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The Twin Cities Jazz Festival is one of the largest free civic events in the upper Midwest, attracting upwards of 30,000 people. Founded in 1999 by festival promoter Steve Heckler, The main events of the festival are held at Mears Park in St. Paul in the Lowertown neighborhood. The festival closes several blocks and has utilized clubs such as the Bulldog, Hat Trick, Black Dog, Station 4, Artists' Quarter, Union Depot, Amsterdam, Heartland, Bedlam, SW Craft Bar, and more. For the first time in 2015, the festival will present music at the newly opened CHS Field with Jack Brass Band opening for headliner Dr. John.
In addition, Media partners have included Jazz 88 radio (broadcasting live locally and streaming live on the internet internationally), WCCO-TV, The Rake, City Pages, Jazz Police, La Prenza and MPLS-St. Paul Magazine. The festival has also received extensive coverage in the Star Tribune, St. Paul Pioneer Press, The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder and Skyway News.
Festival performers have included: Joe Lovano, Chick Corea, Esperanza Spalding, Return to Forever, Dave Brubeck, Clark Terry, Monty Alexander, Gary Burton, Deodato, The Bad Plus with Joshua Redman, Danilo Pérez, Branford Marsalis, David "Fathead" Newman, Eric Alexander, Jimmy McGriff, Red Holloway, Jack McDuff, Joey DeFrancesco, Benny Golson, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Dewey Redman, Lew Tabackin, Bettye LaVette, Ira Sullivan, Spyro Gyra, Bernard Purdie, Melvin Rhyne, Ben Sidran, Von Freeman, Frank Morgan, Mose Allison, Butch Thompson, Bill Evans, Chris Michalek, Alicia Renee, Heatin' System, Howard Levy, Debbie Duncan, Big Walter Smith, Percy Strother, Tiger Okoshi, Peter Schimke, Yellowjackets, Kristin Korb, Hiromi, Phil Hey Quartet, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Henry Johnson's Organ Express, Nachito Herrera, Salsa del Soul, Bobby Sanabria, George Avaloz, Barbara Morrison, US Air Force Falconaires, Norman Simmons, David Young, Jon Weber, Jerry Weldon, Tony Monaco, Atlantis Quartet, and MN Big Band.