LuluFest, A Jazz Festival For And By Women Musicians, Comes To Lenox
After two decades in New York and Texas, the festival featuring female leaders in jazz makes its debut in the Berkshires.
LuluFest, a jazz festival celebrating female musicians, composers and bandleaders, has a new home. Initiated in Kingston in 2004 (then called the Wall Street Jazz Festival), it was recreated as LuluFest ATX in Austin in 2016 and 2017, and has now resurfaced as LuluFest Lenox. The festival will take place on Friday, July 14 at Gateways Inn and Saturday, July 15 at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre on the grounds of Shakespeare & Company. The festival’s two founders, pianist Peggy Stern and vocalist Suzi Stern (not related), will continue to run the event, presented in collaboration with Berkshires Jazz and The Ritenuto Foundation.
“It’s sort of like starting over,” admits Peggy Stern, the founder/director [above, right]. “I’ve been doing these festivals for 19 years.” When Suzi Stern [below], the producer/director moved to the Lenox, they decided it would be a good thing to do in the Berkshires.
Women have a different creative approach to jazz, a field long dominated by men, Suzi Stern asserts. “At LuluFest, the bands are led by women who are free to make their own choices of personnel and to present their own unique musical concepts.” While most of the bands performing at LuluFest Lenox are populated with men, the difference is women are in the leadership roles.
Featured performers include Peggy Stern, who has composed, played, recorded, and toured worldwide as a soloist and performed with celebrated musicians such as Diane Schnur, Stanley Turrentine and Gerry Mulligan. At LuluFest, she will perform as The Peggy Stern Quartet. Suzi Stern, a jazz vocalist, lyricist, composer and educator with eight CDs to her name — with her quartet — kicks off the festival. Mary Ann McSweeney, bassist, is familiar to local audiences and will bring her Urban Fado Project to the festival. Grammy-nominated Sara Caswell, a jazz violinist, will perform. All of these women have jaw-dropping bona fides in the jazz world, well worth your time to check out their bios and make plans to hear them in person.
LuluFest Lenox
Friday, July 14, at The Gateways Inn, 51 Walker Street, 6-9 p.m
The Suzi Stern Quintet. The performance is a free event, but reservations are strongly suggested and can be made by calling the Inn at (413) 637-2532.
Saturday, July 15, at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theater on the grounds of Shakespeare & Company, 70 Kemble Street.
7 p.m. The MaryAnn McSweeney Urban Fado Project
8 p.m. The Peggy Stern Quartet
9 p.m. Sara Caswell Quartet. This performance will also mark Caswell’s 2023 CD release.
Tickets for all July 15 concerts range from $25- $37 and can be purchased at the website, and at the door. Discounted tickets are available for EBT card holders.
Along with the strong lineup of women-led cconerts, LuluFest will offer a master class in improvisation for middle and high school students of all experience levels. Check the website for more information.
“Fingers crossed, people will come,” says Suzi Stern.
With a mission — and lineup — like theirs, we have no doubt they will.
