28th Annual Chestertown Jazz Festival Presents Jazz by the River

2024 CHESTERTOWN JAZZ FESTIVAL LINEUP

Featuring

Sylvia Hackett Frazier and the Anointed Vessels

Traditional Gospel Opening

Sylvia Hackett Frazier has been involved in the local music scene all her life. In her earlier years she performed with The Blacketts, and later with the late Jazz Johnson’s Band, plus various groups including The Melonaires and Nia, under the direction of Marlon Saunders. Over the decades Sylvia has brought together dynamic and talented singers and musicians to create, notably, the 100 Voice Choir which amazed and inspired audiences over the 10 years of its existence. The Anointed Vessels now includes several former members of her earlier groups. Over the decades, collaborating with her late husband Bill Frazier to created S&B Productions, she produced gospel music festivals, fund raisers, and contributed her talents to sing at countless church services and social gatherings.

Prince-Rodgers Grateful Jazz

Prairie Prince, Bobby Lee Rodgers, Ella Rodgers

Jazz with a Grateful flair

Bobby Lee Rodgers, guitarist, singer, and songwriter, has a background in many musical styles including jazz. He was a young instructor of Jazz Studies at Berklee College of Music, and he enjoys fusing jazz with rock, funk, and blues as well as performing with tribute bands: (All You Need is Love – The Beatles; Jazz is Dead with Steve Kimock; and others.) He is known for his unique interpretations of musical greats such as Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Wes Montgomery.

Bobby Lee’s latest musical endeavor is a collaboration with his 17-year-old daughter Ella Rodgers, incorporating her exploration of her favorite musical styles of the singers and musicians of ragtime, boogie-woogie, and hot jazz of an earlier era.

Prairie Prince also has a foundation in jazz, counting Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich as his earliest drum influencers, from enjoying listening to his sisters’ record collection of the 1950’s jazz giants. Known for his powerful drumming in the rock-world (The Tubes, Journey, Todd Rundgren, Phil Lesh, XTC) Prairie is looking forward to this collaboration with Bobby Lee and Ella Rodgers to develop a unique jazz sound.

Brent Birckhead

Award-winning Saxophonist

Brent Birckhead, named “Best Alto Saxophonist” by Washington City Paper, has performed and toured with legendary artists including Lauryn Hill, Nas, Wale, Eric Benet, and many more. He is currently the professor of saxophone at Morgan State University.

David Stryker Quartet featuring Warren Wolf

Jazz Guitarist with Guest Vibraphonist

Dave Stryker is a preeminent jazz guitarist, as attested to by some 15 appearances as a top placer in the DownBeat Critics and Readers Polls, plus 35 albums as a leader and many more credits as a sideman. He is also a fine composer, whose music has been recorded by many others, most notably saxophonist Stanley Turrentine. He has made innumerable appearances at Birdland Jazz as well as jazz venues around the globe. Collaborating with vibraphonist Warren Wolf, the Quartet was recently featured at the 2024 Birks Jazz Fest.