TULSA--The Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame’s 2009 Jazz Fest will pay tribute to the late Wayman Tisdale, featuring performers whose careers benefited from their association with the basketball star-turned-jazz musician. At the Saturday, June 27, event (to be held at the Jazz Depot, 111 E. 1st St.), the hall also is dedicating its Summer Concert Series to the basketball star-turned jazz musician’s memory.
Jazz Fest will be headlined by saxophonist Eldredge Jackson and his group, Listening Pleasure.
Mr. Tisdale produced, performed on and wrote songs for Mr. Jackson’s debut album, “Listening Pleasure,” in 2006, and the two often shared stages in Tulsa.
Mr. Jackson and Listening Pleasure were finalists in “Wayman’s Challenge,” a contest to select the opening act for a series of performances in 2008.
The competition’s winners, WallStreet, also will perform at Jazz Fest.
“WallStreet also were a part of Wayman’s last tour, performing on a jazz cruise around the Bahamas last spring,” said Chuck Cissel, executive director of the hall of fame.
Mr. Cissel added that Jazz Fest, a free event, will be held inside the Jazz Depot, rather than outdoors as has been done in years past.
“We’re going to make this truly a cool jazz event by having it take place inside this very cool hall,” Mr. Cissel said.
Rounding out the lineup for Jazz Fest will be the J3 Jazz & Blues Band, led by Tulsa guitarist Rick Gill, which also will open the Summer Concert Series on June 14.
David Teegarden, a renowned drummer, who has worked with Bob Seger, J.J. Cale, Eric Clapton and many other top talents, makes his Jazz Hall of Fame debut on Sunday, June 21, and the Timothy Paul Trio, led by a former Tulsan now living and working in Arkansas, performs on Sunday, June 28.
“The Wild Women of Jazz” will fill the subsequent seven weeks of the Summer Concert Series.
