SunFest
is known for many things.
Hailed
as “Oklahoma’s Biggest Outdoor Picnic,” it has featured
arts, crafts, fantastic food and plenty of fun for
people throughout Green Country for more than a quarter
century. A car show has been added in recent years,
drawing plenty of interest from throughout the Sooner
State as well as neighboring states such as Texas,
Kansas and Colorado.
But
SunFest wouldn’t be SunFest without the endless and
often times eclectic mix of music which energizes
the event every summer. SunFest is always held during
the first weekend in June – this year, the dates are
June 6-8 – and it always features a wide array of
bands.
The
2008 edition of SunFest certainly won’t stray from
the course which event organizers have been charting
for years.
Fast
becoming a staple of the Oklahoma jazz scene, Eldredge
Jackson is due to make a return appearance to
SunFest this year. Last year marked the first time
he had ever appeared at the event, and he quickly
made a very memorable impression.
“Immediately,
we knew that we had to have him back again,” says
Bo Wilson, a SunFest board member. “He was that good.”
Jackson
released his debut CD, “Listening Pleasure,” in 2006
and it caught hold. Soon, he was appearing at esteemed
events such as the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame Jazz
Festival, the Million Dollar Elm Jazz Festival and
the Charlie Christian Jazz Festival. Jackson has appeared
with a plethora of notable musicians including Toni
Braxton, Hammer and renowned bassist and Sooner hoops
legend Wayman Tisdale.
Jackson
is due to headline the SunFest stage on Saturday,
June 7.
Jackson
will be preceded by another SunFest favorite, the
Usual
Suspects. A popular area act – they’re scheduled
to headline on Friday, June 6 – the group plays staples
from pioneers such as Led Zeppelin to recent hit-makers
like Jet. The Usual Suspects have been known to stretch
their repertoire to include gems from Johnny Cash
and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
The
Usual Suspects are known for their high-energy sets
which are heavy in audience participation.
“They
have a lot of energy,” says Wilson. “They seem to
always have people up and dancing. They’re a great
band and a lot of fun.”
While
Jackson will provide some jazz flavor to SunFest on
Saturday night, Grady
Nichols will do the same on Friday evening. A
storied saxophonist, Nichols’ most recent CD, “Sophistication,”
was a critically lauded release. It clocked in at
No. 28 on the Top 50 Smooth Jazz Albums list for 2004.
As
is the case with Jackson, Nichols has performed with
some lofty company. He has opened for the likes of
Ray Charles, Luciano Pavarotti and the Temptations.
He has performed with the Beach Boys, Roy Clark and
Tisdale.
A
native of Siloam Springs, Ark., Nichols is currently
working on a new CD, tentatively titled “Take Me With
You.” He will no doubt take the opportunity to showcase
some of his new material at SunFest.
A
staple of the Bartlesville music scene since his debut
performance in 1960, Lennie
Baker is never at a loss for material – or performing
opportunities. Playing everything from country to
rhythm and blues, Baker is scheduled to sing with
two different acts – the Gigsters and the Lennie Baker
Band – while also doing a solo show at SunFest. The
Gigsters are renowned in the area for their ferocious
R&B sound which includes tunes from James Brown
to Robert Cray. But once he slides in with the Lennie
Baker band, the seasoned musician will focus on old-school
blues tunes.
“The
mission of the Lennie Baker Band is to play great
blues songs that were big back in the day,” says Wilson.
“But as good as those songs were, you really don’t
get to hear them anymore.
“This
is a chance for Lennie and his band to bring those
songs back to life.”
The
Lennie Baker Band will explore the roots of blues
music and consequently the origins of rock ‘n roll.
Expected material includes offerings from Z.Z. Hill,
Bobby “Blue” Bland and Elmore James.
If
there is any musical terrain that hasn’t been covered
by the Gigsters and the Lennie Baker Band, then Baker
is sure to find it when he takes to the stage as a
one-man band. During his solo show, his material runs
the gamut from jazz to rock.
Those
who have ever wondered why they call them the “dog
days of summer,” will get their answer during this
year’s SunFest. For the first time ever, the event
will turn the spotlight onto the World
Famous Disc-Connected K9s Frisbee Dog Team. Hailing
from Jacksonville, Fla., the act has criss-crossed
the country for the last 11 years, appearing everywhere
from NFL and NBA games to Good Morning America to
the David Letterman Show.
A
family-oriented show, the K9s promote fun, athleticism,
canine bonding and dog rescue efforts. They promise
to put a smile on the face of children both young
and old.
As
is always the case at SunFest, there’s something for
everyone. And the price for the entertainment hasn’t
changed either – everything is free. Fun in the sun
has never been easier.
SunFest
is sponsored in part by ConocoPhillips,
Arvest
Bank, the 66
Federal Credit Union, Express
Personnel Services and Musselman
Abstract. A classic rock staple broadcasting out
of Bartlesville, Tallgrass Nation Station KOSG
103.9 will provide live remotes from SunFest throughout
the weekend, interviewing band members and event organizers
alike.
| AAXMAN
Guitars |
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AAXMAN
Guitars will be located next to the Main
Stage
with a variety of guitars and guitar accessories
available for purchase.
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