The Amelia Island Jazz Festival takes place in Fernandina Beach, Florida, on October 3 – 10, 2010. This festival consists of a series of events celebrating this diverse all-American art form, with headliner, multiple Grammy award-winning pianist, Ramsey Lewis.

The creative director, Les deMerle, has put in place a program consisting of world-class artists in a wide variety of jazz styles. At the Amelia Island Jazz Festival you can enjoy a wide variety of jazz from Dixieland, Smooth Jazz, Bebop, Big Band, Blues, Latin and to new, state-of-the-art styles. The festival takes place at the First Baptist Church auditorium, at the beautiful St. Peter’s Church Courtyard and at a selction of charming venues around Fernandina Beach.

Featuring:

The Ramsey Lewis Trio – Grammy Award winning pianist
Steve March Tormé – Explosive Jazz Vocalist

Les DeMerle Big Band – World-renowned Drummer – Exciting Big Band
Bonnie Eisele – Vocalist extraordinaire
Impacto Latino – Hot 10-piece Salsa Band
Bobby Pickwood Quintet – Chet Baker Tribute – Trumpet & Vocals
Michael Levine & Miami Vibe – Smooth Jazz Pianist
Nathan Skinner – Vibraphone Sensation, 2010 AIJF Scholarship Winner
18-Piece US Navy Band – Classic Band at its best
Midnight Blue Band – Bebop, Blues & Beyond
Spare Rib Six – N’awlins-style Dixieland Band

… and many more!

Friday, October 1, 2010 – 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Free Community Concert “Sounds on Centre”

Sunday, October 3, 2010 – 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Free Concert at Amelia Park “Jazz In The Park”

Tuesday, October 5, 2010 – 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM
“Jazz at the Movies” (Tickets $15)

Wednesday, October 6, 2010 – 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
“Red, White & Blues” Blues Concert and Wine Tasting (Tickets $30)

Thursday, October 7, 2010 – 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM
“Latin Jazz” Concert & Dance (Tickets $25)

Friday, October 8, 2010 – 8:00 PM
“Tormé Sings Tormé” Steve March Tormé in Concert
(Tickets $40 – $75)

Saturday, October 9, 2010 – 8:00 PM
“An Evening With Ramsey Lewis”
(Tickets $40 – $75)

Sunday, October 10, 2010 – 12pm – 2pm and 2pm – 4pm
“Dixieland Jazz Brunch”
(Tickets $45)

For more information, visit www.ameliaislandjazzfestival.com.

The 2010 Festival Featured Artists include:

Ramsey Lewis Trio
Grammy Award-winning pianist
Steve March Tormé
Mel Tormé Tribute Show

Les DeMerle Big Band
World-renowned Drummer
Exciting Big Band

Impacto Latino
Hot 10-Piece Salsa Band

Nathan Skinner
Vibraphone Sensation,
2010 AIJF Scholarship Winner

Bonnie Eisele
Vocalist Extraordinaire

Michael Levine
& Miami Vibe
Smooth Jazz Pianist

18-Piece US Navy Band
Classic Big Band at its best

Bobby Pickwood Quintet
Tribute To Chet Baker

Midnight Blue Band
Bebop, Blues & Beyond

Spare Rib Six
N’awlins-style Dixieland Band

This free festival will be filled with multiple stages of entertainment. Art in the Heart Downtown Art Show & Sale, Wine Down Tasting Experience, Generation Next Youth Talent Competition, Jazz Juniors educational activities, jazz exhibits and more will be there. Other festival highlights includes the Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition, ‘Round Midnight Jazz Jam, Jazz Talks, Sunday Jazz Brunches and other exciting activities.

This year the Jazz Festival offers free performances from renowned artists such as the Sonny Fortune Quartet, Basia and Tito Puente Jr. and his Orchestra.

The parade will be on Sunday, May 30 at 1:30 p.m. The parade in the streets led by JB Scott’s Swingin Allstars! Festival attendees are encouraged to bring their instruments and parasols to participate in this spirited celebration through downtown Jacksonville!

The 24th Annual Rivertown Music & Arts Festival will be held May 1, 2010 from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. in historic downtown Conway, South Carolina. This festival contains a lot of fun for the whole family with great live music, lots of art and a variety of food. Live performances will ranging from jazz to gospel to steel drums. Performances take place all day from 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Festival-goers are encouraged to their own chairs. There’s also a Classic Car Show.

Artists, crafters and merchants will offer an assortment of wares including pottery, wood, glass, photography, jewelry and paintings 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Gourmet food, hotdogs and local cuisine will tempt visitors in the food court area from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Don’t miss the Chicora Car Clubs Rivertown Music & Arts Festival Car Show from 10:00-4:00 which is sponsored and hosted by Palmetto Chevrolet on 4th Avenue.

The Main Stage on Laurel Street hosts a fabulous line up of local talent including local big band favorite-The Stardusters, Jazz Guitarist-Jay Lynn, The Authentic Band, the Sally Woody School of Dance, the Conway Superstar Winners, the contemporary bluegrass stylings of-The Spots and funk-infused rock quartet-Ten Toes Up closes the festival at 7:00 p.m.

For more information contact Conway Main Street at 843-248-6260

The Charleston Jazz Festival will take place on Saturday, May 8th at the Charleston Music Hall. Kim Waters, Kenny Lattimore and Daniel Davis will be preforming. Join us for the first year of this annual event!

Charleston jazz lovers are in for a treat this spring when local music enthusiast, concert promoter, and producer Steve Simon, the CEO of Steve Simon Presents, brings the first annual Charleston Jazz Festival to the Charleston Music Hall on Sat. May 8.

Headlining the event is award-winning jazz saxophonist Kim Waters with support from R&B vocalist Kenny Lattimore and 20-year-old jazz and hip/hop inspired violinist Daniel Davis. Waters is known for his sultry saxophone melodies, with inspiration coming from the likes of Duke Ellington and George Duke. Lattimore has been in the R&B scene for over a decade and brings his smooth vocal tunes, originals, and tasteful classics. Local jazz violinist-turned-musical star Daniel D. has opened for major players like Kanye West and has performed for President Obama. He and his violin create soulful versions of contemporary songs, like “Billie Jean” and Kanye West’s “Stronger.”

The 28th Annual Savannah Jazz Festival is held September 20 – 27, 2009 and if you love jazz, you have to come to Savannah for this special festival. Every year the festival takes over the city with a colorful musical celebration of all genres of jazz, from Dixieland, traditional swing, straight-ahead and bop to melodic standards, Latin rhythms and funky down-home “gutbucket” blues.

Savannah Jazz festival offers the best in international, national, regional and local jazz talent. There are many live performances, jam session and also film screenings.

This festival offer free concerts.

For a detailed schedule visit the website www.savannahjazzfestival.org or call 912-675-5419.

Bill Averbach is a seasoned musician with over 30 years of professional music experience. He has performed worldwide and recorded with many well known recording artists not just in the jazz genre, but world-beat, classical, folk, country, rock, and blues genres. He has recorded with many well known songwriters and taken an active role in the development of many emerging new artists. His experience with audiences extends beyond just performance. As a music specialist and lecturer Bill is comfortable speaking to a small room or a large audience exhibiting his candid and comfortable style as a communicator.

A graduate of Bard College, Bill had extensive exposure to the jazz greats of the Progressive Jazz Era. He was fortunate to have the opportunity of studying, interacting, and performing with Roswell Rudd, Karl Berger, Paul Motian, Lonnie Hillyer, Carla Bley, Charles Mingus, Jimmy Giuffre, Leo Smith, Leroy Jenkins, Dave Holland, Martin Banks, and many East Coast jazz players. In addition, as a composition major his formal training included work with world-class composers and performers Joan Tower, Benjamin Boretz, Luis Garcia-Renard, and Eli Yarden.

In Austin, Bill performed with many musicians including Alejandro Escovedo, Butch Hancock, the Killer Bees, Omar Kent Dykes, Ponty Bone, Doug Sahm, Jimmy Dale Gilmore, Marsha Ball, John Mills, Toby Anderson, Will Taylor, Mark Ruben, Bookah Michel, Mitch Watkins, Tina Marsh, Richard Rodriguez, Lucky Oceans, D’Jalma Garnier, Jim Haber, Danny Levin, Tony Garnier, Hoyt Axton, Sonny Terry, Glover Gil, Ted Roddy, Rodney Craig, Freddie Krc, Robbie Sherwin-Jordan, Larry Lesser, Jay Rozen, Burton Greene, Alex Coke, Mike Mordechai, Steve Zirkle, David Levy, Craig Marshal and the Lucky Strikes, Suzanna Sharpe (Samba Police), Suzi Stern, Donna Menthol, Rene Mesritz, David Perkoff, Steve Schwelling, Horacio Rodriguez, Martin Banks, James Polk, and many others…

Bill is also a composer who is constantly working on projects that range from Jazz tunes to film scores to musical arrangements for singers and producers and his Jazz Opera.

Sunday, October 25th at 5 p.m. at Four Points by Sheraton Historic Savannah – 520 West Bryan Street. (Bryan & MLK). The event is free for Coastal Jazz Association members and $10 for non-members. Join and admission is FREE.
For more info call: 912.675-5419 or go to www.coastal-jazz.org

The MOJA Arts Festival celebrates African-American and Caribbean Arts. About half of MOJA’s events are without admission, the rest are offered at affordable ticket prices. The MOJA festival in Charleston is scheduled for September 24 – October 4, 2009.

The festival includes visual arts, classical music, dance, gospel, jazz, poetry, R&B music, storytelling, theatre, children’s activities, traditional crafts, ethnic food, and much, much more.

Here are a few performances:

Saturday, Sept. 26
AN EVENING OF JAZZ UNDER THE STARS
WITH LALAH HATHAWAY
National recording artist, LALAH HATHAWAY performs under the stars in a familiar romantic cabaret setting. The evening also features two of Charleston’s favorite artists–the Charlton Singleton Group and opening the evening with his usual dynamic performance style, violinist Daniel Davis. College of Charleston Cistern Yard, 66 George Street. General Admission: $25.00; College students with ID $20.00. For reserved tables, please call (843) 724-7308. 7:30pm. Saturday, Sept. 26

Sunday, Sept. 27
A CLASSICAL ENCOUNTER
Duo recital by cellist, Kenneth Law, Professor of Cello at Converse College, Spartanburg, SC and pianist Stephen Buck performing works by Faure, Piazzolla and Rubinstein, classical composers. City Gallery at Waterfront Park, 34 Prioleau Street. Admission: $10.00. 2:00pm-3:00pm.

Sunday, Sept. 27
GOSPEL CONCERT
“A Back Home Gospel Hour” – MOJA presents Gospel Divas, Lynn-Marie Boone, Joy Pryor, and Gwendolyn Rodgers and the Men of Gospel, Rev. Randolph Miller, Anthony Burke and Mario Desassure in an old fashioned Back Home Gospel Hour. Joining the ensemble is Javetta Campbell with a special appearance by Minister Herbert Beard. Enjoy gospel music at its best. Trinity United Methodist Church, 273 Meeting Street. Admission: $10.00. 4:00pm.

Saturday, Oct. 3
R&B CONCERT
The MEHD Group presents the international recording artist, THE O’JAYS performing live on stage at the Family Circle Tennis Center.

For more information and tickets visit the website www.mojafestival.com
or call 843-724-7305

This year we celebrate the Johnny Mercer centennial. Johnny Mercer was born in Savannah in 1909. He wrote lyrics to 1,700 songs – out of those 100 or so were hits and four nominated for awards. His most famous are probably “Moon River” and “Days of Wine and Roses”. He was a cofounder of Capital records just to mention a few of his achievements.

Mercer in the Squares is a free concert at lunch-time in the squares of Savannah lasting all summer. Bring your sandwich or picnic lunch and enjoy a musical adventure with R&B, jazz, Wednesdays and Fridays 11:30 and 1:30 in Johnson and Wright squares.

The events are presented by New Arts Ensemble and the City of Savannah in conjunction Enjoy Mercer favorites in a summer-long tribute to Savannah’s acclaimed songsmith.

June 3: Johnson Square
June 5: Johnson Square
June 10: Wright Square
June 12: Wright Square
June 17: Johnson Square
June 19: Johnson Square
June 24: Wright Square
June 26: Wright Square
July 8: Johnson Square
July 10: Johnson Square
July 15: Wright Square
July 17: Wright Square
July 22: Johnson Square
July 24: Johnson Square
July 29: Wright Square
July 31: Wright Square

City of Savannah’s Department of Cultural Affairs 912-651-6417
www.johnnymercercentennial.com