Let's Get Local

One of the best parts of living in Burlington, is that whenever something cool is going on, I feel like I have a 70% chance of knowing someone involved. The Jazz Fest is no exception.

My favorite part of Jazz Fest is not the selection of amazing jazz artists performing at the Flynn and other ticketed venues. It's the open air concert in City Hall Park, usually featuring local artists. This year, the concert has been dubbed Big Joe Burrell Day, and one of my favorite local musicians will be there.

You may recognize saxophonist/vocalist Annakalmia "Kal" Traver from any of a number of her projects. I've seen her at Radiobean with the self proclaimed "psycho-tropical" group Gua Gua. I've seen her in Soulvation Army, Burlington's own 17 piece funk band. She tours with the popular reggae group John Brown's Body. She is also the lovely lady of Alex Toth and the Lazybirds, with whom she will be performing on Big Joe Burrell Day.

I happen to have seen Miss. Traver many times other than with the projects listed, at pep rallies, band concerts, etc. While we've never met, we hail from the same high school, Woodstock Union, in beautiful, rural southern VT. My memories of Kal Traver are all music related. I'm not sure how many school assemblies featured announcements of new honors awarded to Miss. Traver for her musical achievements. She has stood out from other young musicians from the start.

She never fails to impress me, particularly what I've heard of her vocals on the new Lazybirds album Birdhead, which the Boston Phoenix says "...hits the hard-bop sweet spot."

So don't miss this local treasure of a musician this Jazz Fest. I would say Kal Traver is a promising young musician, because that's what people says about people like her, but she's already fulfilling those promises.