Described by smooth jazz guitarist Chuck Loeb as “the Woodstock of Jazz Festivals”, Washington/Baltimore’s premier contemporary jazz and soul event just got a little funkier. Organizers of the almost sold out 17th annual Capital Jazz Fest (which is happening June 5-7, 2009) have announced that the one and only Chaka Khan has been added to the ensemble. She replaces the recuperating Natalie Cole who underwent a kidney transplant earlier this month and from which she is expected to make a complete recovery. Khan will take her place on the Pavilion Jazz Stage to dazzle the crowd with four decades of hits plus songs from her latest and highly acclaimed Grammy-winning CD, ‘Funk This’. In doing so she will add to a line-up that already includes smooth jazz superstars Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, George Duke, Al Jarreau, Lalah Hathaway, Fourplay, Norman Brown, Roy Ayers, Will Downing, Kirk Whalum and Pieces of a Dream.
For information and to buy tickets go to www.capitaljazz.com/2009/