Vail Jazz Party Celebrates the Vail Jazz Workshop All-Stars this Labor Day Weekend

Vail, Colorado – The Vail Jazz Party is set to return this Labor Day weekend with performances beginning Thursday, September 2 through Monday, September 6. The event marks the end of the 2021 Summer season and the 27th annual Vail Jazz Festival.

An array of talented artists will be co-performing, jamming, and paying tribute to the Jazz Greats over the five-day live musical experience in Vail. The celebration kicks off under the Jazz Tent at Vail Square this Thursday evening with a performance by the Vail Jazz All-Stars.

The All-Stars are this year’s Vail Jazz Workshop student musicians: Nick Cladwell (tenor saxophone), Cameron Davidson (trumpet), Aviel Del Rosario (bass), Matthew Fu (drums), Andrew Kim (trombone), JJ Lybbert (drums), Laura Martin (bass), Alex Perry (piano), George Rogers (alto saxophone), Brahm Sasner (piano), Luciano Soriano (trombone), Skylar Tang (trumpet).

Each year, the Vail Jazz Workshop (now in its 26th year) is comprised of a dozen, talented young jazz musicians across North America as they are selected to receive a scholarship to participate in the 10-day workshop. The 2021 cohort has been immersed in an intensive musical program that allows them to interact with instructors and fellow students while providing them an opportunity to perform at the annual Vail Jazz Party.

Laura-Simone Martin (Bass) will be one of the performing students. Martin was inspired to pick up the bass after seeing a video of Esperanza Spalding performing at the White House, the first time she saw a black woman playing bass as well as anyone singing with a bass. Since then, she has pursued a musical career to match. The talented high school student is also president and founder of her high school’s first Black Student Union in addition to many other extracurricular activities, including starting her own organic hair care business called Embrace by Laura-Simone.

Skylar Tang (Trumpet) will also perform alongside the All-Stars ensemble this year. From the Bay area, Tang began playing classical piano at just four years old before picking up the trumpet at nine years old. She currently performs and plays trumpet with the SFJAZZ All-Stars Big Band and Combo and is a recipient of the Jazz at the Ballroom Scholarship. Since Covid, Skylar has shifted her attention towards composing, arranging, and producing music.

Skylar and Laura along with 10 other 2021 Vail Jazz Workshop student musicians kick off the Vail Jazz Party this Thursday, September 2nd for the first evening session at 675 Lionshead Place. You can catch the Vail Jazz All-Stars again as they perform FREE shows during the Saturday and Sunday afternoon sessions, all under the Jazz Tent at Vail Square.

The Vail Jazz Workshop has mentored over 300 student musicians since it began 26 years ago, many of whom have gone on to have successful musical careers, achieving awards, Grammy nominations, touring alongside notable Jazz artists, and fronting their own ensembles. Alumni of the pronounced workshop will frequently return to the Vail Jazz Party to perform. This year, you can catch the Vail Jazz Alumni Sextet under the Jazz Tent on Thursday, September 2nd at 7 pm following the Vail Jazz All-Stars, as well as Side by Side, a performance that reunites the Vail Jazz Workshop faculty and alumni, this Sunday evening, September 5 in the Grand Ballroom at Vail Marriot.

Piano Duos, legendary Jazz musician’s centennial celebrations, tributes, gospel, and more, fill up the five-day Vail Jazz Party. Passes, tickets, schedules, as well as the Covid-19 Policy, can all be found here.