September 19 Vallejo/Vacaville Arts and Entertainment Source: Vacaville Jazz Festival is one-of-a-kind in 24th year

Leading the Vacaville Jazz Festival into its 24th year is about staying the course and trusting the process. Since its start in 1999, the festival has weathered financial uncertainty through the Great Recession and the pandemic, emerging each year with a weekend of free music for the community.

While other jazz festivals in the area have had to charge admission or face dwindling numbers, Vacaville’s annual September weekend remains an anomaly.

“We’re one of the last,” said Ken Stout, president of the Vacaville Jazz Society.

The secret to its continued success is simple: “We’re all volunteers,” said Stout. From musicians and teachers, to local sponsorships and grants from the city, the festival thrives because of the people committed to its mission.

Altruism and music go hand in hand for Stout. Years back when he owned Live Music Center, his business would rent band instruments to all the schools. “Included in that, I would provide free music theory classes and free workshops for the kids that started band,” said Stout. “That was our support for the community.”

“We pretty much are doing the same thing here with Vacaville Jazz Society by promoting music education and promoting the arts,” said Stout. The weekend’s lineup which kicks off on Friday notably features over 300 student and professional musicians performing in 35 free live concerts in venues citywide.

From solo artists to Big Bands, ensembles of all sizes and genres will take the stages of Downtown’s Town Square, Makse Restaurant, the Breezeway at the Nut Tree and the Vacaville Performing Arts Theater. Professional artists include the Alive Music Orchestra, Ramana Vieira, 2nd Planet and the J. Harrison B. band. The festival’s only ticketed event will be the Viva Santana show on Saturday night, which serves as the festival’s fundraiser show.

A Saturday segment at the Vacaville Performing Arts Theatre will feature student performances from local Vacaville school jazz bands including Will C. Wood and Vanden High School.

“We’re allowing the kids to perform and be mentored by other fellow musicians and people who are retired,” said Stout. “It gives the kids the opportunity to play in a professional situation.”

Ahead of the weekend workshops, all of which are free for youth to participate in, Professor Duncan McElman and other Jazz Studies Music Faculty from Sacramento State University have been visiting different schools to work with the jazz bands. “What they’re doing is putting together an All Stars Band that consists of all the different kids from all the different high schools,” said Stout. The finalized group will perform their rehearsed set on Saturday.

Other workshops from renowned vocalist Ramana Vieira will also be available for youth. Vocalists, rhythm players, trumpet, trombone, and saxophones players of all ages are invited to bring their instruments to participate in workshops as well as the Open Jazz-Blues Band on Friday night.

“Music plays an important part in everyone’s lives, from being a kid to being an adult until you pass away,” said Stout, a sentiment which rings especially true for the society’s president. Music has shown up in different ways throughout Stout’s career, especially in the last few years when his brother stepped down as president of the Vacaville Jazz Society, leaving Stout to fill his shoes.

Stout has been with the society, playing with his family and running the financial side, since its inception but his real start in music goes even further back. The musician can trace his lifelong pursuit of jazz to band classes within the Vacaville Unified School District. More specifically, his first experience in fourth grade.

“I was the worst kid in music,” said Stout. “My mother got me a saxophone and I pretended to play it for a whole year.” After an unsuccessful first year, the band director recommended Stout try a different instrument. Rather than switch, Stout’s mother enrolled him in private lessons and soon saw steady improvement.

“That’s probably why I’m a better music teacher because I understand what kids are going through,” said Stout. “You need more than just 10 seconds of time from your music teacher and they don’t really have much time to work with their students.”

It wasn’t long before Stout was getting requests from parents asking him to teach their kids. “My career in teaching music really started there,” said Stout. His interest in music education, and particularly jazz, has proven influential on a personal level as well as the community level. Stout’s daughter earned a Jazz Studies degree and later went on to win the International Downbeat Vocal award.

Stout’s family’s passion for Jazz will be on full display during the festival as both his daughter and brother join him to show their support and revive the annual event.

The Vacaville Jazz Festival runs Sept. 20-22 at multiple venues in downtown Vacaville. For a full lineup of this year’s performers, visit www.vacajazzsociety.org.

Originally Published: September 17, 2024 at 4:36 p.m.