I'd like to send out KUDOS to the following regarding this past weekend's VERY successful Jacksonville Jazz Festival!
The sea of people that attended every night-the music, the very cool vibe, proof that Jacksonville presents
a major national jazz festival, one you won't want to miss next year! We were honored to be on the line-up!

To Theresa O'Donnell Price, Sarah Ryan Horn, Tiffany Valla Hutto, Torey and ALL of the City of Jacksonville Special Events staff, the volunteers, the sound/lighting crews, the festival sponsors, vendors and ALL those who made the production and presentation of the festival possible. Having played on this festival in our groups, the St. River City Band, and/or running the jam session almost yearly since 1989, I have been aware of the many folks associated with this festival who have loved it, played key rolls in it's legacy, who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make it the success that it is-a landmark event on the national/international map for Jacksonville. An amazing job done by all!

To the wonderful musicians who played with swingin' & groovin' heart and soul for the audiences, several of the groups and artists whom have become well liked and loved over the years by festival audiences and bring them back each year! Everything ultimately leads to that special moment between musical artist and audience listener-there were numerous special moments this past weekend!

To OUR community of top notch musicians making up the regional groups: from the seasoned pros to the newly nurtured youth, from the top notch national/international touring artists/educators and collegiate young guns in the UNF Jazz Ensemble 1 big band to the young lions of Douglas Anderson Jazz Ensemble 1 and those new discoverers of jazz showing up to play, sing & listen with the regional and festival pros at the 'Round Midnight Jam Session, which continues to outgrow the room every year! I've seen many young players through the years come to the jam, maturing each year through middle school, high school, college, into pro players and/or teachers...a wonderful journey to witness! We have a tremendous community of musicians, highly talented young players to world class traveling pros, nationally recognized school music programs, music legends..dedicated all year 'round to developing, presenting, performing high level jazz, who are proudly presented by the Jacksonville Jazz Festival as a viable part of our regional cultural arts scene and in the jazz music scene as a whole. Congratulations also to the Jacksonville Hall of Fame members and to this year's very worthy inductees, Na'im Rashid and Bob Bednar, for all they've done, and continue to do, to support jazz in our community.

To the loving family, friends and fans who attended and supported the efforts of presenters and performers to create a fun, musical, relaxing event, discovering jazz from our region and beyond, rediscovering downtown Jacksonville. Without the wonderful audience members to play to, there would be no festival. My dad, a wonderful musician of many years, and many friends/fans, were there for our every performance..'till 2am on Saturday, back again for the Sunday parade, and standing in the sea pf people Saturday night. People who, through the many years, have watched/heard you evolve and succeed-people who are very much a part of that growth & success. Thank you for the love!

On a personal note, thank you to the wonderful musicians I've had the honor of singing with. Whether our small groups, the UNF JE 1 or faculty, or the St. Johns River City Band, each time we perform, I pause to soak in and enjoy the moment, appreciate how wonderful the level of musicians are in our area, and how fortunate I've been to be in that musical "family."

This year proved that the word is out on how fabulous the Jacksonville Jazz Festival is in downtown J'ville. If you didn't attend, you truly missed a spectacular event.

Next year..the last weekend of May..Memorial Day Weekend.See you there!

Lisa Kelly & JB Scott