What is Hawkfest

The Coleman Hawkins Legacy Jazz Festival is a “community” jazz festival, meaning that it features local and regional jazz artists and University jazz programs as a major focus, in addition to booking national headliner acts. This community festival model is designed not only to entertain audiences, but to promote and elevate jazz as an art form in the community and to provide a venue for local and regional jazz groups. Many citizens are unaware of the fine jazz artists who exist in the community and those who are now performing throughout America. Because this model helps project a positive image of Topeka as a vibrant and fun city it also facilitates growth and helps attract young families and businesses.

The festival is free to the public. This does not mean that the musicians are performing for free. Musicians study for years to be able to perform music at a high level and deserve to make a living doing it. Corporations and businesses along with grants and some individual donors in Topeka sponsor this event and make it possible.

Coleman Hawkins Legacy Jazz Festival, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, EIN 48-1200525, which produces not only the festival with its charity mission but administers a scholarship program and brings musical entertainment and education events to nursing homes and schools in the area throughout the year, as part of its Community Development Program. It is truly a year-round organization that boasts on its committee many accomplished and experienced individuals in Topeka in the fields of music education, performance, finance, marketing, and community development. All are jazz lovers, humanitarians, and boosters of the community who believe passionately in the mission of the Festival and the future of Topeka as a vibrant and attractive city that cares for its people.

The scholarship program is a program to subsidize private music lessons for area youth identified as talented by the directors of the Topeka Youth Jazz Workshop, operated by Topeka Jazz Workshop Band, Inc., but whose families cannot afford private music lessons. The program is administered by Craig Treinen, the director of Jazz Studies at Washburn University and a fine jazz saxophonist, himself. This program is seeking full funding through grants and other sponsorships, because the organization believes that talent should not be wasted. All children with talent for jazz deserve a shot at winning college jazz scholarships worth 1-2 thousand dollars every year. The complexity of jazz music today requires a strong academic background in theory and performance that only can be accessed by those who have had the benefit of private music lessons. This is part of the Legacy of Coleman Hawkins.

The Community Development Program is new.  Jazz performance and education events to support schools and residents of retirement homes are scheduled throughout the year, and the joy and inspiration expressed by those who attend these, must be experienced to fully understand.  This program is administered by CHLJF, Inc. committee member, Carlos Martinez, who schedules and conducts these performances.  Carlos is a Katrina Evacuee and percussionist who came to Topeka after the hurricane and who has performed with the Neville Brothers and many other New Orleans luminaries.  He saved many lives personally after the Hurricane and brings to our community great talent, personal warmth, and a unique ability to inspire children. Carlos has performed with a number of outstanding groups at the last two festivals. Hawkfest founder, Dan Kozak, was instrumental in providing a home and new opportunities to Carlos to rebuild his life after fleeing New Orleans with his family.

The History

Local musician Dan Kozak, along with Leroy Garvin and other intrepid adventurers, founded the festival thirteen years ago in order to honor Topeka's most famous jazz musician, saxophonist Coleman Hawkins. Coleman Hawkins came to Topeka from St. Joseph, Missouri for the opportunity to study music. He attended Topeka High School and studied music at Washburn University, now one of the festival's major sponsors. Coleman Hawkins went on to make the tenor saxophone the “voice” of jazz itself. The saxophone was a novelty instrument before Coleman Hawkins elevated it to its present status. He remained at the forefront of jazz and recorded over four decades, all the way into the post-bop era of the late 1960's, performing with most of the giants of jazz over the years.

During the first ten years, the event was known as the “Coleman Hawkins Neighborhood Festival,” because it first took place in the neighborhood where Coleman Hawkins lived at Eighth St. and Polk in what is now the Friends House. It moved several times over the following years. In 2005, the festival moved to Topeka Harley-Davidson's Harley Town, owned by Mike and Cathy Patterson, and found a home in this excellent setting, which provided a festive atmosphere, good acoustics, and ample facilities for a Jazz Festival, including space for many vendors. The recent growth and success of the festival can be attributed in large part to the great support of Mike and Cathy Patterson, and all the fine people at Harley-Davidson of Topeka.

In 2006, the festival took on a new level of organization as a major regional event along with a new name and an added mission: to raise money for charity. The festival chose Marian Clinic as the recipient of donations raised at the festival, because Marian Clinic efficiently and effectively provides a high level of medical care delivered with great compassion to those adults and children in Shawnee County who cannot afford health insurance. The 2006 crowd was generous, donating over $5000 for Marian Clinic. Hawkfest was delighted to have the Heartland Sertoma Club of Topeka as our partners in the charity mission in 2006. Marian Clinic was again chosen as the recipient of the charity proceeds in 2007, and over $7000 was raised. In 2008-2009, the charity recipient shifts to Kansas Children’s Service League.

The Present and The Future

The 2008 Festival will be upgrading its stage and tents and making other major changes involving new partners.  The committee has expanded and included even more talent from the Topeka Area.  Watch for major announcements on this web site.  Committee member Rich Drinon is also spearheading a long term effort to develop a Northeast Kansas jazz society that will help all jazz organizations from Wyandotte County westward to Emporia to be successful and achieve economies in marketing, sales, and bookings. CHLJF, Inc. is proud to be involved in this wider effort.