Executive leaders for the 2023 Scottsdale Jazz Festival were hosted by Scottsdale Mayor David Ortega to kick off the planning for the April 29–30 festival taking place on the lawns surrounding Scottsdale City Hall.

This year’s event will build upon last year’s very successful Scottsdale Jazz Festival, a press release stated. That jazz party on the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall attracted nearly 2,000 attendees enjoying the jazz of six outstanding bands. The diversified audience included people from across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

As the final notes were played by the last jazz band, there remained people enjoying themselves at 10 pm., the release noted

Because of that success, the executives agreed to expand this year’s event from just one day to two.

Further, Mayor Ortega confirmed that two of the three new venues near city hall will be completed for this year’s event and the third venue will be available for overflow crowds, the release explained.

The project will rebuild portions of the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall as the community’s signature special event and public gathering space. Ortega reported it is nearing completion and welcomes the Scottsdale Jazz Festival to be one of the earliest users of the two new entertainment sites, according to the release.

At the mayor’s request, entrances to the festival will be designed to make it convenient for attendees to visit Old Town Scottsdale and the many fine restaurants in Old Town and adjoining the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall.

The release stated that a significant goal of the mayor and event organizers is to provide the city with a nationally-recognized event to encourage tourism in Scottsdale beyond Spring Training. Being held in April, this event can provide an extension of Scottsdale’s traditional tourist season.

At the meeting, four local area festival organizers also agreed to cooperate and cross-promote their festivals. This includes the Scottsdale Italian Festival, the local Asian Festival and the Persian Festival.

As was the case last year, the mayors of Paradise Valley and Tempe will be invited to join the mayor in promoting this major event to benefit tourism in all three cities.

Attending this kickoff planning meeting were Mayor David Ortega, Festival Chairman Alfredo Molina, William “Doc” Jones, founder and executive director of International Jazz Day AZ Foundation,  producer of the Scottsdale Italian Festival Frank Guzzo, producers of the local Asian Festival Minnie and Steve Kaplan, and festival sponsor and owner of Crescent Crown Distributors Don Fenstermaker among others.

The Scottsdale Jazz Festival is part of The Global Day of Jazz, which was initiated and is led by UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock.

The press release stated that its purpose is to share America’s unique form of music with people around the globe, to ensure Jazz musicians keep it relevant, and jazz lovers have opportunities to keep their love of it alive in their hearts.

Herbie Hancock has invited William “Doc” Jones to bring this celebration to Arizona, and Jones has chosen Scottsdale for this annual event, the release detailed. The upcoming jazz festival in Scottsdale will be the fourth organized by Doc Jones and his team.