 2012 Bellevue Jazz Festival headline performances are now on sale! Purchase your tickets today to guarantee the best seats in the house. Tickets are available for purchase online through Brown Paper Tickets. $34 per show or $78 package for preferred seating to all three performances.