Ready to spend your July Fourth evening dancing to the Doobie Brothers?

The classic American rock band will headline the first of three holiday weekend days at the 31st edition of the M&T Syracuse Jazz Fest, founder and executive director Frank Malfitano announced this afternoon at a news conference in the title sponsor’s main downtown branch’s lobby.

Yep, you read that right. The band that started delivering its distinguished collection of more than a dozen Billboard Hot Chart top 40 hits with “Listen to the Music” in 1972 will headline the holiday evening of our jazz fest. Some folks will quibble about the incongruous fit of the popular classic rock sound, as they did about 1960s troubadour Donovan last year, Motown king Smokey Robinson years back and many other times.

Sure. Jazz purists most certainly will waggle a finger or two.

But, really, does it matter? The chance to hear original members Tom Johnston and Patrick Simmons on vocals and guitar along with 30-years-plus Doobie veterans John McFee on guitar and Michael Hossack on drums at a free-admission festival is pretty darn cool in my book.

I loved the bluesy groove of “Jesus Is Just Alright,” full-barrel blast of “Long Train Runnin’ ” and “China Grove,” and pleasing pop feel of “Another Park, Another Sunday” in the 70s, and look forward to hearing the California band’s take on them all now.

Rock on.

Besides, the previous slot on the holiday Thursday night at Jamesville Beach Park will feature the traditional New Orleans sound of the veteran Preservation Hall Jazz Band. And, the Doobies’ set will be followed by the Price Chopper Fireworks, for the first time in the history of the fest on the Fourth itself.

National bands on Friday, July 5, will be Kat Wright and the Indomitable Soul Band, the fusion of the Yellowjackets, and the innovation of The Grandmothers of Invention. That last salty rock act is billed as the 20th Frank Zappa Memorial Barbecue and features legend Zappa’s band mates Don Preston, Tom Fowler and Napoleon Murphy Brock.

The national acts on the closing Saturday, July 6, will showcase the Brubeck Brothers Quartet in a tribute to recently passed dad, Dave Brubeck; jazz-funk saxophonist Ronnie Laws; and pop singer-songwriter Taylor Dayne, most noted for her 1987 to 1990 hits “Tell It To My Heart,” “Don’t Rush Me” and “Love Will Lead You Back.”

The Stan Colella All-Stars directed by Joe Carello will open the music at 4 p.m. July 4, and the collection of scholastic musicians that represent the Syracuse Department of Parks and Recreation always put on a sparkling show. High school bands to perform include ensembles from Paul V. Moore (the vocal group) and Fayetteville-Manlius on July 5, and Liverpool and Oswego on July 6.

Steve Frank, education director for the fest, said clinics and workshops featuring leaders from the national bands will return this year.

Syracuse hip-hop/funk hipsters Sophistafunk will get the crowd dancing at 5 p.m. July 5, if the set by Adam Gold, Jack Brown and Emanuel Washington’s set at the Syracuse Area Music Awards in March is any indication.

Several slots are still to be filled.

Malfitano is a master of reinventing his baby. Remember, it started as a club show at a joint called Oliver’s. It’s spent time at Song Mountain, Long Branch Park, Clinton Square and the campus of Onondaga Community College before moving to Jamesville Beach last year.

“If it isn’t great, why bother,” Malfitano said.

It’s been on Father’s Day weekend. It’s been on high school graduation weekends.

It’s been one day, two days, three days.

It’s always been fun.

“Hopefully, this festival will be worthy, and red, white and cool,” Malfitano said.