All that jazz: 5 music festivals that really swing

Jazz music may seem laid back, but its devotees aren’t too cool to drop everything and head for a festival celebrating the genre. In honor of International Jazz Day on April 30, here are 5 music festivals that really swing.

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Jon Batiste and Stay Human at Newport Jazz Festival in 2014 | Flickr CC: digboston

Newport Jazz Festival
Jazz deities like Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday and Miles Davis helped put this seaside Rhode Island town on the musical map. Now, the three-day event is one of the can’t-miss jazz events of the summer. This year’s festival will take place July 29 to 31 in Fort Adams State Park, with scheduledperformances by Norah Jones, Chick Corea, Gregory Porter and many more. newportjazzfest.org

Montreal, Quebec. Source: Clément Belleudy/Flickr Creative Commons.

Montreal International Jazz Festival
Move over, Céline Dion. Quebec’s biggest musical success story is this event, which attracted 1,913,868 attendees for its 25th anniversary year in 2004, snagging the Guinness World Record for largest jazz festival. Headliners for the 2016 gathering, taking place June 29 to July 9, include Rufus Wainwright, Chick Corea, Gregory Porter, Wynton Marsalis and—why not?—Diana Ross. montrealjazzfest.com

Detroit, Michigan. Source: Shakil Mustafa/Wikipedia.

Detroit Jazz Festival
Motor City gets a bad rap these days, but this Labor Day weekend tradition has long been a feather in the city’s cap. The event, which claims to be the world’s largest free jazz festival, has drawn headliners including saxophone legend Sonny Rollins, Latin jazz bigwig Paquito D’Rivera and jazz violinist Regina Carter. This year’s festival is scheduled for Sept. 2 to 5 in downtown’s Hart Plaza. detroitjazzfest.com

Bo Dollis and the Wild Magnolias at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival | Flickr CC: Derek Bridges

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
N’awlins jazz has a sound all its own, but the lineup at this cultural celebration is as diverse as the ingredients in a pot of jambalaya. This year’s event takes place April 22 to May 1, and the performers range from Trombone Shorty to Stevie Wonder to the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Latin pop star Carlos Vives. And the food is just as show-stopping. Among this year’s offerings are Cajun duck po’boys, alligator pie and praline-stuffed beignets—proof that jazz musicians aren’t the only ones who improvise. nojazzfest.com

The White House is just about the only venue in Washington, DC, that’s not hosting a concert during Jazz Fest. Source: Matt H. Wade/Wikipedia.

DC Jazz Festival
Performances, master classes and family-friendly workshop takeplace at dozens of venues throughout thenation’s capital. This year’s roster includes It Girl vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant, saxman Kamasi Washington and Maceo Parker, best known for his recordings with James Brown and George Clinton. The festival will be June 10 to 19, 2016. dcjazzfest.org