The Healdsburg Jazz Festival transforms the lovely town in the heart of Sonoma's Wine Country into a mecca for jazz: an idyllic experience that draws many Healdsburg alumni back for every year for 10 days of world-class jazz.

This year's festival features a stellar array of talent representing international reach of jazz, ranging from post-bop masters Bobby Hutcherson, Kenny Barron and Charlie Haden to Indian tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain and Latin jazz greats Eddie Palmieri, Pete Escovedo and John Santos. 

The 10th annual Healdsburg Jazz Festival lineup also includes Fred Hersch, Kurt Elling, Jason Moran, Renee Rosnes, James Newton, Bobby Watson and George Cables.

Since long-time jazz presenter Jessica Felix launched the event in 1999, the Healdsburg Jazz Festival has defied economic downturns and music industry hard times by focusing exclusively on musical talent rather than glitz. 

This season is the most ambitious yet. "Every year we try to make the jazz festival better, but this will definitely be our biggest and best yet," says Felix, the Festival's founder and artistic director.

Here's the full schedule for this year's Festival:

Friday, May 30 at 8 pm		Fred Hesch Trio with special guest Kurt Elling Jackson Theater, 4400 Day School Place, Santa Rosa
Saturday, May 31 at 7.30 pm		An Evening with Charles Lloyd Jackson Theater, 4400 Day School Place, Santa Rosa
Sunday, June 1 from 1 to 6 pm		Latin Jazz on the Green featuring the Eddie Palmieri Latin Jazz Sextet and the Pete Escovedo Ensemble with special guest John Santos Healdsburg Recreation Park, corner of University & Piper Streets, Healdsburg
Sunday, June 1 at 7.30 pm		Jazz Night at the Movies with Mark Cantor Raven Theater, 115 North St., Healdsburg
Monday, June 2 at 1 and 7 pm		Bug Music for Juniors with the Don Byron Sextet Raven Theater, 115 North St., Healdsburg
Monday, June 2 from 4 to 8 pm		Bop n' Shop Healdsburg Plaza, Downtown Healdsburg
Monday, June 2 from 7.30 to 10.30 pm		Jazz & Wine Dinner with the Lee Charlton Trio Dry Creek Kitchen, 317 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg
Tuesday, June 3 from 6-8 pm		Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Ensemble Healdsburg Plaza, Downtown Healdsburg
Tuesday, June 3 from 8 to 11 pm		Angela Wellman Quintet Palette Art Café, 235 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg
Wednesday, June 4 at 7 pm		Healdsburg High School Jazz Band featuring Sarah Wilson's Trapeze Project Raven Theater, 115 North St., Healdsburg
Wednesday, June 4 from 7-10 pm		Herb Gibson Quartet Palette Art Café, 235 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg
Thursday, June 5 at 7 and 9 pm		Marc Cary Trio with David Ewell & Sameer Gumpta Barndiva, 231 Center St., Healdsburg
Friday, June 6 at 8 pm		The Music of Eric Dolphy featuring Bennie Maupin and James Newton Raven Theater, 115 North St., Healdsburg
Friday, June 6 from 9 pm to midnight		John Heard Trio with Danny Grissett and Lorca Hart Healdsburg Hotel Lobby, 317 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg
Friday, June 6  from 5 to 7.30 pm		Steve Moon & Damon Lee Duo Palette Art Café, 235 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg
Saturday, June 7 from 4 to 6 pm		Christian Foley-Beining and Gary Johnson Duo La Crema Winery Tasting Room, 235 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg
Saturday, June 7 at 7.30 pm		Charlie Haden and Kenny Barron with special guests Joshua Redman and Ruth Cameron; Julian Lage Trio with Ray Drummond and Billy Hart Raven Theater, 115 North St., Healdsburg
Saturday, June 7 from 9 pm to midnight		John Heard Trio with Danny Grissett and Lorca Hart Healdsburg Hotel Lobby, 317 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg
Sunday, June 8 from 10 am to noon		"Come Sunday: Spirituals and Sacred Jazz Compositions" featuring musical director James Newton with George Cables and Ruth Naomi Floyd Raven Theater, 115 North St., Healdsburg
Sunday, June 8 at 3 pm		Cedar Walton Trio with David Williams and Lewis Nash; Bobby Hutcherson Quartet with Renee Rosnes, Ray Drummond and Victor Lewis; All-Star Alumni Band with Bobby Watson, Craig Handy, Mary Stallings and more Rodney Strong Vineyards, 11455 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg

For tickets or more information, please call 707.433.4644 or visit the Healdsburg Jazz Festival website at www.healdsburgjazzfestival.org. To buy tickets online, visit www.healdsburgjazzfestival.org/weblog/tickets.