The 2021 Winona Lake Jazz Festival will feature Mark Guiliana — recognized as one of the world’s leading drummers — and his jazz quartet from New York. The concert will take place on Saturday, July 24, from 1 to 7 p.m. at Winona Lake Limitless Park, 1598 Park Ave., Winona Lake. Part of the Grace College and Village at Winona Festival of Music, the free, outdoor concert is sponsored by Sweetwater Sound.
“The jazz festival is a community favorite each summer. This year, we are really in for a treat,” said Walter Brath, coordinator of the festival. “We are thrilled to welcome the Mark Guiliana Quartet to Winona Lake for the first time and welcome back several other phenomenal returning groups,” he said.
The complete concert schedule is: 1 p.m. The Truth in Jazz Big Band; 2:30 p.m. Alicia Pyle Quartet; 4 p.m. Every Tribe and Tongue Ensemble featuring Greg Tardy and Wally Brath; 5:30 p.m. Mark Guiliana Quartet.
The New York Times hailed Guiliana as “a drummer around whom a cult of admiration has formed.” He brings the same adventurous spirit, eclectic palette and gift for spontaneous invention to a staggering range of styles — one of which is jazz. In fact, Guiliana was chosen as Best Jazz Drummer in the Modern Drummer Readers Poll 2017, and JazzTimes described him as “a technical master with a rare sense of musicality who has over the past decade become one of the most influential drummers of his generation.”
Equally virtuosic playing acoustic jazz, boundary-stretching electronic music, or next-level rock, he’s become a key collaborator with such original sonic thinkers as Brad Mehldau, Meshell Ndegeocello, Donny McCaslin, Matisyahu, and the late, great David Bowie.
To learn more about Mark Guiliana, go to markguiliana.com/biography.
Besides terrific music, guests can also enjoy the beautiful scenery and patronize the food trucks. Bring lawn chairs and blankets for seating. Jazz Fest will take place, rain or shine.
The next Festival of Music concert is the southern gospel concert with the Booth Brothers on Aug. 21. Visit grace.edu/musicfestival for more information.