EXIT ZERO JAZZ FESTIVAL SPRING EDITION
APRIL 21-23, 2017
WITH HEADLINERS
MACEO PARKER WITH THE RAY CHARLES ORCHESTRA & RAELETTES
AND THE ROBERT GLASPER EXPERIMENT
IN THE NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK CITY OF CAPE MAY, NJ
Cape May, NJ – The 4th Spring Edition of the Exit Zero Jazz Festival kicks off in Cape May, NJ, April 21-23, 2017. Festival Producer Michael Kline has crafted a world class lineup of musicians for the 2017 Spring Festival.
Friday, April 21st, on the MusicConnects Stage in Schmidtchen Theater, Exit Zero Jazz presents To Ray With Love, starring legendary funk saxophonist Maceo Parker and featuring the Ray Charles Orchestra with the Raelettes. To Ray With Love, premiered at the Hollywood Bowl in the summer of 2016, followed by a performance at the Monterey Jazz Festival. The performance at the Exit Zero Jazz Festival is the premier of the project on the east coast.
Kline remarks about the coup of presenting this spectacular program, “We are thrilled to present Maceo Parker with the Ray Charles Orchestra on the opening night of Exit Zero Jazz. This continues our tradition of hosting world-class artists on the Festival stages. Our audiences recognize and have a deep appreciation for great music and we are thrilled to present Maceo and the Orchestra with the Raelettes in a tribute to the genius of the American music icon, Ray Charles.”
Headlining the Schmidtchen Theater MusicConnects Stage on Saturday, April 22nd, is the Grammy-winning Robert Glasper Experiment. The most prominent artist blurring the musical lines between acoustic jazz, hip-hop, and contemporary R&B, pianist Robert Glasper became a crossover star with his electro-acoustic Experiment band following the game-changing 2012 release Black Radio, winning the GRAMMY for Best R&B Album. Since then, Glasper’s profile has exploded, with the pianist composing the soundtrack for director/star Don Cheadle’s Miles Davis biopic Miles Ahead and performing at the White House with rapper Common.
The Exit Zero Jazz Festival is a multi-venue festival with three full days of performances staged in the 1,177 seat Schmidtchen Theater, the 800 seat Cape May Convention Hall and in the clubs of Cape May.
A wide array of jazz and other genres of music are presented throughout the weekend. Featured artists performing on the Cape May Convention Hall / It’s a Breeze & Hawk Haven Stage include Charnette Moffett’s Nettwork Trio with Brian Jackson and Jeff “Tain” Watts, NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron, Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah, Michael Pedicin Quintet, and the Christian Sands Trio. New Orleans’ own The Stooges Brass Band, Brianna Thomas, PhillyBloco, Brian Betz/Denis DiBlasio Quartet, Philly Gumbo, the Freddie Hendrix 4tet, Frank Bey and gypsy jazz violinist Daisy Castro perform on the Cape May Brewing Company Hops Pass Club Series, with music virtually around the clock in the clubs along the beachfront of Cape May.
Exit Zero Jazz Festival is produced by Spy Boy Productions. Helmed by Michael Kline, who also produces the Rootstock Summer Concert Series at Hawk Haven Winery and the Cape May Convention Hall Summer Series, Kline celebrated many summers in Cape May and returned in 2005 from New Orleans.
He shares his thoughts about presenting the Festival in Cape May: “We want to offer a world-class cultural experience in Cape May that rivals those of other iconic festivals and trumpets the vibrant, thriving community in Cape May beyond the incredible beaches and Victorian architecture. Through music, we celebrate the spirit and creative energy in Cape May. It’s always a great party, and we’re thrilled that people keep coming back for more.”
Ticket Information. Tickets can be purchased on-line at www.exit0jazzfest.com or by calling the
Exit Zero Jazz Festival Central at (609) 849.9202 or at the Cape May Convention Hall Box Office. Hotel packages are available from Congress Hall, the Official Hotel Partner of Exit Zero Jazz, and from Hotel Partners on the Festival web site. Reserved Seats are available to all Main Stage performances in Schmidtchen Theater, price is $58 Orchestra / $48 Mezzanine. General Admission Seating for all Cape May Convention Hall performances is also available. Advance $28 / $38 after April 16. Festival Passes provide the best value for fest-goers: VIP Pass: $195 plus tax and ticket facility fee includes reserved Orchestra Center Seat to headline performances in Schmidtchen Theater, reserved seating for all Cape May Conventional Hall performances, access to the Festival VIP Lounge with private bar, priority entry to Congress Hall Ballroom performances and first come, first served entry into all other Festival Clubs; All Event Pass: $175 plus tax and ticket facility fee Includes Orchestra reserved seats to headline performances in Schmidtchen Theater, priority entry to Cape May Convention Hall performances and first come, first served entry to all club venues. Cape May Brewing Company Hops Pass: $55 plus tax and ticket facility fee includes entry on a first come, first served basis to all Festival club venues and Sunday entry to all Cape May Convention Hall shows.