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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Tampa Jazz Club Presents Pete Carney Quintet Featuring Scotty Wright October 11, 2026 in Ybor City

JAZZ STORIES...
HC SUNDAY JAZZ SERIES
Sunday-Afternoon Concerts in Ybor City
Mainstage Theatre
Hillsborough College Ybor City Campus
1411 East 11th Avenue, Tampa, FL 33605
MAP
Sunday, October 11, 2026 • 3:00 PM
Pete Carney with Scotty Wright -
West Side Story

The Tampa Jazz Club continues its 2026–2027 season with saxophonist Pete Carney and his quintet featuring vocalist Scotty Wright, bringing the music of Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story into a contemporary jazz setting. Since its Broadway debut in 1957, West Side Story has remained one of the most recognized works of American musical theater. With music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Arthur Laurents, the musical produced a collection of songs that have long attracted jazz musicians as vehicles for interpretation and improvisation. For this Tampa Jazz Club presentation, Carney takes that familiar material beyond its original theatrical setting, creating new jazz arrangements for his quintet and Wright, with selections associated with the score including “Tonight,” “Maria” and “Somewhere.”

Pete Carney

Originally from Chicago, saxophonist, arranger and educator Pete Carney is Director of Jazz Studies at the State College of Florida in Bradenton. His career has crossed jazz, blues, soul and gospel, with performance experience including work with Kirk Franklin, Tito Puente, The Winans, Milt Jackson, Curtis Fuller, Arturo Sandoval and Otis Clay, along with international touring and appearances in the United States and Europe. Carney studied at the University of Michigan and the University of Miami, earned a master’s degree in jazz performance from Florida International University and later completed a doctorate in jazz at the University of Illinois. He also developed Interactive Listening, an educational approach built around active questioning and focused listening intended to help students and audiences develop a deeper understanding of music. That combination of performer, arranger and educator provides a strong foundation for reworking familiar West Side Story material through a jazz perspective.

Scotty Wright

Jazz vocalist Scotty Wright brings more than three decades of professional experience to the program. After spending many years associated with the San Francisco-area jazz scene, Wright relocated to Florida and has become a familiar presence to Tampa Bay jazz audiences. His vocal approach draws on the jazz tradition while emphasizing rhythmic freedom, harmonic awareness and individual interpretation of lyrics, with repertoire ranging from the Great American Songbook to compositions associated with Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Horace Silver, Wayne Shorter and Billy Strayhorn. Wright is also a songwriter and pianist, and improvisation remains an important part of his musical approach. His work with Carney adds another dimension to the West Side Story material by combining the score’s theatrical origins with the flexibility and spontaneity of jazz performance.

West Side Story Through a Jazz Lens

The connection between West Side Story and jazz is longstanding. Bernstein’s score incorporates jazz-influenced harmony and rhythm alongside elements drawn from classical music, Latin music and Broadway tradition, giving generations of musicians substantial material to explore beyond the original stage production. This Tampa Jazz Club program places that music directly into the hands of jazz musicians, where arrangement and improvisation can provide another perspective on compositions that have remained part of American musical culture for nearly seven decades.

UPCOMING:
Sunday, November 8, 2026 • 3:00 PM
Butch Thomas with Elias Tona: Jaco 75
Sunday, January 10, 2027 • 3:00 PM
Jeff Rupert, Nate Najar and Daniela Soledade: Getz–Jobim Centennial Celebration
Sunday, February 7, 2027 • 3:00 PM
Whitney James: Love Notes
Sunday, February 28, 2027 • 3:00 PM
Hot Tonic
Sunday, April 25, 2027 • 3:00 PM
Allison Nash
Sunday, May 23, 2027 • 3:00 PM
LaRue Nickelson Plays Pat Metheny
NEW TAMPA JAZZ NIGHTS
Cabaret-Style Evening Performances in New Tampa
New Tampa Performing Arts Center
8550 Hunters Village Road, Tampa, FL 33647
MAP
Friday, December 4, 2026 • 8:00 PM
Bryan J Hughes & The Crew: Christmas CD Release Concert
Saturday, March 6, 2027 • 8:00 PM
Diego Figueiredo with La Lucha
Saturday, May 8, 2027 • 8:00 PM
Paul Gavin Sextet Plays Blakey & Cannonball
Tickets and Tampa Jazz Club Membership

Tickets for both concert series are available through the Tampa Jazz Club. Tampa Jazz Club members receive an automatic ticket discount.

VIEW ALL SHOWS AND PURCHASE TICKETS

JOIN OR SUPPORT THE TAMPA JAZZ CLUB

The Tampa Jazz Club was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1995 with the objective of generating interest in preserving, understanding and performing jazz. Proceeds from its programs support the Tampa Jazz Club scholarship fund and community activities.

TAMPA JAZZ CLUB WEBSITE
TAMPA JAZZ CLUB FACEBOOK
TAMPA JAZZ CLUB INSTAGRAM
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Sunday, October 4, 2026

Florida Jazz Artists Represented on JazzWeek Charts for October 5, 2026

Jazz & Blues Florida congratulates these Florida-related artists represented on this week’s JazzWeek National Airplay Charts of October 5, 2026 at https://www.jazzweek.com/charts/. The weekly chart, dated Monday, reflects airplay from the prior week’s Monday–Wednesday reporting period.

The Jazz & Blues Florida review identified Florida connections among artists appearing in the Jazz Chart, Increased Airplay, Most Added and Chartbound sections. Florida connections are limited to documented birth, upbringing, education, residency, university faculty appointments, Florida-based ensembles or substantial long-term professional ties to the state.

JazzWeek Charts:
https://www.jazzweek.com/charts/

Jazz Chart

Antonio Adolfo (#3) – Long-term South Florida resident and educator; based in Hollywood, where he established a music school and has served as Director of Education for South Florida Jazz.

Emmet Cohen (#4) – Born in Miami; earned his B.M. from the University of Miami Frost School of Music.

Ulysses Owens Jr. and Generation Y (#5) – Born in Jacksonville.

Charles Tolliver All Stars (#13) – Charles Tolliver was born in Jacksonville and spent his early childhood there.

Cécile McLorin Salvant (#20) – Born and raised in Miami.

Carmen Lundy (#30) – Born in Miami; earned her Bachelor of Music from the University of Miami.

Jeff Rupert Quartet (#33) – Jeff Rupert is Pegasus Professor and Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Central Florida in Orlando.

Arturo Sandoval (#36) – Long-term Miami/South Florida resident; joined the Florida International University faculty after settling in Miami.

Jalen Baker (#45) – Earned his M.M. in Jazz Studies from Florida State University in Tallahassee in 2019.

Increased Airplay

Bobby Watson – Increased Airplay; Most Added – University of Miami graduate; earned a degree in theory and composition before beginning his New York career.

Most Added

Bobby Watson – Most Added; Increased Airplay – University of Miami graduate; earned a degree in theory and composition before beginning his New York career.

Chartbound

Kelly Green Quartet – Chartbound – Kelly Green was born and raised in Orlando and earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of North Florida, studying with Bunky Green and Lynne Arriale.

About the JazzWeek National Airplay Charts: JazzWeek's weekly charts measure reported radio airplay of current jazz releases. Participating jazz radio stations and programs submit the number of times they played each eligible release during the reporting week, and JazzWeek combines those reported spins to determine the national rankings. The charts measure radio airplay—not sales, streaming numbers, downloads, or listener voting.

#JazzBluesFlorida #JazzWeek

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FLORIDA-CONNECTED VOCALISTS HEAD TO PARIS FOR 2026 HERBIE HANCOCK INSTITUTE INTERNATIONAL JAZZ VOCALS COMPETITION

 PSA-Jazz

Event to be live streamed from Paris October 10–11!

Three of the 11 semifinalists selected for the 2026 Herbie Hancock Institute International Jazz Vocals Competition have significant Florida connections, giving Florida jazz followers several familiar names to watch when the prestigious competition streams live from Paris October 10–11.

Miami jazz vocalist, composer and educator Three of the 11 semifinalists selected for the 2026 Herbie Hancock Institute International Jazz Vocals Competition have significant Florida connections, giving Florida jazz followers several familiar names to watch when the prestigious competition streams live from Paris October 10–11.

Miami jazz vocalist, composer and educator Ashley Pezzotti represents the strongest direct Florida connection in the international field. Pezzotti studied jazz vocals at the University of Miami and is currently an adjunct professor at Florida International University. A four-time National YoungArts winner, she has performed with artists including Wynton Marsalis, Arturo Sandoval, Dave Holland, Chick Corea and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

Two additional semifinalists have connections to the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music. Joie Bianco, a vocalist, arranger, educator and bandleader from Staten Island, earned her bachelor’s degree from Frost before continuing graduate studies at the Manhattan School of Music. Kate Kortum, who grew up in Houston and earned her undergraduate degree at The Juilliard School, received her master’s degree from the University of Miami. Kortum is also the winner of the 2025 Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition.

The 11 semifinalists, representing six countries, will compete Saturday, October 10 at Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris. Three finalists will advance to the Finals on Sunday, October 11. More than $100,000 in scholarships and prizes will be awarded, including a $50,000 first-place award. The judging panel includes Patti Austin, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Roberta Gambarini, Gretchen Parlato and Gregory Porter.

The Sunday Finals will be followed by an All-Star Gala Concert featuring Herbie Hancock, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Gregory Porter, Arturo Sandoval, Patti Austin, Danilo Pérez, Terri Lyne Carrington, Monty Alexander, Ambrose Akinmusire, John Patitucci and others. Sandoval, whose career has included a long association with South Florida, will receive the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz’s Maria Fisher Founder’s Award recognizing his contributions to jazz and music.

Both days will be streamed worldwide at no charge. The Saturday semifinals begin at 1 p.m. Paris time, or 7 a.m. Eastern, with the Sunday Finals and Gala beginning at 7:30 p.m. Paris time, or 1:30 p.m. Eastern. The Institute will stream the events through YouTube and other online platforms.

More information and livestream access:  https://hancockinstitute.org/competition 

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Friday, October 2, 2026

Space Coast Jazz Society Presents Richard Drexler Trio October 11, 2026 on Merritt Island, FL


SPACE COAST JAZZ SOCIETY -
CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF LIVE JAZZ!

Sunday, October 11, 2026 | 2-4p
RICHARD DREXLER TRIO
All concerts held at 2:00 PM at:
Brevard Veterans Memorial Center
Grey Hall
400 S Sykes Creek Parkway
Merritt Island, FL 32952
MAP      WEBSITE
FACEBOOK EVENT - Invite your friends!
General Admission Tickets Sold At Door.
Bring your own food and drink. Tables, chairs, live jazz, 
and a beautiful river view are provided for all shows!

Multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and producer Richard Drexler brings a career spanning decades of jazz performance, recording and education. A native of Illinois and based in Florida since 1985, Drexler is equally at home on piano and bass and has worked across a wide range of musical settings. He toured regularly with the Jeff Berlin Trio and has also performed with the Woody Herman Orchestra and trombonist John Allred, while accompanying vocalists including Mel Tormé, Tony Bennett, Diahann Carroll, Frankie Laine, Bob Dorough and Mose Allison.

His recording career has been similarly broad. Drexler has performed on or produced more than 100 albums covering styles ranging from jazz and Latin music to avant-garde, country and rock. His long association with bassist Jeff Berlin included appearances on recordings such as Lumpy Jazz and High Standards, alongside drummer Danny Gottlieb. As a leader, Drexler has also explored the meeting point between jazz and classical music, including Señor Juan Brahms, which featured jazz interpretations drawing on the music of Johannes Brahms.

Drexler is also an established jazz educator. He serves as Instructor of Jazz Piano and Jazz Bass at the University of Central Florida, where he works with developing musicians in performance, improvisation, theory and professional preparation. He is also a member of UCF’s Jazz Professors ensemble and has remained active as both a performer and educator in Central Florida.

His musical background draws together jazz, classical and Latin traditions, along with the practical experience of decades spent performing, touring, recording and teaching. In the trio setting, those influences provide Drexler with plenty of room to move between established jazz repertoire, original ideas and arrangements shaped by his experience on both piano and bass.

UPCOMING FALL 2026 CONCERTS!

JON OXFORD TRIO
Sunday, November 8, 2026 | 2-4p

Guitarist Jon Oxford combines more than two decades of performing and teaching experience with a strong background in jazz composition and education. He currently serves as Director of Instrumental Activity at Eastern Florida State College, overseeing its Concert Band, Jazz Band, Chamber Orchestra and Community Orchestra, and previously taught jazz at Stetson University.

As a freelance guitarist, Oxford has performed with a wide range of ensembles and artists, including Sam Rivers’ Rejuvenation. He is also the author of “The Organized Guitarist” and “Rhythmic Elements of the Jazz Language,” reflecting a career devoted to jazz performance, scholarship and education.

VOCALIST MADDY WINER
Sunday, December 13, 2026 | 2-4p

The Space Coast Jazz Society celebrates the holiday season with vocalist Maddy Winer, whose career has been shaped by the Great American Songbook, jazz standards and classic popular music. Winer performed extensively with pianist and composer Loonis McGlohon, including a sold-out concert at Lincoln Center, and appeared in the touring production “North Carolina Is My Home” with McGlohon and Charles Kuralt.

Her career has included performances at Lincoln Center, the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach, the Saint Louis Symphony and Toronto’s Saint Lawrence Centre for the Arts. She has also opened concerts for artists including Dave Brubeck, Lou Rawls, David Sanborn, George Shearing, Al Jarreau, Ellis Marsalis, John Pizzarelli and Diane Schuur.

The holiday concert includes decorations and a complimentary glass of wine.


CONNECT WITH
SPACE COAST JAZZ SOCIETY!
FACEBOOK   |   INSTAGRAM
Jazz & Blues Florida Support Local graphic
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Levitt Opens 2027 Festival Grants for Free Outdoor Live Music Events

 PSA - EVENT FUNDING


The  Levitt Family Foundation is accepting applications for 2027 Festival Grants of up to $5,000 for U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations presenting free outdoor music performances.

Eligible events must take place outdoors in a public space, be free to attend, and prominently feature live music performed by paid professional musicians.

Florida nonprofit organizations presenting qualifying jazz, blues and other live music festivals may be eligible to apply.

Application deadline: Friday, November 20, 2026, at 3 p.m. ET

Additional information:
https://mailchi.mp/levitt/open-call-festivals-12261501?e=0af58366c7

The Levitt Family Foundation will also present a free informational webinar Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at 1 p.m. ET, covering eligibility, the application process and tips for preparing a proposal.

Webinar registration:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/9KhZxwvJT6201bExDoeO1A#/registration

Florida organizations have already benefited from Levitt support. Jazz Blues Florida readers have recently seen that support in action through the Levitt AMP Alachua Music Series, including JBF-promoted 2026 performances by Sheba the Mississippi Queen with Keith Caton and the Bluesmen and Orchestra Fuego. Alachua was selected for continued Levitt program funding through the 2026–2028 cycle. Treasure Coast Barbers United in Fort Pierce also received a 2026 Levitt Festival Grant for its Juneteenth Celebration. Florida nonprofit organizations presenting qualifying free outdoor festivals may want to take a close look at the 2027 grant opportunity.

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Thursday, October 1, 2026

Arts Garage Brings Jazz, Blues, Soul and Latin Jazz to Delray Beach in October 2026



Arts Garage
94 NE 2nd Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33444
MAP   WEBSITE   (561) 450-6357
FACEBOOK
INSTAGRAM

Arts Garage is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and multi-disciplinary performing arts venue located in downtown Delray Beach dedicated to providing relevant and accessible arts experiences to West Palm Beach and all of South Florida. Their offerings consist of: Grammy award-winning musicians, top notch, award-winning theatre, arts education and outreach programs, and a spacious visual art gallery.

This October, our Jazz & Blues lineup this month includes Nicole Henry, Nestor Torres, Julius Sanna, Max Hightower and THE BLUES BROTHERS SOUL BAND. So get into the spooky season this month with some sultry jazz and blues!

October 2026 Concert Highlights

Friday, October 2, 2026 | 8-10p
The Blues Brothers Soul Band

The Blues Brothers Soul Band brings the sound and spirit of classic rhythm & blues and soul to the stage in a full-band tribute inspired by Jake and Elwood Blues. The ensemble draws from the music associated with the Blues Brothers tradition, including songs connected to Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, James Brown and other major voices of American soul and R&B.

Dave “Doc Brown” Langley – Bass & Vocals
Mark “World Tour” DeRose Drums & Percussion
Brad Jimenez – Bari Sax & Vocals
Mark Ordway – Trumpet & Vocals
Tom Lacy – Trombone & Vocals


Sunday, October 4, 2026 | 7-8:30p
Julius Sanna
An Unforgettable Evening: The Music of Nat King Cole

Julius Sanna is a Tanzanian-born, Kenya-raised guitarist and vocalist whose music draws from jazz, soul, funk and African musical traditions. A longtime presence on the South Florida music scene, Sanna has performed throughout the United States and abroad. For this Arts Garage appearance, he leads a jazz ensemble celebrating the songs and musical legacy of Nat King Cole.

Julius Sanna – Guitar/vocals
Adam Kurland- Keys
Harley Galeano – Drums
Doug Ferreira- Bass
Scott Klarman – Sax/Flute


Friday, October 9, 2026 | 8-10p
Max Hightower Band
"Nothin' But The Truth" Tour

Max Hightower is a South Carolina blues singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose primary instruments include harmonica, guitar and piano. A founding member of Plate Full O' Blues, he has toured in the United States, Canada and Europe and shared stages with blues artists including Hubert Sumlin, Willie Smith, Bob Margolin and Eddie Shaw. His Nothin' But The Truth project blends Southern blues with New Orleans-influenced roots music.

Max Hightower – Vocals, Guitar & Harmonica
Brandon Phelps – Drums
James Beaumont – Baritone and soprano Sax
Rob Davis – Piano & Organ
Troy House – Guitar
Steadman “Fleetwood” Williams Sr. – Bass


Sunday, October 11, 2026 | 7-8:30p
Chardavoine & The Evolution
Album "Haitian Standards"

Jean Chardavoine is a Haitian-born, Brooklyn-raised guitarist, composer and arranger known for blending jazz with the musical traditions of Haiti. He has worked with artists including Dave Valentin and Cornelius Bumpus and has shared stages with the Yellowjackets and Oleta Adams. With The Evolution, Chardavoine brings those influences together in contemporary Haitian jazz, including the music collected on Haitian Standards.

Chardavoine : Guitar
Melvin L. Butler : Saxophone
Abel Pabon : Piano
Ernst Jn. Baptiste : Haitian Tambou, percussions
Miguel Gomez : Acoustic bass
Ray Monroig : Drums


Friday-Saturday, October 16-17, 2026 | 8-10p
Nicole Henry Returns

Nicole Henry is a Miami-based jazz vocalist whose repertoire encompasses the American Songbook, jazz, blues, soul and contemporary popular music. She has performed internationally and at venues including Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, Blue Note and Blues Alley. Her honors include the Soul Train Award for Best Traditional Jazz Performance, and her recording career includes collaborations with Kirk Whalum, Julian Lage, John Clayton and Gerald Clayton.

Vocals: Nicole Henry
Piano: Pete Wallace
Drums: TBD
Trumpet: Jean Caze
Bass: Jamese McCoy


Friday-Saturday, October 23-24, 2026 | 8-10p
Néstor Torres
What a Night!

Néstor Torres is a Puerto Rican-born flutist and composer whose music combines Latin and Caribbean traditions with jazz improvisation and classical training. He studied at the Mannes School of Music, Berklee College of Music and New England Conservatory and has built an international career as a recording and performing artist. A Latin Grammy Award winner, Torres is known for a distinctive flute sound that moves easily among Latin jazz, jazz, classical and popular music.

Nestor Torres – Vocals
Jorge Luis Sosa – Keyboard
Adolfo Herrera – Drums
Sameul Burgos – Bass
Edwin Bonilla – Percussion

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Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Suncoast Jazz Festival Opens 2026 Student Musician Competition

EDU PSA

Florida student musicians have an opportunity to earn scholarships, attend a jazz masterclass and connect directly with professional musicians through the 2026 Suncoast Jazz Festival Student Musician Competition.

The third annual competition, presented by Suncoast Classic Jazz Inc. and the Suncoast Jazz Festival, is accepting entries through October 15, 2026. The competition is conducted remotely and is open to student musicians ages 12 through 20. Students may enter individually or in ensembles or combos of up to six musicians.

The competition offers three scholarship awards:

• First Place: $1,000 scholarship plus an opportunity to jam with a festival band
• Second Place: $500 scholarship
• Third Place: $250 scholarship

When an entry includes more than one musician, the scholarship award is divided equally among the musicians in that submission.

Every student musician who submits an entry also receives additional opportunities connected with the Suncoast Jazz Festival, November 20–22, 2026, at the Sheraton Sand Key Resort in Clearwater Beach. Entrants receive two adult single-day festival tickets, while participating students may attend the festival at no charge. They are also invited to attend the festival's student masterclass on Friday afternoon, November 20.

How Students Enter

Each submission to the email address below should include a performance video of one arrangement along with the student's name, age and contact information; school name; music teacher or band director contact information; and a link to the performance video uploaded to YouTube, Vimeo or another video platform.

Entries are evaluated on introduction, preparedness, stage presence, articulation and musicality.

The official competition period is September 1 through October 15, 2026. The festival's primary Student Music Competition page and its main 2026 festival information both confirm those dates. One line within the detailed submission instructions still references 2025, apparently remaining from the previous year's information. Applicants should follow the clearly posted October 15, 2026 deadline.

Supporting Young Musicians

The competition is part of a broader youth and education mission of Suncoast Classic Jazz Inc., the Florida nonprofit organization that owns and presents the Suncoast Jazz Festival. The organization provides performance opportunities and financial assistance to young musicians, bands and schools and reports nearly $100,000 in community contributions over the years.

That emphasis makes the Student Musician Competition more than a contest. It gives developing musicians an opportunity to perform, receive recognition, participate in an educational masterclass, experience a major Florida jazz festival and interact with working professional musicians.

Competition deadline: October 15, 2026
Eligibility: Student musicians ages 12–20
Entry size: Solo musicians or groups of up to six
Festival: November 20–22, 2026
Location: Sheraton Sand Key Resort, Clearwater Beach, Florida
Competition information: Suncoast Jazz Festival Student Music Competition
Submission email: SuncoastJazzFestival@gmail.com

Suncoast Classic Jazz Inc. is led by Joan Dragon, Chair of the Board and Festival Director, who has served in those roles since 2008.

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