SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The 34th annual M&T Syracuse Jazz Fest will feature pop-soul legend Michael McDonald and New Orleans phenom Trombone Shorty.
Jazz Fest returns to Onondaga Community College, 4585 E. Seneca Turnpike in Syracuse for the third year in a row. The festival is free and takes place Saturday, July 2 and Sunday, July 3.
McDonald, a five-time Grammy Award winner, is known for a long list of solo hits as well as early work with The Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan. He last performed in Central New York in 2009 at Turning Stone Resort Casino.
Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue headlined one funky night of Jazz Fest in 2014. The instrumentalist showed off the best of his "machine gun trombone," dance moves and covers of James Brown, Louis Armstrong and Jay-Z in a 90-minute energetic set.
Now he's back by popular demand. Festival founder and executive producer Frank Malfitano said "never before has there been such clamor" to see an artist return to Central New York.
Malfitano also announced a tribute to Syracuse jazz vocalist Mark Murphy on the festival's opening night. Murphy, who passed away last October, was a Fulton native and Syracuse University graduate who recorded 40 albums in 40 years.
The tribute will include performances by national artists with Syracuse ties and roots, who have performed and recorded with Murphy over the years, including The New York Voices, Randy Brecker, Joe Carello, Ronnie Leigh and Nancy Kelly, guitarist Marty Ashby and trombonist Jay Ashby.
Saturday afternoon will also include performances by Baldwinsville singer Julia Goodwin and student jazz group NOTEified (featuring Scottie Madonia, Sam Smith, Dunham Hall, David Millen, Rich Bostick and Nick DiMaria).
On Saturday evening, the Mavericks will perform before a fireworks display.
"The Mavericks are the Lake Street Dive of this year's lineup," said Malfitano. "They're easily the best live band on the planet."
Sunday afternoon will include performances by the Stan Colella All Star Band and Second Line Syracuse Brass Band (featuring Melissa Gardiner, Gabriel DiMartino, Nick Fields, Nick Abelgore, Kiel Clark, Matt Rossi, Josh Dekaney, Will Gorman and Byron Cage).
Here's the full lineup and performance schedule for Jazz Fest 2016.
Saturday, July 2
- 3 p.m. -- Gates open
- 4:30 p.m. -- NOTEified with Julia Goodwin
- 6 p.m. -- Mark Murphy tribute starring The New York Voices
- 7:45 p.m. -- The Mavericks
- 9:15 p.m. -- Fireworks
- 9:30 p.m. - Michael McDonald
Sunday, July 3
- 3 p.m. -- Gates open
- 4 p.m. -- City of Syracuse Department of Parks & Rec. Stan Colella All Star Band
- 5 p.m. -- Second Line Syracuse Brass Band
- 6:30 p.m. -- Groove Legacy
- 8 p.m. -- Larry Coryell & The Eleventh House
- 9:30 p.m. -- Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
Katrina Tulloch writes life and culture stories for Syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. Contact her: Email | Twitter | Facebook