Kentucky Heritage Jazz Festival

Join us for live jazz, food, and fun at the Kentucky Heritage Jazz Festival  "Harrodsburg 250 Celebration" at historic Old Fort Harrod State Park. This is a free Event showcasing 17 regional and national jazz ensembles.This is an outdoor event held rain or shine.

Schedule Of Events

11:00AM - Blue Groove Jazz

Blue Groove Jazz Quartet is a classic jazz ensemble with members from Harrodsburg and Danville, Ky. The band is comprised of seasoned musicians, collectively having very diverse and extensive musical experiences, all with a common love of jazz. The musical genres of BGJ are equally diverse, ranging from swing, bebop, and Latin, covering artists ranging from Miles Davis to Steely Dan. BGJ has already garnered a loyal following in central Kentucky and has performed at gala events for the Norton Center for the Arts at Centre College and Talon Winery’s annual Jazz on the Porch Series. The members of BGJ are Sam Carr (Alto and Tenor Sax), Eben Henson (drums), Pete McCaffrey (bass) and Mark Gardner (keyboards).  

12:15PM - Campbellsville University Faculty Band

The Campbellsville University Faculty Jazz Band is a crowd favorite at the KHJF. The ensemble features Saulo Mouro (piano and bass), Denis Santos (sax and flute), and Chad Ford (percussion). During his early twenties, Mr. Moura was performing with some of the finest bossa-nova, jazz, and samba musicians in Brazil and in Europe, as well as being in the cello section of the Brazilian National Symphony Orchestra. An accomplished and versatile performer and music educator, the multi-instrumentalist Denis Santos (Saxophone and Flute) is originally from Ceará, Brazil. Throughout his career, he has participated in several groups and ensembles such as Bellas Artes Quintet, Camerata da Unifor, and Eleazar de Carvalho Chamber Orchestra. In 2011, Denis formed the Almeida Duo, creating an original sound that has captivated audiences in Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and throughout the USA. Chad has performed throughout the United States, Brazil, China, Ecuador, Japan, South Korea, and Trinidad and with multiple international tours as drummer for the Brazilian-based group, Almedia Duo.

1:45PM - Jazz Renaissance

Jazz Renaissance is a seven-piece jazz group that was formed in November, 2010. The group plays primarily jazz in many styles, including bop, swing and Latin. The group has played in many local venues, including the Blue Wisp, EzFest, the Juneteenth Celebration , the Black Family Reunion, and Fountain Square.

3:15PM - Jamey Aebersold Quartet

The KHJF is honored to welcome back renowned jazz educator and saxophonist Jamey Aebersold and his quartet. Jamey is joined in his quartet with Doug Elmore on upright bass, Jonathan Higgins on drums, and Wade Honey on piano. Jamey is the recipient of the 2014 A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy, bestowed upon an individual who has contributed significantly to the appreciation, knowledge, and advancement of jazz. For over 60 years, Jamey has been the leader in Jazz Improvisation and Jazz Education. Jamey’s renown weeklong Summer Jazz Workshops have been held in 7 countries. His jazz quartet has performed dozens of programs which encourage students to play music and make healthy lifestyle choices. Jamey’s company, www.Jazzbooks.com has produced 133 book/audio jazz Play-A-Longs. Jazzbooks.com also sells thousands of jazz related items to encourage musicians of all ages to explore playing jazz. Jamey is a driving force in jazz and continues to kindle the fires of musical imagination in those with whom he comes in contact.

5:00PM - Spherical Agenda

Spherical Agenda is a jazz-rock fusion band consisting of the midwest region’s top musicians. Hailing from Cincinnati, OH, their sound not only draws from the cutting edge of today’s fusion but harkens back to the reckless abandon and pure energy of groups like Tony Williams Lifetime, Mahavishnu Orchestra, and Return to Forever. Featuring Matt Wiles on bass, Brandon Coleman on guitar, Ben Tweedt on keyboards and Devon Leigh on drums, Spherical Agenda is a powerhouse band whose unique chemistry gives rise to infectious grooves, daring solos, and captivating energy. Despite the band itself being fairly young, the collective is cultivating an ever-growing list of accomplishments. The band’s members have credits including performances with the Snarky Horns, The Drifters, Fareed Haque, Grammy-Nominated Dan Pugach Nonet, and Sam Blakelsee Quintet and Large Ensembles, clinics and masterclasses both nationally and abroad, and recording credits such as the television series DC’s Legends of Tomorrow soundtrack and the upcoming "For the Love of King", a compilation series by the Bootsy Collins Foundation benefiting the restoration of historic King Records

6:45PM - Ron Jones Contemporary Jazz Quartet

The Ron Jones Contemporary Jazz Quartet is a high energy group that brings a hardcore groove and excitement to the Kentucky Heritage Jazz Festival Stage. The group features some of the finest musicians in the region, with Ron Jones on Alto Saxophone, Winton Reynolds on Piano, Tom Covello on Bass, and Jerry Harshaw on Drums. The group will present a versatile mixture of music from artist like Grover Washington Jr., Stevie Wonder, Chaka Kahn, Spyro Gyro, Anita Baker, Earth Wind and Fire, Bill Withers, Kirk Whalum, Stanley Turrentine and other well-known artist. We hope that you make a point to see this group throw down this year, at the 2024 Kentucky Heritage Jazz Festival.

8:30PM - K-Jam Collective

We are excited to announce K-JAM Collective as our HEADLINER for Saturday evening. Directed by Dr. Keith Mccutchen from Ky. State University, the K-JAM Collective will present "Old and New Dreams: An American Review".  The band includes some of the finest jazz musicians and educators from Kentucky and beyond that collectively will make some incredible music! "We don’t have all the great Kentucky artists in this group, but the ones we have are great." – Dr. Keith Mccutchen

Keith Mccutchen (Band Leader and Keyboard) – Associate Professor of Music at Kentucky State University who has shared the stage with artists, including Mel Torme’, Diane Schurr, Stanley Turrentine, Richard Davis and Jamey Aebersold.

Miles Osland (flute) – Director of Jazz Studies and Professor of Saxophone at the University of Kentucky with over forty CDs released on Sea Breeze Jazz, Open Loop and Mark Custom records, including multiple Grammy nominations.

Dalton Stanton (alto sax) – Down Beat magazine student award winning saxophonist and a graduate of the University of Kentucky.

Hunt Butler (tenor sax) – A native of Frankfort, Ky who has worked with many world class performers including Frank Sinatra, Natalie Cole, Ray Charles, Barry Manilow, and Aretha Franklin.

Marlin McKay (trumpet) – Assistant Professor of Music at the University of Louisville who has shared the stage with such notable artists as Bobby Watson, Stefon Harris, Slide Hampton, and Wycliffe Gordon,

Brenda Flowers (trombone and vocals)

Natalie Boeyink (bass) – A music educator at Indiana University who has shared the stage with among others, Tammy McCann, Jeff Coffin, David Liebman, and Lorraine Feather, and many others.  

Mike Hyman (drums) – A music educator at the University of Louisville who has toured and recorded with Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, Johnny Hartman, Bobby Hutcherson and many others.