If your father runs a jazz club, that leaves you with hardly any choice but to become a musician. Besides, it gives you the opportunity to jam with all the celebrities that stop by at Dad's club. That's how it went with sax player Gary Bartz. After spending some time on drums, he heard Charlie Parker play and decided to go for the alt, and later the soprano saxophone. He got his first professional engagement in 1964 with Max Roach. As a leader, he was early to flirt with roots music and funk, but eventually returned to straightforward jazz. During this festival, Bartz will pit his strength against that of the young but increasingly popular vibes player Stefon Harris.
