True Blue Jazz events slated April 29-30

The 9th Annual True Blue Jazz Year will host Jazz Appreciation Month events April 29-30.

Celebrating April as Jazz Appreciation Month, live jazz will return to Nassau Valley Vineyards & Winery from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Thursday, April 29, featuring outstanding young trumpeter, vocalist and third-generation jazz musician Benny Benack III. His latest album release is titled “A Lot of Livin’ To Do.”  The Cape Henlopen High School Jazz Combo, under the direction of Chris Burkhart, will open the show.

For tickets, go to truebluejazz.org and click the events tab.

“Having Benny Benack III in town for a Jazz Appreciation Month show at Nassau Valley Vineyards is a dream come true after the year of the lockdown we’ve all just been through,” said Peggy Raley.

Nassau Valley Winery has invested in state-of-the art air purification and sanitizing systems installed throughout every interior space. Social distancing and masking protocols will be followed.

In a virtual True Blue Jazz concert, Benny Benack III and Friends will perform from 6 to 9 p.m., Friday April 30. This livestream celebration of International Jazz Day will be available free to jazz fans around the globe, with donations gratefully accepted. For this livestream show, go to truebluejazz.org/ijd2021.

Appearing with and opening for Benack is a top-tier group of jazz artists who formed a quartet to perform in the spirit of Stan Getz and the Oscar Peterson Trio. The Sholbertshire Swingtet revisits compositions that the Getz/Peterson group had recorded and performed in their own signature style back in 1958 on the Verve Records jazz label with famed jazz producer Norman Granz.

The Sholbertshire Swingtet comprises Amy Shook on bass, Joe Holt on piano, Steve Abshire on guitar and Scott Silbert on tenor sax.

International Jazz Day, founded by UNESCO in 2011, features events held around the world under the guidance of the Herbie Hancock Jazz Institute.

The Pines Restaurant at 56 Baltimore Ave. in Rehoboth Beach is keeping live jazz at the forefront of its entertainment plan for 2021 by creating dedicated monthly events called True Blue Jazz Wednesdays. These will take place the first Wednesday of every month, May through December.

True Blue Jazz will manage booking  the talent. And of course, plans at The Pines still include its annual festival sponsorship Oct. 13-17. For information about this venue, go to thepinesrb.com.