Sedona Jazz on the Rocks celebrates its 26th year with an expanded six-day event Tuesday, Sept. 25, to Sunday, Sept. 30, and has new events free to schools and the community.

“In keeping with our mission to preserve jazz through education and performance, we are offering free events to students, schools and the public,” stated Teri Mahaney, director of SJOR.

This year, Gov. Janet Napolitano decreed the festival week, Sedona Jazz on the Rocks Education Week. “We take our governor-proclaimed Sedona Jazz on the Rocks Education Week very seriously,” Mahaney stated. “We will be providing educational events all week.”

Educational performances for the schools include programs for all grade levels.

On Thursday and Friday, Sept. 27 and 28, New Orleans vocalist Kim Prevost and Bill Solley, one of the Big Easy’s most sought-after guitarists, will present three “Kids Who Love Jazz” clinics at West Sedona School, Big Park Community School and Sedona Charter School. This interactive program introduces students to jazz history and performance in an entertaining way.

On Friday, Sept. 28, Sedona Red Rock High School will host Billy Mitchell for a clinic in jazz history and elements. An internationally recognized performer for more than 30 years, Mitchell doesn’t focus on his past successes, he looks to the future.

To help lead the next generation out of crisis, he founded Scholarship Audition Performance Preparatory Academy, an outreach and training program for under-served communities and at-risk youth. Mitchell will have his seasoned trio from Los Angeles. Trio members include musicians Robert Kyle, Tomas Gargano and Quentin Dennard.

Events free to the community include:

 Tuesday, Sept. 25, kick off the festival, SJOR partners with the Sedona International Film Festival to bring in a jazz documentary film, “Anita O’Day: Life of a jazz singer.”  It will screen at 7 p.m. Admission to the movie is $10, followed by a free Anita O’Day tribute concert at Reds starting at 9 p.m. Soundscape Sedona, a local jazz group, will be led by Susannah Martin, an outstanding vocalist who does a fine Anita O’Day rendition.

 Wednesday, Sept. 26, “Sedona Celebrates Sedona” at Tlaquepaque is an all-day free concert series from 3 to 6:30 p.m. celebrating local jazz musicians.

The power-packed lineup of local jazz groups includes Soundscape Sedona, the McQuaid/Foldes Combo, Walt Flory and Selwyn Reams, Jazz Bedouins, Les Czimber Trio, Gail Kennedy, Swing Shift, Caaz Jaaz, and J.D. Duncan Band. This is followed by a jam session from 6 to 9 p.m. with the Sedona Jazz on the Rocks Youth Band and local musicians.

 Friday, Sept. 28:. From 3 to 4:30 p.m., Sedona Creative Life Center, Larry Gittens, a Grammy Award winning trumpeter and former music director for Stevie Wonder, will present an informal question and answer clinic, revealing the inside scoop on the music industry.

 Saturday, Sept. 29, from 5 to 9 p.m., local jazz combos will perform at the Tlaquepaque Artwalk. After performing at the all-day JazzFest, the Sedona Jazz on the Rocks Youth Band will perform from 7 to 9 p.m. at Exposures Gallery during a sale of collector-item, musician-signed festival posters. The 12 members of the Youth Band, led by Matt Jackson, are ambassadors for Sedona Jazz. They perform all over the state throughout the summer, ending their season at this final performance at the jazz festival.

“We invite all of Sedona to come out and enjoy jazz during festival week,” Mahaney stated. “It’s a pleasure to put on so many great events for everyone.”

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