[Dixielandjazz] Rehoboth Jazz Festival 2003

[Stephen Barbone]

Here's one way to run a jazz festival. Rehoboth attracts a broad cross
section of jazz fans with 14 "official" concerts over 4 days. Plus,
there are about 50 unofficial jazz events are area restaurants and bars
in the Rehoboth and Dewey Beach areas. Barbone Street has performed
there since 2000 and  always comes away marveling at how successful this
event is. In attendance, quality of music and profitability. All
"official" concert venues have seating for at least 250, most are around
500, and some are 800.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone


The Beachcomber (local paper)

Jazzing it up in Rehoboth Beach

REHOBOTH BEACH -- The 14th annual Rehoboth Beach Autumn Jazz Festival,
to be held Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 16-19, may prove to be the most
popular yet if advance ticket sales are any barometer. As of Wednesday,
Oct. 15, seven of the 14 officials concerts being presented by the
Delaware Celebration of Jazz, Inc. group were sold out in advance, with
several others coming close.

As per usual, there will be also be plenty of other local offerings for
those desiring something more low-key. More than two dozen restaurants
and other venues have unofficial events planned featuring national,
regional and local talent (see Music & Dance listings beginning on page
14).

Sellouts on the schedule of official concerts include Saffire: the
Uppity Blues Women; Brian Culbertson with Norman Brown; Chuck Loeb and
Kim Waters with Jeff Kashia (matinee and evening shows); the Tommy
Dorsey Orchestra conducted by Buddy Morrow; the Baycenter's Gospel Jazz
Brunch; the opening party at the Bay Center featuring the Barbone Street
Jazz Band; and the Annual Jazz Jam Session at Sydney's Jazz & Blues
Cafe.

Among those pleased with the popularity of the Tommy Dorsey
Orchestra/Buddy Morrow show (which will be held in the Little Theater of
Cape Henlopen High School near Lewes) is Delaware Celebration of Jazz,
Inc. president Denny Santangini, who will be bestowed with the seventh
annual Arzt Award during the Thursday opening ceremony at the Baycenter
for his contributions to local arts and programs for young musicians in
particular. Santangini said that while the smooth jazz craze has many
younger fans, he and the other organizers also wanted to present music
that would appeal to coastal Delaware's many senior citizens. "There are
many types of jazz", he added "it's all, about the music" and we wanted
to have something for everybody".

It is not surprising to see celebrities like Denzel Washington or
Michael Jordan in the audience during the jazz festival concerts. In
2001, comedy star Chris Tucker (co-star of several Jackie Chan films)
even ended up on stage to sing a few bars of a song with singer Jeffrey
Osborn.

Tickets to concerts held at the 1776 Restaurant, Route 1 at Midway, must
be ordered by calling 645-9355; all other official concert tickets may
be ordered at (800) 29-MUSIC.

Among the other events occurring through the weekend are performances by
school bands on the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand on Saturday, Oct. 18. The
Cape Henlopen High School Jazz Band will play 1 to 2 p.m., followed by
the Delaware State University Jazz Band from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

The All Saints' Episcopal Church in Rehoboth will again stage a
performance of Dave Brubeck's jazz mass "To Hope! A Celebration," this
time in its entirety. It will take place Saturday, Oct. 18 at 6 p.m. and
Sunday, Oct. 19 at 10 a.m. A free will offering will be taken.

The Official Concerts are as follows:

Thursday, Oct. 16 Opening party featuring Taste of Rehoboth Restaurants
buffet at Crabber's Cove in Ruddertowne, Dewey Beach (6:30 p.m.),
followed by Barbone Street Jazz Band, cabaret seating upstairs in the
Baycenter (8 p.m.); $35 for both, cash bar, sold out.

Gregg Karukas at 1776 Restaurant, Midway Shopping Center at Midway (9
p.m.); $35


Friday, Oct. 17

James Ingram at Rehoboth Beach Convention Center (8 p.m.); $79, $89

Gregg Karukas at 1776 (8:30 p.m., 10 p.m.); $35

Saffire: the Uppity Blues Women at the Atlantic Sands (10 p.m.); sold
out

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy on the tented deck of the Rusty Rudder in Dewey
Beach (10 p.m.); $22,


Saturday, Oct. 18

Tower of Power at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center (1 p.m.); $38
($48 seats sold out)

Keisa Brown on the tented deck of the Rusty Rudder in Dewey Beach (4
p.m.); $10

Tommy Dorsey Orchestra conducted by Buddy Morrow at Cape Henlopen High
School (sold out)

Chuck Loeb and Kim Waters with Jeff Kashwia at Atlantic Sands Hotel
(matinee & evening bothjsold out)

Brian Culbertson with Norman Brown at the Rehoboth Beach Convention
Center, 9 p.m. (sold out)

Deanna Bogart on the tented deck of the Rusty Rudder in Dewey Beach,
10:30 p.m. ($15)

Gregg Karukas with the Heat Wave Horn Section at 1776, 8:30 p.m. and
10:30 p.m. ($35)


Sunday, Oct. 19

Gospel Jazz Brunch at the Baycenter, 10:30 a.m. (sold out)

Jonathan Butler and Gerald Albright at the Rehoboth Beach Convention
Center, 2 p.m. $45; ($55 seats sold out)

Annual Jazz Jam at Sydney's Rehoboth Beach, 5 p.m. (sold out)