Dwyane Wade, three-time NBA champion and Finals MVP, has been appointed as the first-ever Director of Culture and Vibes for the Blue Note Jazz Festival Napa, held July 28-30, at the Silverado Resort. In this role, Wade serves as a cultural connector between the festival, artists and the community.
“I came to the festival last year, and the event had such a good vibe—like a family reunion—that I wanted to come back and be a larger part of it,” said Wade. “Wine isn’t so different from sports; they both bring people together. As the festival’s Director of Culture and Vibes, I want to inspire the artists and festival goers to explore the Napa area, to broaden their appreciation for wine as well as their understanding of one another,” he added.
In 2014, Wade founded Wade Cellars in partnership with the Pahlmeyer family and has been an advocate for making wine more accessible to people from all walks of life.
“Dwyane Wade is a true champion, both on and off the court, and we are thrilled to have him on board as our Director of Culture and Vibes,” said Alex Kurland, Director of Programming for Blue Note. “Pairing Wade, who represents the highest caliber of talent and great performance, with our all-star musical line-up made perfect sense,” Kurland added.
The NBA legend joins a diverse group of black-owned and local businesses to be showcased at the festival, including Mary J. Blige’s Sun Goddess Wines, Pur Noire Urban Wineries, Highway Vodka, Phillip Ashley Chocolates, Napa Valley’s own McBride Sisters Wine Company, The Duckhorn Portfolio, and Yorkville’s Theopolis Vineyards.
The festival line-up, which is a head-nod to the 50th Anniversary of Hip-Hop, features established, eclectic, and cutting-edge artists who reflect a deep appreciation for jazz.
Headliners include Mary J. Blige, Nas, and Chance the Rapper. Additional talent in the line-up includes: Parliament Funkadelic featuring George Clinton, Digable Planets, Ari Lennox, Big Freedia, Cordae, NxWorries (Anderson .Paak & Knxwledge), Gary Clark Jr., Talib Kweli & Madlib, PJ Morton, Smino, Rakim & DJ Jazzy Jeff, DOMi & JD Beck, BJ The Chicago Kid, Cory Henry, Meshell Ndegeocello, The Soul Rebels featuring Keyon Harrold, Terrace Martin, Big Freedia, Adam Blackstone, Madlib (DJ Set), Taylor McFerrin & Marcus Gilmore with Bobby McFerrin, Soulive, Rapsody, J.Period, Nicholas Payton, Derrick Hodge, Yussef Dayes, MonoNeon, Ghost-Note, Kenneth Whalum, Weedie Braimah & The Hands of Time and Frédéric Yonnet.
Phillip Ashley, the acclaimed Chocolatier and proprietor of Phillip Ashley Chocolates, is set to combine enjoyment and homage as he presents his exquisite, handcrafted chocolates in the Wine Garden. Celebrating cultural icons, Chef Phillip will showcase a special assortment from his latest “Mixtape” Collection, paying tribute to the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop. Each delectable piece in this collection draws inspiration from influential figures such as Nas, Mary J. Blige, and Dave Chappelle.
“We’ve been very intentional in the music curation of this festival,” said Steven Bensusan, President of Blue Note Entertainment, “and equally focused on the inclusion of local and minority-owned businesses as a way to expand the festival’s reach and impact.”
Sun Goddess Wines is owned by Mary J. Blige, an iconic Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress, producer, and philanthropist who is a defining voice in music, and now in wine.
McBride Sisters Wine Company was founded by sisters Robin McBride and Andréa McBride John, who believe wine companies should be accessible, sustainable, socially conscious, and culturally aware. They are the largest Black-owned and largest all-women-founded wine company in the United States. Their mission is to transform the industry, lead by example and cultivate community, one delicious glass at a time. They produce wine across two hemispheres; in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and the Central Coast of California.
Pur Noire Urban Wineries, founded by Black entrepreneurs and husband and wife team, Carissa and Kenneth Stephens, is a story of love. After splurging on a “nice bottle of wine” they joined their entrepreneurial spirits together to establish a black-owned winery. A trip to Italy deepened their passion for wine and piqued their interest in the wine industry, ultimately resulting in the establishment of the Pur Collection.
In addition to wine, the festival will feature Highway Vodka, a first-of-its-kind vodka distilled with hemp seed. The first Black-owned distillery in Texas, the brand’s unique mash consists of hemp seed, corn and pure water and is free of gluten, CBD and THC. Their proprietary slow filtration process — which is one-of-a-kind in the craft spirits industry — preserves the grains’ flavors, while yielding a smoother product that displays a natural kiss of sweetness and a distinct mouthfeel. Highway’s mission is to inspire and empower the next generation of visionaries to #ForgeYourLane.
The Blue Note Jazz Festival The Blue Note Jazz Festival brand was established in 2011 in New York and has since become the largest jazz festival in New York City. The festival expanded to Napa Valley in 2022, where, true to the essence of the Blue Note brand, it showcases the biggest names in music and culture in an intimate, small-town setting.