by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Teresa O’Donnell, director of the City’s Office of Special Events, and her staff worked all weekend and have been putting in 12- 15-hour days so far this week. Friday, she said, the days will get much longer.
If there isn’t a big event Downtown this weekend, someone needs to let O’Donnell and the 200 or so volunteers lined up know they can have the weekend off and don’t have to worry about the 2008 version of the Jacksonville Jazz Festival.
“There are a lot of people under the misconception that we are not having it this year,” said O’Donnell, adding there are those who know about the annual festival, but believe it’s relatively small and will feature only local jazz acts (the schedule to the right should prove differently). “There are plenty of national acts coming.”
O’Donnell did acknowledge this year’s festival — the 26th in the storied history of the event that started in the fishing village of Mayport — has been scaled back due to budgetary reasons. However, the Great American Jazz Piano Competition is still set for Friday night at the Florida Theatre and Saturday and Sunday feature two full days of jazz and art at Metropolitan Park.
“The Jacksonville Jazz Festival is one of the city’s signature events. It gives us a chance to listen to great music and show off our city to attendees who travel here from throughout the country,” said Mayor John Peyton in a release.
In addition to music and plenty of food vendors, Metropolitan Park will also be the site of Art at the Met, an art show and sale featuring many of the Southeast’s finest artists and crafts people and 38° Latitude: A Wine Tasting Experience.
O’Donnell said many of the local artists have been promoting the event for several weeks and serve as some of the festival’s best ambassadors. She also credited Ch. 7 and Mike Tolbert for having the vision to create the festival in 1982 and help it mature from a small Mayport event to a multi-day, multi-venue festival that draws people from all over.
“It’s a great economic driver. People travel for Jazz Fest and they have disposable income,” she said. “We are expecting the usual great crowd, about 8,000 in and out of the park each day.”
The who, what, where and when of Jazz Fest
Entertainment Schedule
Friday
The Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition at 7 p.m. at the Florida Theatre. Five finalists, chosen by a selection committee through “blind” judging, will compete for a prize of $3,500 and the opportunity to perform Saturday at Metropolitan Park.
The finalists are Robert Botos (Toronto, Ontario); J.D. Daniel (Titusville); Bennett E. Pastor (Brooklyn, N.Y.); Bill Peterson (Tallahassee); and David Stoler (Madison, Wisc.).
A rhythm section will accompany the five finalists during the piano competition with Danny Gottlieb on drums.
Saturday at Metropolitan Park
Noon — Gates open
1 p.m. — Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition winner
2 p.m. — Lynne Arriale Trio featuring special guest Benny Golson
Lynne Arriale (piano), Rufus Reid (bass), Anthony Pinciotti (drums), and Benny Golson (tenor sax)
3:30 p.m. — 20th Anniversary Celebration of the University of North Florida Jazz Program “Past, Present, and Future” featuring the UNF Jazz Ensemble 1 Big Band, the UNF Jazz Faculty and the 2008 UNF Alumni Reunion Group.
5:30 p.m. — Terence Blanchard
7 p.m. — John Pizzarelli withspecial guest The St. Johns River City Band
9 p.m. — Cassandra Wilson
Noon–10 p.m. — Art at the Met Art Show and Sale
Noon–10 p.m. — 38° Latitude: A Wine Tasting Experience
Sunday at Metropolitan Park
9:30 a.m. — Gates open
10 a.m.-1 p.m. — Jazz brunch
10 a.m. — Najee
11:30 a.m. — Norman Brown
1:30 p.m. — Poncho Sanchez Latin Jazz Band
3 p.m. — Dave Koz
Noon–4:30 p.m. — Art at the Met Art Show and Sale
Noon–4:30 p.m. — 38° Latitude: A Wine Tasting Experience
Ticket pricing
General admission ticket prices are $10 per day plus applicable service charges. Tickets may be purchased online at www.jaxjazzfest.com or at The Florida Theatre box office 355-2787. The box office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Tickets may also be purchased on site during festival hours at Metropolitan Park and The Florida Theatre Friday.
A limited number of Jazz Brunch tickets are available. Tickets are $40 plus applicable service charges and include general admission into Metropolitan Park on Sunday. Tickets may be purchased online at www.jaxjazzfest.com or at The Florida Theatre box office.
Brunch tickets may also be purchased Sunday at the Metropolitan Park gates.
Children 3 years and under are free.
Experience Jazz as a VIP
VIP tickets are available for all festival days and venues at a cost of $125 plus applicable service charges.
The Jacksonville Jazz Festival VIP experience includes:
• Access all festival days to seating under the Metropolitan Park pavilion and front stage as well as limited VIP seating (first-come, first-seated) at The Florida Theatre for The Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition.
• Coupon for $5 off with the purchase of $25 or more of jazz merchandise
• Signed and numbered official 2008 Jacksonville Jazz Festival poster
• Jacksonville Jazz Festival tote bag
• Two beverage tickets per day for Saturday and Sunday for use at Metropolitan Park
• One meal ticket per day for Saturday and Sunday for use at Metropolitan Park
• Jacksonville Jazz Festival commemorative lapel pin
• Access to 38º Latitude: A Wine Tasting Experience with eight complimentary tastes and commemorative wine glass
• Admission to the Jazz Brunch Sunday at Metropolitan Park
• Parking for both festival days at Metropolitan Park
VIP tickets may be purchased online at www.jaxjazzfest.com. Experience Jazz VIP packages can be redeemed at The Florida Theatre or Metropolitan Park during festival hours or prior to the festival at City Hall through Thursday 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Bring VIP ticket for confirmation and entry.
Jazz Brunch
Sunday at Metropolitan Park — 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Brunch tickets are $40 plus applicable service charges and include two beverages and preferred seating. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. and seating is limited. Brunch tickets include general admission to the festival for Sunday.
‘Round Midnight Jazz Jam’
Saturday at the Jacksonville Marriott — 10 p.m. - 2 a.m.
This free events will be hosted by The Kelly-Scott Jazz Quintet, featuring Lisa Kelly, JB Scott, Joshua Bowlus, Dennis Marks & Danny Gottlieb. The events is a jam session featuring young jazz artists that will keep the sounds of jazz running into the early morning hours. Musicians of all ages are encouraged to bring their instruments and participate.
2008 Jacksonville Jazz Festival poster
The 2008 commemorative Jazz Festival poster, titled “Jazz at Night,” by Sergio Lazo is available for purchase for $25 (signed and numbered) or $15 for an unsigned copy. After the festival, the cost will be $50 (signed and numbered) or $25 unsigned, while supplies last. Posters and other Jacksonville Jazz Festival merchandise will be available at all festival venues. Posters can also be purchased prior to the festival by contacting the City of Jacksonville Office of Special Events at 630-3690. Visit www.jaxjazzfest.com for order forms and an updated list of art retailers offering the posters for sale.
Venue rules
The Florida Theatre
• No outside food or beverages will be permitted. Beverage service is available in the lobbies before performances and during intermissions. No food or beverages will be permitted inside the auditorium.
• No cameras or recording devices.
• No smoking.
• All cellular phones and paging devices should be turned off.
Metropolitan Park
• No outside food or beverages will be permitted.
• No bags, backpacks or fanny packs larger than 8 inches by 11 inches.
• No coolers or picnic baskets.
• No still or video cameras of any kind.
• No roller skates or roller blades.
• No bicycles, pets or umbrellas (ponchos are permitted).
• No noise-makers (horns or whistles).
• No projectiles including balls or frisbees.
• No poles or sticks.
• No weapons or anything that could be construed as a weapon (including licensed guns).
• No signs or flags larger than 2 inches by 3 inches.
The following items are allowed in Metropolitan Park:
• Blankets and lawn chairs are encouraged for general seating.
• Strollers, diaper bags, chairs “in a bag” and binoculars will be permitted, but are subject to search.