Al Green to headline troubled Jazz Fest

Rev. Al Green, a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and Grammy lifetime achievement award winner, will anchor this year’s Indy Jazz Fest, organizers will announce tonight at a party at the Jazz Kitchen in Broad Ripple.

The Ninth Annual Indy Jazz Fest’s lineup, scheduled June 15-17 at Military Park downtown, also includes Bela Fleck, Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner Trio, Regina Carter, Hiromi, Somi and Spyro Gyra.

Others include James Hunter, Diva and Nneena Freelon and Rachel Price, Monk Legacy Septet, Ori, Mike Milligan and Steam Shovel, Monika Herzig & A Tribute to Women in Jazz, Frank Smith and the Buselli Wallarab Jazz Orchestra.

This year’s festival is being produced by the American Pianists Association, which took over the struggling program in 2003. Last year, attendance fell to a record low of 14,500 despite a lineup that included the Neville Brothers, Herbie Hancock, Bonnie Raitt and Dr. John.

Backers blamed the dip on bad weather. The three-day festival was plagued by high temperatures and humidity levels as well as rain.