Lalah Hathaway performs at the 2023 Richmond Jazz and Music Festival. (Photo courtesy Richmond Jazz and Music Festival)
It’s understandable if you feel like you’re on a first-name basis with this year’s Richmond Jazz and Music Festival lineup. Wyclef, Ludacris, Monica — artists whose talents and accomplishments render surnames superfluous — will turn Maymont into the center of Richmond’s musical universe when they perform during the 2024 event, Aug. 9-11.
This year’s festival theme is Sounds & Colors, reflecting the diversity of musical offerings and audience. “It’s bringing together people, in a lot of cases, who might not be together in the same place,” says Frances Burruss, director of account management for marketing agency and festival organizer JMI. “It’s created a community over the years.”
The first Richmond Jazz and Music Festival was held in 2010. While stages went silent from 2020 to 2022 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2023 saw its return to Maymont. This year’s lineup is another star-studded event, with scheduled performances from veteran jazz masters such as Lee Ritenour and Bob James, new-guard acts including Gregory Porter and Snarky Puppy, and household names from the worlds of hip-hop and R&B: Fantasia, Andra Day, Angie Stone and The Lox among them. Wyclef Jean will serve as artist-in-residence with several appearances on both Maymont stages. The Haiti-born rapper and co-founder of the Fugees has said that jazz was his calling in high school, and he cites Quincy Jones and Miles Davis as points of inspiration when it comes to his own production approach. He’ll have no shortage of opportunities to show his versatility at Maymont. “He will be performing with multiple artists on both [weekend] days of the festival,” Burruss says.
Before the first chord is struck at Maymont on Saturday, Aug. 10, festivities will begin at The Hippodrome on Friday, Aug. 9, with the Homegrown at the Hip showcase — the first to take place since the pandemic — with vocals from singer Elliott Yamin, who grew up in Richmond. “While it does feature some national artists,” Burruss says of the Homegrown show, “we always want to make sure that we’re featuring our local talent as well.”
During Maymont’s two full days, expect exceptional sounds spread across two stages. Food trucks, bars and a bistro tent will provide refreshment, a chill zone will offer cooling treats, and an artisan marketplace features jewelry, clothing and pottery. “It’s a beautiful setting,” Burruss says. “We can have a lot going on without it feeling like everybody’s in a really crowded space.”
Festivalgoers are also able to visit the historic estate’s expansive gardens and animal habitats. “We look forward to welcoming the community to Maymont for the Richmond Jazz and Music Festival,” says Parke Richeson, president and CEO of the Maymont Foundation. “With such an outstanding lineup of performers, the festival brings people from all over the region to discover new music and old favorites.”
Amid the stunning environs and stacked performance roster, the attendees themselves remain the organizers’ central focus. “That’s who we really do all of this for,” Burruss says, “so that we can provide anyone who is interested the opportunity to come and experience something unique, not just unique to Richmond, but unique to the East Coast.”
Tickets to Homegrown at the Hip on Aug. 9 are $40. The Richmond Jazz and Music Festival at Maymont runs the following two days, and day passes cost $169; weekend passes are $299.
