Monday, October 5, 2026

Central Florida Jazz Society Presents a Saxophone Celebration in Winter Park October 11, 2026

Experience Top Talent JAZZ
in Central Florida!

Sunday, October 11, 2026 | 3:00 - 5:00 PM
CELEBRATING THE 
SAXOPHONE 
with Dave MacKenzie, Rex Wertz, Daniel Bonnet 
and Tanner Goulet & Rhythm Section 
at
Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts
460 E. New England Ave., Winter Park, FL 32789
MAP  |  WEBSITE

Saxophones are a frequent feature in jazz ensembles, but for this Central Florida Jazz Society presentation, they move directly to the front of the lineup. Celebrating the Saxophone brings together Dave MacKenzie, Rex Wertz, Daniel Bonnet and Tanner Goulet, backed by a rhythm section, for an afternoon built around the sound and possibilities of four saxophones.

The program will include music written and arranged specifically for multiple saxophones, including selections associated with Benny Carter’s landmark 1962 album Further Definitions and music from Gerry Mulligan’s The Gerry Mulligan Songbook, recorded in 1957. Carter’s Further Definitions paired alto saxophonists Carter and Phil Woods with tenor saxophonists Coleman Hawkins and Charlie Rouse, supported by piano, guitar, bass and drums. The instrumentation provides a natural historical connection to this CFJS program and its four-saxophone front line.

Dave MacKenzie has been part of the Central Florida music community for decades. Originally from the Atlantic City area, he studied clarinet, flute, piano and saxophone before relocating to Orlando in 1989. His extensive performing and arranging credits include the Orlando Jazz Orchestra, Bill Allred’s Classic Jazz Band, Michael Andrew, Jim Roberts’ Saxtet, Vivacity and numerous other Central Florida ensembles and productions. His experience as both a reed player and arranger makes him particularly well suited to a program centered on the interplay of multiple saxophones.

Rex Wertz is a multi-instrumentalist performing on tenor and soprano saxophone, clarinet and flute. His long Central Florida career includes associations with Walt Disney World, Chuck Owen’s Jazz Surge, the Sam Rivers Orlando Big Band, Orlando Philharmonic Pops Orchestra and the Rich Walker Quintet. He has also performed with touring musical acts and Broadway productions. Wertz spent approximately two decades performing with the Grand Floridian Society Orchestra at Walt Disney World, whose members later continued performing as the Palm Beach Society Orchestra.

Joining these established Central Florida professionals are Daniel Bonnet and Tanner Goulet, both recipients of Central Florida Jazz Society scholarships. Bonnet and Goulet were among the musicians featured in CFJS’s July 2026 Scholarship Winner Showcase at Blue Bamboo, an event designed to present some of the area’s developing young jazz musicians alongside established professionals. Both are also listed among the Society’s 2026 scholarship winners.

Bringing Bonnet and Goulet together with MacKenzie and Wertz gives the October program an additional connection to the Central Florida Jazz Society’s educational mission, placing emerging musicians alongside experienced professional players in a performance devoted to one of jazz’s defining instrumental voices.
BLUE BAMBOO CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Central Florida Jazz Society Performances in Winter Park
Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts
460 E. New England Ave., Winter Park, FL 32789
MAP
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES:
Sunday, November 15, 2026
A Perfect Match — Accordion, Guitar, Vibraphone, Bass and Drums
Sunday, December 13, 2026
Joe Young Quintet
Sunday, January 10, 2027
Diego "Bakudan" Rivera — Latin Jazz
Sunday, February 21, 2027
UCF Flying Horse Big Band
Sunday, March 14, 2027
Osceola County School for the Arts Big Band
Sunday, April 11, 2027
Ladies in Jazz
Sunday, May 16, 2027
Hall of Fame Show
JUDSON’S LIVE
Central Florida Jazz Society Performances in Orlando
Judson’s Live at Dr. Phillips Center
445 S. Magnolia Ave., Orlando, FL 32801
MAP
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES:
Saturday & Sunday, November 7–8, 2026
Django Festival All-Stars
Friday, November 20, 2026
Kandace Springs
Wednesday & Thursday, December 9–10, 2026
Svetlana with the Orlando Jazz Orchestra — Holiday Show
Friday & Saturday, February 26–27, 2027
Champian Fulton with the Orlando Jazz Orchestra
Tuesday, April 13, 2027
Stacey Kent
CONNECT WITH THE SOCIETY:

About the Central Florida Jazz Society

Founded in 1974, the Central Florida Jazz Society is a Florida 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting jazz. From Dixieland and big-band swing to blues, ballads, and contemporary styles, the Society supports a wide range of jazz presentations and community programs.

Its mission includes:

  • Preservation — Supporting jazz as an important cultural contribution.
  • Presentation — Hosting regular concerts featuring a variety of jazz styles.
  • Promotion — Supporting live jazz and Central Florida musicians through its publication, Blue Notes.
  • Education — Providing scholarships and supporting jazz education in the community.
Membership

The Central Florida Jazz Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to advancing jazz through performances, education, and outreach activities. Programs are supported in part through membership donations.

Membership support helps fund CFJS jazz concert presentations, in-school jazz performances, community concerts, jazz jam sessions for student musicians, the Scholarship Program, and other jazz-related events and activities.

Membership benefits include:

  • Discounts on individual jazz concert tickets
  • Quarterly Blue Notes Newsletter, monthly E-News emails, and concert/event reminders
  • Advance notification of upcoming CFJS events and activities
  • Invitations to special events including the annual CFJS Gala
  • The satisfaction of supporting jazz in Central Florida (and beyond)

Join today: CFJS Membership Information & Registration


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