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The 36th annual Sacramento Jazz Festival and Jubilee will be presenting more than 60 bands at 23 venues around Old Sacramento and the Sacramento convention center on Memorial Day Weekend, May 21-25, 2009.

The 2009 festival kicks off Thursday evening, May 21, with a concert by the world-famous Count Basie Orchestra at the Radisson Hotel. The Basie Orchestra of today consists of 18 musicians who make this American institution swing as powerfully as it ever has. The Basie orchestra has won every respected jazz poll in the world at least once, is in demand for world tours and recordings, and continues to accumulate awards and special recognition.

This year's Kickoff Concert will also be broadcast live and streamed by KXJZ, Sacramento Capital Radio's news and jazz station, from 8 to 9 pm. For information, go to www.capradio.org.

The Jubilee's featured bands this year include Tom Rigney and Flambeau, a Benny Goodman Centennial Tribute, Cornet Chop Suey, Mumbo Gumbo, Bill Allred's Classic Jazz Band, the Royal Society Jazz Orchestra, Billy Mata and Texas Tradition, and many other stellar groups.

Also performing at this year's festival: guitarist Howard Alden, vibraphonist John Cocuzzi, clarinetist Bob Draga, trombonist Bob Havens, drummer Jake Hanna, singer Rebecca Kilgore, clarinetist Allan Vaché, and many more.

Special events include a big Friday parade, specialty concerts, a rousing Sunday gospel service and respectful Memorial Day salute to service, and 16 bands made up of teenage musicians (performing on their very own stages).

With so many bands performing at so many venues, we suggest you head straight over to the official Sacramento Jazz website for this year's complete schedule.

The 36th Sacramento Jazz Festival & Jubilee is sponsored by the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of traditional jazz music.

For more info, please call 916.372.5277 or visit the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee website at www.sacjazz.com.