The Indy Jazz Fest follows the formula typical of outdoor summer jazz festivals, which have taken pop stars in stride ever since impresario George Wein put Chuck Berry onstage with a somewhat bewildered Jack Teagarden at the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival.

The annual event hit the ground running in 1999, with a huge roster of buzz-worthy acts: on the jazz side; a duo of Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, Branford Marsalis, Bobby McFerrin, Sonny Rollins and Nicholas Payton; from other walks of musical life, Isaac Hayes, Robert Cray, Bobby Bland, B.B. King and Chaka Khan. Lots of emphasis on Indianapolis jazz was threaded throughout the schedule. Nine stages were involved, including six venues outside the festival's Military Park home.

The festival shrank geographically only a little the next year, but had the star power of Ray Charles, Emmylou Harris, Al Green and Cassandra Wilson, with jazz from Dave Brubeck, Elvin Jones and the newly emergent Medeski Martin & Wood. Unfortunately, a huge downpour on opening night threw red ink onto the festival's ledgers. The event continued in 2001 and 2002 as a three-day fest, but had to move away from that June format in 2003 to regroup financially. A one-day Indy Jazz Fest that September enabled the festival to catch its breath, and in 2004 it was back in business as a June weekend event under the aegis of its savior, the American Pianists Association.

The first APA weekend fest brought in a piano emphasis with Brad Mehldau, Ramsey Lewis (with Nancy Wilson) and several Indianapolis-based pianists. Jazz stars also included John Scofield, Kenny Garrett and Poncho Sanchez. From related musical fields came Buddy Guy and the Blind Boys of Alabama.

In 2005, Tony Bennett was the marquee name with a jazz-oriented pop career. Gary Burton, Joey DeFrancesco, Slide Hampton and the Bad Plus represented a wide swath of jazz styles. Also on hand were vocal groups the Commodores and the Manhattan Transfer.

Bonnie Raitt was the platinum name on the 2006 bill, with a New Orleans theme carried out by Dr. John, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and the Neville Brothers. Herbie Hancock brought his quartet, and Eddie Palmieri represented the strength of Latin jazz.

Last year came the theme of women in jazz on opening day, followed by return appearances by Al Green and Spyro Gyra. McCoy Tyner represented jazz elder statesmanship. The top-billed jazz act, closing out the Father's Day roster, was the unconventional duo of pianist Chick Corea and banjoist Bela Fleck.

Hall of fame

Jazz is in the name and in the purpose, but year after year, the Indy Jazz Fest has looked toward the marketplace -- while keeping to the notion of high quality -- in selecting a household name to add commercial pizazz to the lineup. In every case, the selection has spoken for a genre related to jazz: blues, pop, gospel and R&B. Here's the per-year IJF "hall of fame":

1999 -- B.B. King

2000 -- Ray Charles

2001 -- James Brown

2002 -- Aretha Franklin

2003 -- Patti Austin

2004 -- Patti LaBelle

2005 -- Tony Bennett

2006 -- Bonnie Raitt

2007 -- Al Green

- By Jay Harvey