Sheila E. headlines 24th annual jazz festival
The 24th annual Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival looks to be more family-friendly than ever for audiences and performers at the four-day jam session.
Jazz festival organizer and President Dennis Santangini said this year, Pete Escovedo, former Santana percussionist and the father of headlining artist Sheila E. is included in the lineup, with father and daughter paired for several performances.
"Sheila asked me to consider having her father perform with her, and he is actually going to be staying and performing the whole weekend," Santangini said. "He is an icon. He is definitely a living legend at this time."
Many jazz festival performances are aimed at adult audiences and start later in the evening, but in recent years, festival organizers have added family-friendly shows.
Santangini said this year will again feature a free Saturday concert at the Villages of Five Points, featuring a battle between two award-winning Mummers organizations from Philadelphia, with Lewes Mayor James Ford leading a panel of judges.
"Having a family-oriented concert at Five Points is bringing people in to celebrate our jazz festival in another way," he said. "It's not only a jazz festival; it's also a festival for everyone to come and enjoy Sussex County."
The family show will start at noon, Saturday, Oct. 19, he said, and will also feature two additional bands, activities and clowns for children.
"We did it last year, and it was very successful," Santangini said. "This year we expect it to be even better because we are having string band judges come in."
Winners of the Philadelphia Mummer's parade for the last two years, the Fralinger and Woodlands string bands will go head-to-head in Lewes to determine the best string band of the jazz festival.
So far, the plans have been well-received, Santangini said, with many shows selling out even before Oct. 1.
Celebrated smooth jazz saxophonist Steve Cole is the 2013 artist of the year and will be performing throughout the weekend, opening up on Thursday, Oct. 17, at the Cape Henlopen High School Theatre.
Venues for the festival stretch from Rehoboth to Lewes. Santangini said the festival has developed such a following in the last 20-plus years, its former accommodations in Rehoboth no longer have the capacity for the crowds.
Some of the sold-out shows are for venues that seat 400-900 people; Santangini said he said he's been fortunate to be able to take advantage of facilities like those at the high school and Epworth United Methodist Church to keep the jazz flowing.
He also said plans are already in the works for a big celebration marking 25 years of Rehoboth jazz.
For more information about upcoming events or to buy tickets for shows at the jazz fest, visit www.rehobothjazz.com. for expanded listings, including performances at numerous local restaurants, go to capegazette.com.
Thursday, Oct. 17, 8 p.m.
Sheila E, Pete Escovedo, Steve Cole and Marion Meadows
Cape Henlopen High School Theatre, 1250 Kings Hwy., Lewes
Friday, Oct. 18, 8 p.m.
Najee and Alex Bugnon with opener Keiko Matsu
Cape Henlopen High School Theatre, 1250 Kings Hwy., Lewes
11:30 p.m.
Marion Meadows and Joey Sommerville
Delaware Distilling Company
18693 Coastal Hwy., Rehoboth Beach
Saturday, Oct. 19:
Noon
Free Family Concert featuring Mummers competition with the
Fralinger and Woodland string bands
Village of Five Points, Savannah Road, Lewes
1 p.m.
Peter White and Mindi Abair
Cape Henlopen High School Theatre, 1250 Kings Hwy., Lewes
2:30 p.m.
Jeff Lorber FUSION and Steve Cole
Epworth United Methodist Church, 19285 Holland Glade Road, Rehoboth Beach
4 p.m.
Jazz Meets James
Featuring performances by Nick Colionne, Matt Marshak, Alex Bugnon,
Gerald Albright, Art Sherrod, Marion Meadows, Sheila E, Joey Sommerville,
Eric Darius and Paula Atherton
Rehoboth Beach Convention Center
229 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach
7:30 p.m.
Will Downing
Cape Henlopen High School Theatre, 1250 Kings Hwy., Lewes
9 p.m.
Oh Boy! A Tribute to Rockabilly
Featuring performances by Walt Hetfield, Barry Eli, Ken Schleifer and Mike
Long
Epworth United Methodist Church
19285 Holland Glade Road, Rehoboth Beach
10:30 p.m.
2013 Rehoboth Beach All-Stars
Featuring performances from Peter White, Jeff Lorber, Sheila E, Pete
Escovedo, Marc Antoine, Mindi Abair, Gerald Albright and Nick Colionne.
Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, 229 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach
11:30 p.m.
four80east and Matt Marshak
Delaware Distilling Co., 18693 Coastal Hwy., Rehoboth Beach
Sunday, Oct. 20:
3:30 p.m.
Final Grand Jam
Featuring Nick Colionne, Peter White, Marc Antoine, Matt Marshak, Jeff
Lorber, Alex Bugnon, Mindi Abair, Shiela E, Pete Escovedo, Marion Meadows,
Joey Sommerville, Steve Cole, Elan Trotman and four80east.
Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, 229 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach
6:30 p.m.
2013 Final Closing Party
Delaware Distilling Co.
18693 Coastal Hwy., Rehoboth Beach
