By Glenn Rifkin

“What we didn’t want was just another jazz festival. I hope it never turns into that. We were focused on early jazz, traditional jazz from New Orleans, dating back to the 1920s and ’30s, before the advent of the big band era.”

The Bay State Hot Jazz Festival.  August 23-24, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Condon Shell on Mystic River Parkway in Medford.

Annie and The Fur Trappers. Photo: courtesy of the artist

“And the doctor said, ‘Give ’em jug band music, it seems to make ’em feel just fine.’” —  The Lovin’ Spoonful.

In 2023, as the shackles of the Covid pandemic began to come loose, Annie Linders, a local jazz trumpeter and vocalist, was experiencing the longing that most musicians around the world were feeling: it was time to perform in front of a live audience again.  Linders, who lived in Medford at the time, was driving past the town’s Condon Shell outdoor stage along the Mystic River and thought, “What a cool place to play.” Checking in with the town’s recreation department, she learned that the cost to rent the stage was minimal, so she decided to launch a music festival.

Linders was the leader of a traditional jazz band, Annie and The Fur Trappers, and she was deep into the local jazz scene. She reached out to several of the traditional jazz bands that called the Boston area home, including JP Honk, The Rubin Brothers, The Soggy Po Boys, and the Wolverine Jazz Band, and the response was gratifying enough to create what she tabbed “The Medford Trad Jazz Festival.”

“What we didn’t want was just another jazz festival,” Linders said. “I hope it never turns into that. We were focused on early jazz, traditional jazz from New Orleans, dating back to the 1920s and ’30s from before the big band era.”

The inaugural festival was successful enough to inspire a second iteration the following year. Now, in its third year, Linders and the other organizers have renamed and expanded the event: The Bay State Hot Jazz Festival returns to the Condon Shell as a two-day celebration on August 23 and 24. Linders believes it will be bigger and better than ever.

Among the reasons for her optimism: jug band legend Jim Kweskin will headline the festival, performing with the Berlin Hall Saturday Night Revue, offering some timeless classics and selections from the group’s new album, Doing Things Right.

Eight bands from New England and beyond are featured, including: 440, a gypsy jazz band with a taste of Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli; singer/songwriter Rahsaan Cruse Jr.; The Busted Jug Band, which features kazoos, washboards, mandolin, washtub bass, and more; and Annie and the Fur Trappers, back for another festival appearance. The full lineup is available on the festival website.The daytime event is free and along with the music, food will be provided by the Revelry N’Awlins Cuisine food truck, which offers authentic New Orleans dishes like po boys, jambalaya, and red beans and rice. Beer will be provided by the Medford Brewing Company.

Jim Kweskin & the Berlin Hall Saturday Night Revue. Photo: courtesy of the artist

Linders and her band performed on Kweskin’s new album and then did a couple of shows to unveil the music. “We were sad at the end,” she said. “It felt like we wanted to do more with it. The festival is a way to promote the album and play together again.”

Linders, who began playing the trumpet in fifth grade in her hometown of St. Louis, described the good fortune of having excellent band teachers throughout high school who introduced her to big band music and the art of improvisation. The seed was planted.

St. Louis had a thriving traditional jazz scene and Linders continued to explore the genre on her own. “I traveled backward in time,” finding herself drawn to prewar music and the New Orleans sound.

“When I first moved to Boston, I knew there were a few bands who did this, but I had no idea how many bands there were,” she said. The festival has touched a chord and this year, more than 30 bands applied to take part.

“One of the coolest things about the festival is that you have nothing to lose going to it,” she added. “It’s totally free and we are hoping to attract a lot of families to come out and dance.”

Glenn Rifkin is a veteran journalist and author who has covered business for many publications including the New York Times for nearly 35 years. He has written about music, film, theater, food and books for the Arts Fuse. His book Future Forward: Leadership Lessons from Patrick McGovern, the Visionary Who Circled the Globe and Built a Technology Media Empire was published by McGraw-Hill.