2025 Festival Dates: August 22, 23, 24
25th Anniversary | Esther Short Park | Vancouver, WAshington, USA
Vancouver Wine & Jazz Festival
5:30 - 6:45 PM | 2025 Band - Shemekia Copeland
Shemekia Copeland possesses one of the most instantly recognizable and deeply soulful roots music voices of our time. The multi-GRAMMY nominee is beloved and honored worldwide for the fearlessness, honesty and humor of her revelatory songs, as well as for her winning, engaging personality. The Chicago Tribune says, “Copeland is the greatest female blues vocalist working today. There’s no mistaking the majesty of her instrument, nor the ferocity of her delivery.” Born and raised in Harlem in 1979, Shemekia Copeland first stepped on stage with her famous father at New York’s Cotton Club when she was eight. Upon release of her Alligator Records debut Turn The Heat Up in 1998 when she was only 18, Copeland instantly became a blues and R&B force to be reckoned with. The late John Prine paid her a huge compliment when he said, "She simply doesn’t sound like anybody else." And none other than Copeland’s friend, the legendary Mavis Staples, announced, “I am so happy Shemekia is delivering these songs that the world needs to hear. Her voice is strong and soulful, and her message comes from her heart.”
“. . .Shemekia Copeland is the greatest blues singer of her generation. . .” – The Washington Post
Sunday Headline Bands
3:45: - 5:00 PM | (2024 Band: Stanley Jordan - Jazz Guitarist)
Be it bold reinventions of classical masterpieces or soulful explorations through pop-rock hits, to blazing straight ahead jazz forays and ultramodern improvisational works, Stanley Jordan can always be counted on to take listeners on breathless journeys into the unexpected. Jordan came to prominence with his 1985 album Magic Touch, a revolutionary project that placed him at the forefront of re-launching legendary Blue Note Records into a contemporary entity in jazz. Magic Touch was at the top of Billboard's jazz chart for a stunning and record-breaking 51 weeks. The album became a gold-seller (over 500,000 sold in the U.S. alone) - outstanding for any jazz or instrumental CD. Jordan performs frequently as a soloist and performs with the Dave Matthews Band, the String Cheese Incident, Phil Lesh, Moe, and Umphrey's McGee, as well as collaborating with other guitarists such as Kevin Eubanks. Jordan has received four GRAMMY nominations.
“…Genius is a word often tossed around in musical circles, but it has been rightfully applied to Stanley Jordan...” – LA Times Jazz Critic Leonard Feather
Sat | Aug 23, 2025
Saturday Headline Bands
4:45 - 6:00 PM | (2024 Band: The Rumba Kings)
Formed in 2015 by George Stevens (bouzouki & Spanish guitar) and Johnny Bacolas (bassist & songwriter), The Rumba Kings is a Seattle-based band that defies musical boundaries. Since 2018, they have gained a steady following through the support of Seattle jazz station KNKX FM. Influenced by diverse musical genres ranging from the Spanish-guitar influence of The Gipsy Kings to the Mediterranean-inspired instrumental melodies of Yanni, The Rumba Kings captivate audiences with their diverse and romantic blend of Jazz, Pop, Latin, and Mediterranean music. While their name may suggest a focus on rumba, the name is somewhat misleading. The Rumba Kings' repertoire encompasses a myriad of musical influences, creating a rich and dynamic sound combined with a powerful 12-piece live stage show featuring guitars, bouzouki, mandolin, bass, Latin percussion, keyboards, strings, singers, saxophones, and dancers.
Website: CLICK HERE | Video: CLICK HERE | Video: CLICK HERE
Gates open
@ 11 AM
3:00 - 4:15 PM | 2025 Band: Greta Matassa Quintet
Over her 40-year career, Greta Matassa has become established as one of the great jazz singers of her time, and has worked with top jazz musicians in Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and her native Seattle. Greta has been voted Best Jazz Vocalist 8 times by Seattle jazz magazine Earshot. She was inducted into the Seattle Jazz Hall of Fame in 2014. For the last 20 years Greta has become one of the most unique and respected jazz educators, teaching and mentoring up-and-coming jazz singers from Seattle to Japan, Alaska to Kauai, and Chicago to New York. She will be performing with her quintet which includes: trumpeter Paul Mazzio, bassist Clipper Anderson, guitarist Christopher Woitach, and drummer Mark Ivester.
“Matassa’s performance was a marvel of virtuosity.” – LOS ANGELES TIMES
Website: CLICK HERE | Video: CLICK HERE | Video: CLICK HERE
Sun | Aug 24, 2025
Gates open
@ 11 AM
5:30 - 6:30 PM | (2024 Band: Norman Sylvester Blues Band)
Born in Bonita, LA in 1945, Norman's earliest influence came from hearing gospel singing in church, and blues greats like BB King and T Bone Walker coming from the Juke Joints on the back streets of town. His first professional gig was in 1963 with the legendary Isaac Scott. Norman has since shared the stage with the likes of James Cotton, Tower of Power, Buddy Guy, Blind Boys of Alabama, Peter Frampton, and many more. The Norman Sylvester Band performed at the first Portland Waterfront Blues Festival in 1987 and has played over 4000 concerts in its 40 years. Norman is known for his generosity in sharing the stage with young ‘up-and-coming’ musicians and is an outstanding educator and blues scholar. Norman is an Oregon Music Hall of Fame inductee and is recognized as one of the BEST bluesmen in the Northwest by fans and his colleagues alike.
7:15 - 8:30 PM | 2025 Band - Take 6
Take 6 (Claude McKnight, Mark Kibble, Joel Kibble, Dave Thomas, Alvin Chea and Khristian Dentley) is the most awarded a cappella group in history. With 10 Grammy Awards, 10 Dove Awards, a Soul Train Award, and Members of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, this musical phenomenon has six virtuosic voices united in crystal clear harmony, against a backdrop of syncopated rhythms, innovative arrangements, and funky grooves that bubble into an intoxicating brew of gospel, jazz, R&B, and pop.
Take 6 has collaborations and praise from such luminaries as Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Brian Wilson, Ella Fitzgerald, and Whitney Houston. Take 6 has crossed most musical genres, from straight-ahead Jazz to Pop to adult R&B, doo wop to blues. Like a fine-tuned vocal orchestra, the group continues to push the boundaries of creativity and musical genius with every new release, and with their ever-evolving live performances. The multi-platinum selling sextet has toured across the globe, and is recognized as the pre-eminent a cappella group in the world.
“. . . the baddest vocal cats on the planet!" – Quincy Jones
8:15 - 9:30 PM | 2025 Band - Arturo Sandoval
Arturo Sandoval’s extraordinary contributions to jazz have earned him international acclaim and an impressive collection of accolades – including the 2024 Kennedy Center Lifetime Achievement Award, 10 GRAMMY Awards, and 22 GRAMMY nominations. Sandoval’s ability to effortlessly traverse genres and styles, showcasing his mastery of Latin jazz, bebop, and beyond, has garnered him widespread recognition as a versatile and trailblazing musician. Sandoval’s musical explorations have extended beyond traditional jazz, leading him to be a pioneer in the realm of Latin jazz. As a composer and performer, he has fused elements of Afro-Cuban rhythms, Latin melodies, and jazz harmonies, creating a captivating and distinctive sound. His collaborations with prominent artists from various genres, including Dizzy Gillespie, Tony Bennett, Josh Groban, and Alicia Keys, highlights his versatility and ability to bridge musical boundaries.
“Arturo Sandoval continues to bridge cultures with his intoxicating blend of Afro Cuban rhythms and modern jazz.” – Kennedy Center Lifetime Achievment Award
Website: CLICK HERE | Video: CLICK HERE | Video: CLICK HERE
BEST of the Northwest Bands
11:30 AM- 12:15 PM | (2024 Band: Greg Goebel Trio)
From straight ahead jazz, funk and pop, to the avant garde, Greg Goebel is considered one of the Northwest's first call pianists. Praised by critics for "manifesting his ideas with the immediacy and sureness of a master craftsman" (Jazz Times) and as "a force that is stretching known boundaries and moving the music into new territory" (Larry Koonse), pianist Greg Goebel shows himself as firmly rooted in tradition while simultaneously proving to be a unique voice among a new generation.
Gates open
@ 3:30 PM
Friday Headline Band
8:30 - 9:45 PM | 2025 Band: Rick Estrin & The Nightcats
San Francisco Bay-area blues band Rick Estrin and The Nightcats have been nominated for The Blues Foundation for Contemporary Blues Album of the Year, 2024 Living Blues Award, Band of the Year, and Best Harmonica Player. Their dynamic concerts and stage shows have endeared them with fans at festivals and clubs throughout the United States. With Estrin's harmonica virtuosity and sly soulful vocals, Christoffer Kid Andersen's wildly inventive guitar, Lorenzo Farrell's masterful keyboards and Derrick “D’Mar” Martin's funky, creative drumming, the band takes Estrin’s ingenious, original songs to new and unexpected places, as they continue to reinvent traditional blues styles.
"Hugely entertaining, intelligently conceived and executed roots rock with a wickedly cool and otherworldly twist on tradition. Estrin’s harp work is masterful." –Living Blues
The BEST of the Northwest Bands
12:00 - 1:00 PM | (2024 Band: Jasnam Daya Singh Chamber Jazz)
Brazilian-born pianist and composer Jasnam Daya Singh now makes the Pacific Northwest his home. His impeccable technique and introspective playing endear him to audiences and musicians alike. Singh’s Ekta: The Unity Project, was commissioned by Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble for the 2017 Montavilla Jazz Festival. It is a multi-movement suite that incorporates a wide-range of tributaries of the jazz stylistic river—Brazilian choro and samba of Singh’s country of birth, expansive European jazz and classical styles, and high-energy straight-ahead jazz. Since 1991, he has made constant appearances at the Monterey Jazz Festival. He has recorded and performed with great luminaries such as Paul McCandless, Ali Ryerson, Kenny Stahl, Claudia Villela, Charles Loos, Marcia Maria, Alex Acuna, and Alphonso Johnson. In 2009, Jasnam Daya Singh’s CD Live at Caramoor with Jovino Santos Neto, received a Latin Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Album.
1:30 – 2:30 PM | (2024 Navy Band Northwest Jazz Band)
The Navy Band Northwest Jazz Band leans into contemporary jazz, performing songs by Marcus Miller, Snarky Puppy, Michel Camilo, and Vulfpeck – but sprinkles their show with a salt and pepper of jazz fusion and jazz standards. This cutting-edge jazz ensemble is anything but ‘old school.’ In 1944, a group of Sailors formed a band at Naval Air Station Seattle at Sand Point to welcome home the Hellcat Fighter Squadron returning from combat operations in the South Pacific. The band became known thereafter as the “Hellcat Band.” 80 years later, Navy Band Northwest is the United States Navy's musical ambassador in the Pacific Northwest region and is one of nine U.S. Navy Bands in the continental United States, Hawaii, Italy, and Japan.
Fri | Aug 22, 2025
12:30 - 1:30 PM | (2024 Band: The Dan Balmer Group)
Guitarist Dan Balmer has performed and toured with Joey DeFrancesco, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Les McCann, Javon Jackson, Karrin Allyson, Benny Golson, Jeff Hamilton, Gerald Clayton, John Clayton, Terell Stafford, Ingrid Jensen, Duduka da Fonseca, Kendrick Scott, Taylor Eigsti, Buddy De Franco, Bruce Forman, and countless other jazz artists. The Dan Balmer Group will play music from Dan's 2023 CD When The Night, which Ashley Kahn of the New York Times called “…one of the best CDs of last year…" Dan's music is a unique blend of jazz, indie rock, funk, and pop, that is emotional, accessible, and virtuosic. Dan received The PDX Jazz Master Award for 2024.
"...the model of what a contemporary guitarist should be..." - LA Times
7:00 - 8:00 PM | (2024 Band: US Navy Northwest Brass Band)
In 1944, a group of Sailors formed a band at Naval Air Station Seattle at Sand Point to welcome home the Hellcat Fighter Squadron returning from combat operations in the South Pacific. The band became known thereafter as the “Hellcat Band.” 80 years later, Navy Band Northwest is the United States Navy's musical ambassador in the Pacific Northwest region and is one of nine U.S. Navy Bands in the continental United States, Hawaii, Italy, and Japan. This 35-member unit performs in various ensembles including New Orleans-style brass band, jazz quintet, rock band, concert band, and more. The Navy Band Northwest Brass Band performs funk, rhythm and blues, jazz, and soul music in the old-school New Orleans Brass Band tradition featuring trumpets, trombones, tuba, saxes, and drums. Get your dancing shoes on, and party like its Mardi Gras!
We are updating the 2025 Lineup! Below includes 2025 Bands & 2024 performers
2:00 - 3:15 PM | (2024 Band: Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra)
Celebrating its 30th anniversary season, SRJO is the Pacific Northwest’s premiere big band jazz orchestra, and features many of the finest jazz musicians in the region. Co-founded in 1995 by saxophonist Michael Brockman, SRJO is dedicated to preserving and advancing the tradition of large ensemble jazz through performances and collaborations with renowned artists, and by maintaining appreciation of America's greatest jazz composers. SRJO is known both for its high-quality performances and its commitment to free and affordable jazz education. Today’s performance features Michael Brockman and the SRJO Quintet.
6:30 - 7:45 PM | (2024 Band: Marcus Roberts Jazz Trio)
Pianist Marcus Roberts is often hailed as “the genius of the modern piano.” He is known throughout the world for his impeccable technique, introspective playing, and commitment to integrating the jazz and classical idioms to create something wholly new. His first recording with orchestra (Portraits in Blue, Sony Classical, 1996) featured his innovative arrangement of “Rhapsody in Blue” and was nominated for a Grammy. Roberts’ melodic and soulful group improvisational style uses musical cues and exotic rhythms as the foundation for his modern approach to the jazz trio. The Marcus Roberts Trio features the phenomenal drummer Jason Marsalis, and gifted bassist Rodney Jordan and is known for its virtuosic style and entirely new approach to jazz trio performance. While most jazz trios have the piano front and center, all members of the Marcus Roberts Trio share equally in shaping the direction of the music.
“Pianist Marcus Roberts is a genius that makes him the logical successor to Thelonious Monk's wild style, with a lot of Fats Waller in his stride” – Philadelphia Inquirer
The BEST of the Northwest Bands
4:00 - 5:00 PM | (2024 Band Terry Robb - Acoustic American Blues)
Terry Robb is an awarding-winning fingerstyle guitarist, singer, composer, and arranger. His work is featured in Hollywood films, and documentaries such as Game of Thrones, The Horse Whisperer, and Dance of Death: The Life of John Fahey, American Guitarist. He is associated with the American Primitive Guitar genre and is regarded as a virtuoso of acoustic blues guitar. Robb has released 15 critically acclaimed solo recordings and performed at festivals and concert halls across the United States, Canada and Europe. His latest release, Confessin’ My Dues, was nominated by The Blues Foundation for the Acoustic Blues Album Blues Music Award. Robb is a member of the Recording Academy, Oregon Music Hall of Fame and Cascade Blues Association Fall of Fame.
“. . .Terry Robb is one of our finest acoustic guitarists today. . .” – Living Blues magazine
Website: CLICK HERE | Video: CLICK HERE