460 E. New England Ave., Winter Park, FL 32789
On Sunday, November 15, 2026, from 3 to 5 p.m., the Central Florida Jazz Society presents A Perfect Match at Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts in Winter Park. Five accomplished Central Florida musicians pay tribute to the 1963 Columbia Records album of the same name, which paired the Art Van Damme Quintet with guitarist Johnny Smith.
Art Van Damme was one of the pioneering jazz accordionists who took the instrument beyond its usual place in folk and popular music. His recordings brought sophisticated harmonies, inventive arrangements and the rhythmic flexibility of a jazz ensemble to the instrument. Johnny Smith was known for his clear tone, elegant chord voicings and technical command. His celebrated recording of “Moonlight in Vermont” with saxophonist Stan Getz is still central to his legacy.
Their album’s 12 selections ranged from standards such as “Bye Bye Blackbird,” “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning,” “Spring Is Here” and “Poinciana” to Lester Young’s “Tickle-Toe” and Sonny Rollins’ “Valse Hot.” Accordion and guitar traded melodies over swinging arrangements.
This tribute reimagines that concept for accordion, guitar, vibraphone, bass and drums, a combination of jazz instruments you seldom hear.
Accordionist Ken Gustafson, a familiar performer on the Orlando music scene, takes the central melodic role. He has been associated with the Lounge Diggaz, an Orlando ensemble known for improvised takes on familiar music.
Guitarist Steve Luciano, originally from New Haven, Connecticut, studied jazz guitar with Sal Salvador at the University of Bridgeport. He spent 18 years as a staff musician at Walt Disney World and has performed with Charles Earland, George Morrow, Joe Morello and Danny Gottlieb. He was a founding member of the contemporary jazz group GrooveLogic. He has also worked in musical theater and taught at Rollins College and Southeastern University. His recording Under the Covers explores jazz standards and the Great American Songbook.
Vibraphonist James Hall is a performer, recording artist and composer in both straight-ahead and Latin jazz. He began his career as a pianist in California’s Bay Area, took up the vibraphone in 2018 and moved to Florida in 2019. Since then he has performed with Jeff Rupert, Joel Frahm, Richard Drexler, Bobby Koelble and the Orlando Jazz Orchestra. His recordings include the 2023 trio album Hall Aboard and two 2025 releases, Out of the Galleon and Flagler After Dark.
Bassist Greg Zabel, an Orlando native, studied jazz bass with Richard Drexler at the University of Central Florida and played in its Flying Horse Big Band. He went on to tour the United States, Canada and Japan with the Glenn Miller Orchestra. He plays both upright and electric bass and has performed with Marty Morell and Michael Andrew.
Drummer Greg Parnell is a former drummer and road manager for the Glenn Miller Orchestra. He has also played with the Jimmy Dorsey, Tommy Dorsey, Les Brown and Nelson Riddle orchestras and accompanied Eartha Kitt, Jack Jones, Rita Moreno and The Four Freshmen. He is the founder and music director of the Orlando Jazz Orchestra and president of Glenn Miller Productions, Inc. He has supported the Central Florida Jazz Society’s concerts and education programs for many years.
Central Florida Jazz Society Performances in Winter Park
Joe Young Quintet
Diego “Bakudan” Rivera — Latin Jazz
UCF Flying Horse Big Band
Osceola County School for the Arts Big Band
Ladies in Jazz
Hall of Fame Show
Central Florida Jazz Society Performances in Orlando
Kandace Springs
Svetlana with the Orlando Jazz Orchestra — Holiday Show
Champian Fulton with the Orlando Jazz Orchestra
Stacey Kent
Founded in 1974, the Central Florida Jazz Society is a Florida 501(c)(3) nonprofit 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.
CFJS 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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