JAS Labor Day Experience kicks off with Lukas Nelson and Brandi Carlile
Courtesy photo
The end of summer is upon us, which means it’s time for the return of the annual Jazz Aspen Snowmass Labor Day Experience. For three days, music lovers from near and far will congregate at Snowmass Town Park this weekend.
Fans of the JAS Labor Day Experience — an open air, dance-oriented extravaganza of popular R&B, rock, funk, blues, world, and soul music at Snowmass Town Park — are in for a big treat this year with headliners Brandi Carlile, Sting, and Dierks Bentley joined by Lukas Nelson, One Republic and The Black Crowes.
“Programming is part art and part science,” said Jim Horowitz, president and CEO of JAS. “A lot depends on the bands that are on tour and available. We’re thrilled because we ended up getting a different kind of bill this year with Sting and One Republic on Saturday who are both headline bands in their own right. Every bill is a little bit like a meal that you put together. It might be your favorite meat dish or your favorite seafood dish, or it might be something altogether different, but whatever it is, it’s going to be very good.”
Aspen has a storied history when it comes to music that rivals just about any major city in the world, which is impressive when you think of the population size and its somewhat remote location. It could be argued that music was one of the main catalysts that transformed Aspen from a quiet, former mining town to a world-renowned cultural destination.
So what is it about this place that has attracted generations of artists and audiences alike?
“It’s a combination of different things,” said Horowitz. “First, a powerful history that started in the late ’40s, post World War II. Bringing great ideas and great art to Aspen was the foundation of Elizabeth Paepcke’s aspirations. From that seed, the idea of modern Aspen took hold, and a big part of that was attracting the best of the best, which is still true today.”
Due partially to the efforts of Chicagoan John Silber, Aspen became a stop for another type of music: Jazz greats like Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, and Duke Ellington were just a few who descended on the valley in the 1950s to play at the historic Red Onion restaurant and bar (which is currently closed but will eventually re-open) in Aspen’s core, paving the way for the eventual creation of Jazz Aspen Snowmass and its upcoming permanent home, the JAS Center, which will be located just above where those icons played decades ago.
The counterculture of the 1960s brought a new wave of musicians, which continued into the ’70s and ’80s. Everyone from John Denver to Stevie Nicks, Jimmy Buffett, John Oates, the Eagles, and Willie Nelson found musical inspiration or a sense of home in this valley. For many, it involved both.
It was during that time when the valley’s tradition of gathering outdoors to enjoy music and dance was born on Fanny Hill in Snowmass. It began as the annual Deaf Camp Benefit, which was once headlined by Denver and Buffett and has continued into the present with Snowmass’ annual free summer concert series, established in 1991. It features music across many genres, from reggae and country to zydeco and bluegrass.
Aspen and Snowmass’ musical tradition further evolved in June 1991. Inspired by a jazz festival in Marciac in the southwest of France, Horowitz founded JAS and thereby expanded Aspen’s musical landscape. What started as a three-day event has now evolved into a complex set of multi-day festivals in Aspen/Snowmass featuring a wide array of music, including two summer tent poles — JAS June Experience and JAS Labor Day Experience.
This weekend’s festivities kick off on Friday with Nelson and Carlile. Nelson, the son of country icon Willie Nelson, isn’t a stranger to Aspen having played shows throughout the years at Belly Up Aspen. There is also a lot of buzz around the singer, songwriter, and producer in Carlile, who is making her debut on the JAS Labor Day stage. Her music spans different genres, including folk rock, alternative country, Americana, and classic rock and has won 11 Grammy Awards.
“She’s certainly a great artist and someone we are excited to have,” he explained. “We think it’s a nice pairing with Lucas, and she has a devoted Colorado following.”
Saturday’s lineup boasts Colorado Springs’ pop rock band OneRepublic and the return of Sting, who graced the stage at JAS Labor Day in 2019.
“That was the biggest festival coast to coast that we ever had. It was just enormous,” he said. “Who he is as an artist, the breadth of his work, the quality of his live show, and his generosity as an artist, he’s a 12. We are excited to welcome him back.”
Sunday’s show now features the country star in Bentley, who is replacing Tim McGraw, who pulled out due to knee surgery, as the headliner, and The Black Crowes who after many tumultuous years, reunited in 2019. The Black Crowes are on the road supporting their album, “Happiness Bastards,” their first album of original music in 15 years.
“At this point, the event has gotten big enough with artists and audiences that we can put some pretty substantial bills together,” Horowitz said. “And that’s not going to change.”
Information and tickets: jazzaspensnowmass.org/labor-day-experience.
Sarah Girgis is the Arts and Entertainment Editor for The Aspen Times. She can be reached at 970-429-9151 or sgirgis@aspentimes.com.
JAS Labor Day Experience kicks off with Lukas Nelson and Brandi Carlile
The end of summer is upon us, which means it’s time for the return of the annual Jazz Aspen Snowmass Experience. For three days music lovers from near and far will congregate at Snowmass Town Park this weekend.
