Posts Tagged ‘Richard Elliot’

Smooth Jazz Meets Sun, White Sand, and Fun at 2012 Seabreeze Jazz Festival in Panama City Beach, FL April 18-22nd

Panama City Beach provides the perfect backdrop for the "ultimate" jazz beach getaway weekend

Grammy-nominated saxophonist Dave Koz to headline the “Ultimate Weekend of Smooth Jazz” amidst Northwest Florida’s stunning beaches and natural setting, creating a destination festival unlike any other!

Panama City Beach, FL (PRWEB) March 26, 2012

Smooth jazz blowing gently in the coastal breezes is just one unique feature at one of the nation’s fastest growing “destination music festivals” on the Gulf Coast. Panama City Beach and the coastal Florida communities will come alive April 18th-22nd for the 14th annual 2012 Seabreeze Jazz Festival® . The weekend has become an annual celebration for jazz-minded adults where the allure of great beaches, exciting shopping, world-class restaurants, even a plethora of activities like golf and fishing all combine for a true vacation getaway. The event has attracted attendees from 48 of the 50 U.S. states and over six countries, plus was named “Top 10 Jazz Festival in the USA” by JazzIZ Magazine.

Smooth Jazz fans have a unique and intimate connection to the festival’s music and core artists base –very much different that other festivals around the nation. The “smooth jazz lifestyle” is the secret to the success of The Seabreeze Jazz Festival – where the R & B based smooth contemporary jazz literally creates a synergy for the whole weekend. The licks of the funky bass lines and pop-friendly musical hooks keep the crowds moving to the beat….almost like the swaying of the palm trees around the beautiful Pier Park Amphitheater on the west end of Panama City Beach. Smooth jazz is the epitome of “The Good Life” – laid back yet upscale at the same time, relaxing and familiar as a pair of your most comfortable beach sandals. It’s this uniqueness that appeals to a truly upscale college-educated professional adult demographic, primarily 30-55 year old adults with high amounts of discretionary income.

The event hosts close to 25,000 for the weekend, with a large percentage of fans traveling hundreds if not thousands of miles away to attend. 70% of the festival’s tickets are sold outside the State of Florida, making it a true destination festival.    The impact to the Panama City Beach community in 2011 was close to $14.2 million. The alluring appeal of Pier Park and the new resort-style architecture along with west end of Panama City Beach beckons even the most cosmopolitan city-dweller to join in on the fun.

The successful melding appeal of Pier Park with the Seabreeze Jazz Festival on site is all about “ complimenting distractions”. Pier Park (a Simon Mall property) sports over 150 retail stores, a 16-screen stadium-seating cinema, numerous eateries, nightclubs, even a small amusement park to pacify all of the family’s pastimes, while the parents enjoy the live smooth jazz entertainment from the nation’s top jazz artists. The newly completed City Pier across the street from the festival stage and miles of white-sand beaches and emerald-green waters also provides a nearby escape from the live entertainment. That is if you muster up enough to pull away from the star-studded contemporary jazz lineup

Artist to perform include Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson, Fourplay, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, Richard Elliot, Rick Braun, Down To The Bone, Phil Perry, Nick Colionne, Mindi Abair, Four 80 East, Maysa, Jeff Golub, Cindy Bradley, Jeff Lorber, David Pack, Eric Darius Alexander Zonjic, Brian Simpson, Althea Rene’, Shilts, Urban Jazz Coalition, Karen Briggs, Matt Marshak, Gail Jhonson, Mariea Antoinette, Vincent Ingala, Chris Geith, and Street Corner Renaissance.

To add excitement and an element of comedy to this year’s show, the Seabreeze Jazz Festival Host for 2012 will be comedian Alonzo Bodden — known for his specials on SHOWTIME® and his appearance on NBC-TV’s Last Comic Standing. Alonzo Bodden has recently hosted the Smooth Jazz Cruise to rave reviews as well.

Saxophonist Dave Koz – Grammy-nominated and one of the format’s top hit-making performers, makes his second appearance at the Sebareeze Jazz Festival, his first back in 2008. Known for his commercial success and as a pioneer in the smooth jazz format, Dave Koz has been one of the top selling and top charting artists in the contemporary jazz genre since the format began in the 1980’s.

In a career that spans twenty years and a dozen albums, saxophonist Dave Koz has established himself as one of the most prominent figures in contemporary music. His current CD Hello Tomorrow, debuted at No. 1 on both Billboard’s Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart and iTunes’ Jazz Album chart and was named the “Best Smooth Jazz Album of 2010” by iTunes. Hailed as “an event record” by The New York Times, it has already yielded two No. 1 singles: “Put The Top Down,” which spent 18 weeks at No. 1 on the Mediabase Smooth A/C chart (the longest stint at No. 1 of any of Koz’s chart-topping hits) and “Anything’s Possible.”

Produced by Grammy winners John Burk and Marcus Miller (who also appears on most tracks), the album features a diverse army of high-profile guests: Herb Alpert, Jonathan Butler, Brian Culbertson, Sheila E., Boney James, Jeff Lorber, Keb’ Mo’, Ray Parker, Jr., Lee Ritenour, Christian Scott and others. Each of the thirteen tracks – most of them written by Koz and his collaborators, others penned by friends and legends – focuses on being open to new beginnings, and trusting that the future is unfolding in all the right ways for all the right reasons.

More than most instrumental music, The Seabreeze Jazz Festival® lineup reflects the diversity of vocal acts with high energy instrumental performances. Included for 2012 is R & B/smooth jazz favorites Brian Culbertson, Fourplay, U.K. based-band Down to the Bone, Phil Perry and Maysa, along with singer/songwriter David Pack known for his Top 40/Pop hits with the band Ambrosia. Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue make their first appearance at the event, though a well-known top act headlining the New Orleans Heritage and Jazz Fest. And more women than ever are represented on the festival stage in 2012 with the addition of “Jazz In Pink” — an all-ladies jazz ensemble featuring trumpeter Cindy Bradley, flutist Althea Rene’, jazz violinist Karen Briggs, keyboardist Gail Jhonson, and even a jazz harpist (Maria Antoniette).

“We are always delighted by the Seabreeze Jazz Festival® line-up,
but this year, we are thrilled with not only the diversity of
performers, but with the sheer volume of contemporary jazz stars,
both new and established men and women! The Seabreeze Jazz
Festival® is truly the country’s best Smooth Jazz event!!”
~Sandy Shore – President, SmoothJazz.com

Tickets are on sale now at $80 per single day, $150 for a Weekend Pass good for Friday-Sunday, and $200 for a Four Day Pass. Tickets are available for purchase online at http://www.seabreezejazzfestival.com or by phone at 800-595-4849.

Local ticket outlets in Northwest Florida include:

Panama City Beach: Coastal Market at Pier Park (near Target)
(Cash and Credit Cards)

Panama City: Knology on West 15th Street
Playground Music Center on Harrison Ave. Downtown
(Cash Only)

Destin:    Kitchenique at City Market on Highway 98 (Cash Only)

Ft. Walton Beach: Playground Music Center at Uptown Station
(Cash Only)

Special hotel accommodation packages are also available through the festival’s supportive hotel sponsors. Presenting Sponsor and featured festival accommodations partner ResortQuest® is offering free shuttle service from select ResortQuest® properties for the best jazz festival experience ever. Call 888-416-5493 for reservations or see the entire listing of hotels and special offers at http://www.seabreezejazzfestival.com.

A toll-free information hotline is available for details at 800-653-7519. Complete lineup, tickets, and schedule information is online at http://www.seabreezejazzfestival.com with weekly updates on Facebook keywords “seabreeze jazz festival”.

General Admission seating is lawn seating so attendees need to bring a lawn chair or a blanket as event is festival seating. No alcohol allowing inside or glass containers. A cash bar will be available inside the venue. Only small personal insulated totes no taller than 12 inches high allowed inside.
See website for additional restrictions.

The 2012 Seabreeze Jazz Festival® presented by ResortQuest® by Wyndham Vacation Rentals is also sponsored by The Smooth Jazz Cruise, The
Panama City Beach Visitor’s and Convention Bureau, Pier Park, Quality BMW, BookIt.com, Knology, Viamedia, Fly VPS, Smooth Jazz.com, Smooth Lounge.com, Sterling Resorts, Lake Town Wharf, Oaseas Resorts, The Panama City News Herald, The Northwest Florida Daily News, PCB Daily.com, SoWal.com, Creative Gems of Panama City and WSBZ Radio The Seabreeze 106.3FM.

Another Seabreeze Radio Smooth Jazz Concert Event.

Seabreeze Jazz Festival To Showcase Top Names in Smooth Jazz in Exciting Weekend of Stellar Entertainment Coming April 18th-22nd in Panama City Beach, FL

Saxophonist Dave Koz to Headline the 2012 Event - "The Seabreeze Jazz Festival is truly the country's best Smooth Jazz event and we're so excited to be affiliated with the event for 8 years!" ~Sandy Shore - President, SmoothJazz.com

The white-sand beaches of Northwest Florida will again beckon contemporary jazz fans to Panama City Beach for the 14th Annual Seabreeze Jazz Festival Presented by ResortQuest by Wyndham Vacation Rentals. Blending top smooth jazz artists with great dining, shopping, and “fun in the sun”, The Seabreeze Jazz Festival has become one of the most unique jazz festival destination experiences in the USA.

Panama City Beach, Florida (PRWEB) March 01, 2012

Smooth Jazz is more than just a music genre, it’s a “lifestyle”, a feeling, an “attitude”, and a state of mind than brings listeners together. Blend this synergy of upbeat, fun, contemporary smooth jazz beats with swaying palm trees and emerald-green waters at one of the top tourist destinations in the southeast, and you have a concert experience unlike any other!

Named one of the “Top 10 Jazz Festival’s in the USA” by JazzIZ Magazine, the Seabreeze Jazz Festival continues to attract a solid contemporary jazz fan base to “celebrate the good life” in this music-packed five day event set for April 18th-22nd coming to the Pier Park Amphitheater on the west end of Panama City Beach, FL.

Fouplay will perform featuring Bob James, Nathan East, Chuck Loeb, and Harvey Mason

The 2012 Lineup includes the top names in smooth jazz! Artists to appear include Dave Koz, Brian Culbertson, Fourplay, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, Richard Elliot, Rick Braun, Down To The Bone, Phil Perry, Nick Colionne, Mindi Abair, Four 80 East, Maysa, Jeff Golub, Cindy Bradley, Jeff Lorber, David Pack, Eric Darius Alexander Zonjic, Brian Simpson, Althea Rene’, Shilts, Urban Jazz Coalition, Karen Briggs, Matt Marshak, Gail Jhonson, Mariea Antoinette, Vincent Ingala, Chris Geith, and Street Corner Renaissance.

The 2012 lineup reflects many of the top charting smooth jazz artists for 2011 and 2012 on the Billboard Magazine contemporary jazz charts, with an emphasis on not just “the hits”, but musical variety and diversity.

“We are always delighted by the Seabreeze Jazz Festival line-up,
but this year, we are thrilled with not only the diversity of
performers, but with the sheer volume of contemporary jazz stars,
both new and established men and women! The Seabreeze Jazz
Festival is truly the country’s best Smooth Jazz event and we’re
so excited to be affiliated with the event for 8 years!”
~Sandy Shore – President, SmoothJazz.com

In addition to concert performances at Pier Park, a smooth jazz dinner cruise aboard a dinner yacht, a free Meet and Greet Jazz Kickoff Show, and exciting After-Parties are planned to cap off a music-packed weekend along the World’s Most Beautiful Beaches.

Tickets for the multi-day event are on sale now at $80 per single day, $150 for a Weekend Pass good for Friday-Sunday, and $200 for a Four Day Pass. Tickets are available for purchase online at http://www.seabreezejazzfestival.com or by phone at 800-595-4849. Local ticket outlets in Northwest Florida include Coastal Market at Pier Park in Panama City Beach, Kitchenique in Destin at City Market, and Playground Music Center in Ft. Walton Beach.

Special hotel accommodation packages are also available through the festival’s supportive hotel sponsors. Presenting Sponsor and featured festival accommodations partner ResortQuest By Wyndham Vacation Rentals is offering free shuttle service from select ResortQuest properties for the best jazz festival experience ever. Call 855-227-8221 for reservations. Sterling Resorts is offering great condo and hotel options starting as low as $129 per night for a one-bedroom condominium with a full kitchen and other resort amenities. Call 1-877-567-1314 for reservations or see the entire listing of hotels and special offers at http://www.seabreezejazzfestival.com.

A toll-free information hotline is available for details at 800-653-7519. Complete lineup, tickets, and schedule information is online at http://www.seabreezejazzfestival.com.

The 2012 Seabreeze Jazz Festival(R) presented by ResortQuest By Wyndham Vacation Rentals(R) is also sponsored by The Smooth Jazz Cruise, The Panama City Beach Visitor’s and Convention Bureau, Pier Park, Quality BMW, Fly VPS, Smooth Jazz.com, Smooth Lounge.com, Sterling Resorts, Lake Town Wharf, Oaseas Resorts, The Panama City News Herald, The Northwest Florida Daily News, PCB Daily.com, SoWal.com, Wave.FM Toronto, Smooth Jazz News, Creative Gems of Panama City and WSBZ Radio The Seabreeze 106.3 FM.