On Saturday, September 9, Rosslyn Jazz Festival will take over Gateway Park, featuring a few of the biggest names in contemporary jazz.
The 28th annual Rosslyn Jazz Festival is just around the corner! Every year, more than 5,000 jazz fans flock to Rosslyn’s scenic three-acre Gateway Park for the free event, which, this year will feature New Orleans’ Soul Rebels brass band as headliner. The festivities and music begin at 1 p.m., on Saturday, Sep. 9. With five and a half hours of free music, gorgeous views of the Potomac River and D.C. skyline, and some of the area's best food trucks onsite, the Rosslyn Jazz Fest is one event Virginians and D.C.-area residents don't want to miss.
Joe Keyes and the Late Bloomer Band will be kicking things off at 1 p.m. Comprised of 20 active members and another 20 honorary members, Joe Keyes and his band are influenced by artists such as Miles Davis, P-Funk, Gil Scott-Heron, and Sun Ra, and their music is a modern take on jazz, funk, and rock. Festivalgoers can expect tons of live improvising and creativity.
At 2:20 p.m., Xenia Rubinos will take the stage, bringing a powerful voice, a soulful punk sound, and original songs influenced by hip-hop, R&B, and Caribbean music.
Veteran soul singer Lee Fields will grace the stage at 3:45 p.m. Known by many as “little JB” due to his vocal and physical resemblance to the late James Brown, Fields has been in the business for 43 years, touring with other big-name soul artists on many occasions. Both his classic and latest recordings are sure to have people dancing and having a good time.
The evening’s festivities will wind down with a set by the New Orleans Brass Band Soul Rebels, an eight-piece brass outfit that embodies the New Orleans, Mardi Gras, and Jazz Fest spirit and tradition. Called New Orleans’ finest brass ensemble by Vice Magazine and regularly touring with big name acts, Soul Rebels' musicianship always produces a second-line, marching, brass band party environment.
Food trucks at the event will include Rocklands BBQ, Tapas Truck, Chix N Stix, Healthy Food Fool, Mangia Tutti, and Tacos Matadores. In addition, a handful of nearby restaurants will offer 15 percent discounts for festivalgoers; those include Kona Grill, Jimmy John’s, Key Bridge Terrace, The Perfect Pital, Heavy Seas Alehouse, Bistro 360, Barley Mac, and Ben’s Chili Bowl.
The best way to get to the festval is by Metro (Gateway Park is a short walk from the Rosslyn Stop). Parking may be hard to find, and traffic can sometimes be congested in the neighborhood, however paid parking is available in the North Moore Street Garage between Lee Highway and 19th street for $5.
