BURLINGTON — Like most years, the 2021 Discover Jazz Festival is host to some of the area’s best-known musicians. But on Friday, the headliners were not exactly household names.
The festival’s opening performance, “50 Saxophones,” showcased an orchestra of about four dozen volunteer musicians gathered on the edge of Lake Champlain.
Dave Grippo, a local musician and educator, led the group in a trio of tunes, including Duke Ellington’s “Take the A Train” and a second-line march.
“The pandemic has shown us just how much it takes for a community to thrive,” said Jay Wahl, executive director of the Flynn Center, before kicking off the show.
The organization canceled last year’s festival because of Covid-19. Bringing together local musicians in a circle to kick off this year’s program was symbolic, Wahl said.
“I hope that together we can begin the healing process as a community,” he said.
The festival continues with events around Burlington, most of them free and open to the public, through Sunday.
Photos by Mike Dougherty and Glenn Russell/VTDigger.