Across the river: a phrase that in D.C. usually refers to the city’s impoverished and institutionally neglected Wards 7 and 8. Ironically enough, across a different river on the other side of town lies Rosslyn, Va., one of the wealthiest areas in the United States. You might not know this, but it’s also home to one of the last remaining free jazz festivals in the area, drawing crowds of about 8,000 over a single day from around the D.C. area. Now in its 25th year, the Rosslyn Jazz Fest has become the area’s premier free outdoor festival for jazz. (That used to be the DC Jazz Festival, but its Yards Park programming is now ticketed.)

This year’s silver anniversary edition takes place this Saturday, and as usual it features four acts from across the spectrum performing in Gateway Park, near the foot of the Key Bridge. What’s different this year is that none play straight-ahead jazz, exactly, and all four are fairly large ensembles. The famous Dirty Dozen Brass Band, from New Orleans, headlines the festival, and it’s joined by the Ethopian jazz of the Debo Band, the retro soul of Sonny Knight & the Lakers, and D.C.’s own the Funk Ark.

 
 
Curated by Arlington Arts, the festival was founded in 1990, and in its early years it featured three local D.C. area performers and one national act. But the festival has grown in renown and budget, and the lineup now features three national acts and one local. (Still, due to the deep talent pool in the D.C. area, from time to time one or more of the national acts can also be considered local.)

Mary-Claire Burick, President of Rosslyn Business Improvement District, which sponsors the festival, explained its goal. “A festival has a uniquely social and community building aspect to it as opposed to a night club. You are putting your blanket down next to your neighbor, chatting, dancing and having a good time,” she told CapitalBop. “From our perspective, we wanted to have acts that are energetic and promote that interactivity and social aspect as well. At the same time, the festival is designed to have the acts work together as one cohesive experience.”

This year’s headliner, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, has been at the forefront of popularizing New Orleans brass band music for decades, often serving as the go-to band for spotlights and profiles on music in the Crescent City. This is well-deserved attention, as the group upholds the city’s tradition, gathering more interest to it while showcasing the infectiousness of the rhythm-backed power of New Orleans brass.

Debo Band is an interesting blend of Ethiopian Jazz with sheer funky jam band-y vibrations. They are a favorite in the World Rhythms circles, and they represent the kind of fusion that tend to attract the international population of the D.C. area. They consider themselves interpreting Ethiopian pop, but so much of that music is heavily influenced by the funky rhythms of Soul and Jazz, albeit with a canon of rhythms unique to Ethiopia. This music played by a fully fleshed out large ensemble, gives the music weight, as the music is rhythmically powerful, and melodically complex.

Sonny Knight is one of the latest in a recent resurgence of Soul Singers who have been reorganized for a new generation of avid classic soul fans. A man in his mid-60s, Knight has been performing off and on since he was a child. He recorded minor hits with different R&B bands in the 60s and 70s, hits that would later be rediscovered by the ubiquitous reissue label Numero Group, and released on one of their popular compilations. With his rediscovery, the Lakers were organized to be Knight’s backing band, delivering fresh soul grooves with authenticity to a contemporary audience.

For this year’s festival, they have recruited the popular Funk Ark, a group that runs the gamut of danceable music styles. This is a pan-funk ensemble, and no approach is left out during their sets. Led by keyboardist Will Rast, it goes from Latin funk to southern soul funk to Afro-funk and beyond. The group got its start in the clubs of D.C. and eventually signed to Thievery Corporation’s ESL label. With their latest album set to be released by Ropeadope Records, and a string of concerts with George Clinton and others, this local ensemble has truly become a national force.

When the festival was founded a quarter-century ago, Rosslyn had hardly any residential buildings, the festival sought to attract people from outside of the area’s workforce. Every year, the Rosslyn Jazz Fest descends upon Gateway Park. As the area has grown into a more mixed-use urban center with residencies in high demand—and price—the festival has also experienced changes and growth.

The weather for Saturday is looking questionable, but as long as the rain holds out, this year’s strong lineup will encourage a festive atmosphere, full of dancing and energy and movement. Accompanied by the numerous vendors and food trucks selling classic carnival food and popular dishes, it all adds up to the feeling of being at a true festival—and did we mention it’s free?

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