Tanglewood Jazz Festival

We know you’re out there: the real jazz fans who grumble at the rock and blues acts filling out the bills at many jazz festivals. Well, as the song says, this note’s for you: The Tanglewood Jazz Festival is triumphantly old-school, with acoustic jazz of all types at the forefront. Tomorrow (Friday) at 8 PM, there’s the exuberant Latin jazz of Cuban-born Arturo Sandoval and his Orchestra in Ozawa Hall. On Saturday at 1:30 PM, there’s an “organ summit” at Tanglewood Theater with the Jimmy McGriff Quartet and the Joey DeFrancesco Trio, plus special guest saxman David “Fathead” Newman. At 3 PM, there’s a taping of Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz in Ozawa Hall, featuring guest Sir Roland Hanna. Then at 8 PM Saturday in the Koussevitzky Music Shed, the platinum-selling Diana Krall appears; for those not thrilled with the heavy strings and pop arrangements of her last two discs, Krall is, happily, performing with a jazz trio. Also in the shed, Roy Haynes headlines Birds of a Feather—A Tribute to Charlie Parker, with Kenny Garrett, Christian McBride, Dave Kikoski, and Roy Hargrove (pictured). Hargrove returns Sunday at 2 PM with his own quartet for a show at Ozawa Hall. The festival winds up with the legendary Dave Brubeck Quartet in Ozawa Hall at 8 PM Sunday. That’s enough real jazz to hold the most discriminating connoisseur till next summer.

The Tanglewood Jazz Festival begins tomorrow (Friday, Aug. 30) and continues through Sunday (Sept. 1) at Tanglewood (297 West St., Lenox, Mass). For more information and ticket prices, call (617) 266-1492, or visit www.bso.org.

Silent Art Auction

Time & Space Limited, which began as a theater company in New York City in 1973, has made its home in Hudson since 1991—and if you haven’t been to the performing arts center to attend at least one of the company’s many theatrical events, film screenings, art shows, music extravaganzas, etc., shame on you. The not-for-profit arts organization promotes collaboration between artists and activists in the hope of increasing “civic and environmental awareness” through its many projects, and on Saturday (Aug. 31), TSL kicks off a benefit silent art auction (pictured is Carrie Waldman’s Hudson, Spring Tumble), with a reception from 6 to 8 PM. The artists—37 of them—included in the exhibition have all donated their art for the cause, and you can visit www.timeandspace.org/art_auction.htm to view their work and, if you so choose, to make bids. The silent auction ends Oct. 19, and the exhibition is open Monday through Friday, 10 AM to 2 PM, at Time & Space Limited (434 Columbia St. Hudson). Call 822-8448 for more information.

The Capital District Scottish Games

We can’t tell you what’s under a Scotsman’s kilt, but we can tell you what to expect from the 25th annual Capital District Scottish Games, to be held Saturday and Sunday at the Altamont Fairgrounds. Now it wouldn’t be a Scottish fair without the sound of bagpipes keening across the highlands of Altamont, and sure enough, the Northeast United States Pipe Band Competition will take place on Saturday. On both days, you can enjoy food, drink, children’s events, exhibits, and plenty of music from the likes of the Brigadoons and Jennifer Licko (Saturday only), the Niagara Regional Police Pipe Band (Sunday only), and the McKrells and Enter the Haggis (both days). Three round-trip airfares for two to the British Isles and/or locations within the United States will be given away. And don’t forget the athletic events, which include the caber toss, hammer throw, stone put, and more. (The fact that some of us also recall a competition involving airborne haggis may be little more than a trick of memory.)

The Capital District Scottish Games will take place Saturday (Aug. 31) from 9 AM to 6 PM and Sunday (Sept. 1) from 11 AM to 7 PM at the Altamont Fairgrounds (Route 146, Altamont). Adult tickets are $12, $10 advance for Saturday, $10, $8 advance for Sunday; children are $3, $2 advance. Advance tickets may be purchased at Hannaford supermarkets or at Holmes & Watson in Troy. For further information, call 785-0507.