Emerging Artist Showcase 2019

The Hartford Jazz Society announces the 2019 Emerging Artist Showcase

Hartford has a long and cherished legacy of producing some of this country’s most accomplished jazz musicians. In recognition of this tradition, the Hartford Jazz Society is presenting its third Emerging Jazz Artists Showcase, an annual contest held to increase the exposure for our area’s next generation of up and coming jazz musicians. All contestants will be featured on the HJS website, and the winner will receive a $500 cash prize and an opportunity to perform at the Hartford Jazz Society’s 58th Annual Jazz Cruise in September.

The rules of the contest are simple: applicants may submit a three to five minute solo or group video performance (YouTube Preferred) along with a brief bio by filling out the form below. The Hartford Jazz Society is accepting up to a maximum of sixteen entries. The Emerging Jazz Artists Showcase is open to musicians that have never been signed to a recording contract and have not released any widely distributed recordings as a leader. You must be 18 years of age to qualify and prior winners are not eligible. The Hartford Jazz Society reserves the right not to accept any submissions that it determines not to meet minimum standards for the competition.

During the months of June and July, each week the Hartford Jazz Society will feature up to four videos on its website and invites the jazz audience to vote on its favorite solo artist each week. Four finalists will be selected and invited to perform one song as a soloist during the intermissions at the 2019 Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz Series to be held July 8 through August 12, 2019. The finalists will also be featured on the Hartford Jazz Society website during the months of July and August, and the jazz audience is again invited to vote on its favorite solo artist.

On August 12, the Hartford Jazz Society will announce the winner of the Emerging Jazz Artist Showcase. The winner will receive a $500 cash prize and two tickets to the Jazz River Cruise. That artist will also be invited to perform as a soloist for a fifteen minute feature on the 58th Annual Hartford Jazz Society River Cruise to be held on Saturday, September 7th.

The mission of The Hartford Jazz Society is to cultivate an appreciation of the sound, culture, and love of jazz by presenting a variety of live events and other activities throughout the Greater Hartford community. The Hartford Jazz Society produces the Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz series in Bushnell Park and the annual Jazz Cruise on the Connecticut River among other programs. Complete information on the Society and its activities can be found on its website, www.hartfordjazzsociety.com.

For further information contact Sherm Schlar at hfdjazz@outlook.com .