Scranton Jazz Festival returns with Grammy Award-winner, Take 6

Brooke Williams, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.
·3 min read

Aug. 2—Get carried away this weekend with the sounds of jazz, blues, world beat and more.

Now in its 18th year, the Scranton Jazz Festival returns to the city's downtown from Friday, Aug. 4, to Sunday, Aug. 6, with more than 90 musicians across 20-plus venues. There's no cost of admission for the New Orleans-style festival, except for two ticketed shows.

Grammy Award-winning a cappella sextet Take 6 performs Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in Peoples Security Bank Theater at Lackawanna College, 501 Vine St. Then on Sunday at 6 p.m., the SJF Big Band takes the stage with guest vocalist Kathy Kosins at the Ritz Theater, 222 Wyoming Ave.

"This year's lineup is awesome," said Scranton Jazz Festival Artistic Director Marko Marcinko. "We got Take 6 coming, a 10-time Grammy Award-winning, Gospel Music Hall of Fame ensemble. It's really a big deal for us. We've had other legendary vocal groups in the past and to get these guys, it's really a win for us."

Take 6 originated from the Gentlemen's Estates Quartet, which Claude McKnight formed in 1980 while studying at Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. The singers became Alliance, then finally, Take 6 when they signed to a record label in 1987.

Take 6's self-titled debut album earned the vocal group its first two Grammys in 1988 and landed in the Top 10 Billboard contemporary jazz and contemporary Christian charts. They haven't slowed down since.

McKnight said Take 6 — which currently consists of himself, Mark Kibble, Joel Kibble, Dave Thomas, Alvin Chea and Khristian Dentley — loves participating in festivals like Scranton Jazz.

"We're gonna have fun. It's gonna be all about fun," McKnight said. "We want people to come out, enjoy it with us, sing along with us — not too loudly, of course — but have a great time."

The Electric City audience can expect a well-rounded performance with selections spanning Take 6's decades-long catalog of originals and covers. They mostly perform a cappella, but also like to bring in guitars and keyboards for something different, he added.

"We like to have fun, and we like to stretch ourselves a bit as well, as far as creativity is concerned," McKnight said. "So that's what they can expect, to get something that they wouldn't normally get just on a Take 6 album."

Overall, he said the vocal group tries to spread love with each performance.

"Hopefully they can leave and have an uplifting feeling that they can do the same thing and just share love and goodness with other people," McKnight said.

For tickets to see Take 6 and the SJF Big Band, visit scrantonjazzfestival.org. Otherwise, fans can catch a number of free performances from emerging musicians and seasoned professionals Friday and Saturday on the Jazz Walk.

Opening night coincides with this month's First Friday Art Walk, so festival goers also can see work by regional artists on display at participating locations. COLTS will run a trolley service downtown Friday and Saturday from 6 to 9:30 p.m.

Then on Sunday, five venues will host Jazz Brunches from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.: PJ's 1910 Pub at Hilton Scranton and Conference Center, 100 Adams Ave.; POSH at the Scranton Club, 404 N. Washington Ave.; Carmen's 2.0 Restaurant at Radisson at Lackawanna Station hotel, 700 Lackawanna Ave.; the Railyard Restaurant, 119 Jefferson Ave.; and Voodoo Brewing Co., 820 S. Washington Ave. Entertainment is provided, but guests must cover the cost of brunch.

The festival wraps up Sunday with a free after party on the Radisson Trax Patio from 8 to 10 p.m.

Marcinko said the Scranton Jazz Festival continues to grow and not only benefit the local arts and culture scene, but the region's economic development and tourism.

"We just want to encourage everyone to come out and support it," he said.

Contact the writer:

bwilliams@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100 x5107;

@BWilliamsTT on Twitter