Chuchito Valdés Credit: JWP
Organizers have just announced the lineup for the 51st iteration of the Lakeland Jazz Festival, and the festival will kick off at 9 a.m. on Friday, March 17, when middle and high school jazz ensembles perform for adjudication. Then, that night, dan bruce’s :beta collective will perform.

Bruce, who is currently on faculty at Youngstown State University and Cuyahoga Community College, will participate in a pre-concert discussion prior to the 8 p.m. concert.

The festival continues on Saturday, March 18, with a performance by the Chuchito Valdés All-Star Cuban Quartet. He’ll participate in a pre-concert talk as well, and Valdés’s international quartet will back him for the show.

The festival concludes on Sunday, March 19, with a Big Band Matinee concert featuring the Lakeland Civic Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Demetrius Steinmetz and the Cleveland State University Jazz Ensemble under the direction of John Perrine.

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This article appears in Feb 8-21, 2023.

Jeff has been covering the Cleveland music scene for more than 25 years now. On a regular basis, he tries to talk to whatever big acts are coming through town. And if you're in a local band that he needs to hear, email him at jniesel@clevescene.com.