Inaugural 3 Sails Jazz Festival to launch next week in Toms River

by JAY LUSTIG
Paquito D'Rivera is one of the headliners of the 3 Sails Jazz Festival.

LANE PEDERSON

Paquito D’Rivera is one of the headliners of the 3 Sails Jazz Festival.

Befitting its setting — the campus of Ocean County College in Toms River — the first 3 Sails Jazz Festival, taking place June 12-13, will have a strong educational component, with a series of master classes being presented in addition to the performances.

The festival, which is planned as the first in an annual series, is musically eclectic, with classic jazz, smooth jazz, Latin jazz, big band jazz, folk and other genres represented. “3 Sails” refers to the image in the Ocean County College logo (see below).

Pianist Ellis Marsalis and his son, trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis, will perform together to close the first night of the festival, June 12, while saxophonist and clarinetist Paquito D’Rivera will headline on June 13, with a guest appearance by guitarist Bernie Williams (the Latin Grammy-nominated former New York Yankees star). Drummer Bernard “Pretty” Purdie — who has played with Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Steely Dan and countless others — will perform with guitarist Frankie Cicala immediately before the Marsalises on June 12.

The performances will take place in lot #2 outside the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts on campus (lawn chairs are suggested), and the master classes will be inside the Center.

Here is the schedule:

MASTER CLASSES

JUNE 12
Noon-1 p.m.: Pianist and composer Tuffus Zimbabwe
Noon-1 p.m.: DYAD (saxophonist Lou Caimano and pianist Eric Olsen)
1-2 p.m.: Navy Saxophone Section
1-2 p.m.: Navy Trumpet Section
1-2 p.m.: Navy Trombone Section
1-2 p.m.: Navy Rhythm Section
2-3 p.m.: Bernard Purdie
2-3 p.m.: Frankie Cicala

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PERFORMANCES
JUNE 12
1 p.m.: Gates open
3-4 p.m.: United States Navy Band Commodores
4:15-5:15 p.m.: DYAD
5:30-6:30 p.m.: OCC Jazz Band
7-8 p.m.: Bernard Purdie, featuring Frankie Cicala
8:30-9:45 p.m.: Ellis and Delfeayo Marsalis

JUNE 13
11 a.m.: Gates open
1-1:45 p.m.: Blue Plate Special
2-3 p.m.: Tuffus Zimbabwe
3:30-4:30 p.m.: Saxophonist Don Braden
5-6 p.m.: Drummer T.S. Monk
6:30-7:30 p.m.: Lavay Smith and her Red Hot Skillet Lickers
8:30-9:30 p.m.: Paquito D’Rivera, with Bernie Williams

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