Kate Dumbleton’s passion for Hyde Park Jazz Festival comes through fabulously loud and clear
‘It means a lot to be able to give exposure to local artists who might not get it otherwise,’ the longtime fest’s artistic director says.
Sept 19, 2023, 5:09pm CDT
It takes more than a gathering of great musicians to make a great jazz festival. For Kate Dumbleton, the much-admired executive and artistic director of the Hyde Park Jazz Festival, it takes a vision.
For her, nothing is more important than making connections with the South Side community in which it is based — with its storied music history, its sturdy traditions, and of course its musicians.
“I love this community and all it has to offer,” she said. “It means a lot to be able to give exposure to local artists who might not get it otherwise.”
In making those connections, the festival, the 17th edition of which takes place Sept. 23-24 at 14 venues across Hyde Park, has established its own special character and vibe. They owe a lot to its diversity of settings, which include the elegant auditorium of the Logan Center for the Arts, the acoustically wondrous Rockefeller Chapel, the outdoor stages on the fest’s midway and the Logan Center’s intimate penthouse performance room. More than 150 musicmakers are scheduled to perform.