You won’t want to miss the 33rd annual Suncoast Jazz Festival on beautiful Sand Key! Held indoors at Sheraton Resort and Marriott Suites on November 17-19, 2023, the event promises award-winning performers; a Friday-night swing dance with instruction from professionals Forrest and Andrea Phoenix; a New Orleans-style parasol parade; local vendors selling music memorabilia, art and festival apparel; and much more.
Kick off the holidays with live performances at the 33rd annual Suncoast Jazz Festival from over 70 musicians from across the U.S. and around the world—from New Orleans, San Francisco and New York to Italy, Brazil, Australia and Rio.
Kermit Ruffins (featured above) and the Barbecue Swingers, a Best of the Beat Award winner, will be the headliner Friday and will appear both Friday and Saturday evenings. Two-time Grammy award-winning Ranky Tanky will be the headliner Saturday night. The Charleston-based quintet performs jazz-influenced arrangements of music born from the Gullah culture of the southeastern Sea Islands.
Grammy-nominated Diego Figueiredo is also back by popular demand, along with a host of other jazz personalities, including the legendary John Lamb—an American Jazz double bassist who was a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra. Dozens of other local, regional and national musicians round out the lineup, which includes:
Performers & Bands: Ranky Tanky, Kermit Ruffins and the Barbecue Swingers, Professor Cunningham and His Old School, Dave Bennett Quartet, Tom Hook and the Hounds, Tom Rigney and Flambeau, Cynthia Sayer and Her Joyride Band, La Lucha, Heather Thorn and Vivacity, Galvanized Jazz Band with Jane Campedelli, Al Downing All Stars, Naples Jazz Society Jazz Band, Bakey and Betty, Too Much Fun (Betty Comora and Mike Evans) and Pepper and Friends.
Jazz Personalities: Rossano Sportiello, Diego Figueiredo, Jason Marsalis, Ona Kirei, Yoshitaka “Z2” Tsuji, Nate Najar, Daniela Soledade, John Lamb, Jean Bolduc, Don Mopsick, Synia Carroll, Theo Valentin, Bob Price and Steve Boisen.
More performers and personalities may be announced in the coming days, so check the event’s website frequently for updates. Profiles of the performers, as well as other event information, is also found on the website: https://suncoastjazzfestival.com/
This is your chance to enjoy some of the best live performances around—including selections from easy-flavored early jazz, American songbook, timeless Gullah jazz, modern acoustic jazz, swing, blues, zydeco and a touch of rockabilly and gospel—all from two beautiful resorts in Sand Key overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.
Additional weekend activities will add fun and flair to your 33rd annual Suncoast Jazz Festival festival experience:
- Don’t miss the parasol parade with live music poolside at the Sheraton on Friday, November 17, 11 a.m.
- Swing dance lessons will be available at the Sheraton for all ticket holders on Friday. Instruction starts at 6:45 p.m., and the swing dance begins at 7:30.
- Enjoy an evening gala at the Sheraton on Thursday, November 16, featuring dinner and entertainment by Jason Marsalis and Friends, and Tom Hook and the Hounds. Pepper and Friends will perform after the gala in Pepper’s Place.
- Wrap up your weekend on Sunday, November 19, at Haley’s Music Hall for a special musical salute featuring the Dave Bennett Quartet with Theo Valentin. The performance begins at 9 a.m.
33rd annual Suncoast Jazz Festival tickets range from $40 to $225 for three days of non-stop music. For tickets and information, visit suncoastjazzfestival.com, write jazzclassic@aol.com or phone (727)248-9441. Admission is free for students with a valid ID on Saturday and Sunday. Sponsorships are available.
33rd annual Suncoast Jazz Festival story written by Dianna Graveman exclusively for Destination Tampa Bay
. Photos courtesy of the Suncaost Jazz Holiday for editorial purposes only–all rights reserved.
The post Enjoy a Weekend of Jazz this November on the Fabulous Suncoast appeared first on Destination Tampa Bay™.
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