Contact: Connie Shaver

connieshaver@charter.net ~ 612-308-5785

St. Paul, Minn., Nov. 9, 2015 -- After the largest weekend in its seventeen-year history this past summer, the Twin Cities Jazz Festival brings back the Winter Jazz Festival on Sunday, January 31. The Saint Paul Hotel will play host to local and nationally-known jazz musicians for the Festival. From 2:00 to 9:00 p.m., musicians and ensembles will warm up jazz fans on three stages. 2012 Twin Cities Jazz Festival headliner Cyrus Chestnut will join Jazz Fest’s Artistic Director Francisco Mela and Gerald Cannon as headliners at 6 p.m. in the Hotel’s Ballroom. Additional musicians will be announced next month.

“I’ve declared 2016 as the ‘Year of Music’ in Saint Paul, to celebrate and highlight the incredible live music scene we have here in this city,” said Mayor Chris Coleman. “Culture and music and vitality are inextricably linked, and the Jazz Fest is a perfect culmination of all three. I’m greatly looking forward to another year where the city comes alive with jazz, and all the excitement and vibrancy that comes with it.”

Tickets purchased in advance are $30 and can be purchased at HERE or at twincitiesjazzfestival.com. Tickets purchased at the door will be $35.

Date: Sunday, January 31, 2016

Time: 2:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Venue: The Saint Paul Hotel

Admission: $30 advance, $35 at the door

The event will partner with the Leigh Kamman Legacy Foundation with a portion of the proceeds going to the Foundation.

A native of Bayamo, Cuba, drummer Francisco Mela has taken jazz scene by storm since his move to Boston in 2000 to study at Berklee College of Music. Mela is Jazz Fest’s first Artistic Director, and is currently the drummer for McCoy Tyner, Melissa Aldana and Joe Lovano. His most recent performance at the festival featured his new Jazz Machine tribute to the great drummer Elvin Jones. Additionally, he tours with David Sanchez, John Scofield, Kenny Barron among others. He joined the Twin Cities Jazz Festival as its first artistic director in 2015.

Twin Cities Jazz Festival, established in 1998, is a non-profit organization, with a mission to keep the art form of jazz alive and well in our community.

Support for the 2015 Twin Cities Jazz Festival is provided by the Knight Foundation through its Knight Arts Challenge, Minnesota State Arts Board Arts Access grant, NEA, and the City of Saint Paul Cultural Star.

More information twincitiesjazzfestival.com

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