Big Bear Lake JazzTrax Summer Music Festival

10/27/2024

Sitting around on a Sunday Afternoon in late October watching football? Did you know there's a Brand New Boney James album? Released just a week ago?
You might want to turn the sound down on the TV, hopefully your team is winning and start Streaming this weekend's JazzTrax Radio Show at www.JazzTrax.com. We're showcasing the new Boney HOURLY, but the show disappears at Midnight to make room for next weekend's show (when the Brand New Marion Meadows, just released this weekend will be showcased HOURLY.)

Don't want to interrupt your football game? At least download this weekend's JazzTrax Show so you can listen to all the New Boney later. Gotta download it before Midnight, otherwise this show will be gone.

Boney's got Marcus Miller on bass on several songs and a vocal sung by a Rising Star Singer, October London.

The show also has Fall's Brand New from Richard Elliot,
Jeff Lorber, Peet Project, the new all star configuration, BPM which is bassist Brian Bromberg, guitarist Paul Brown and saxophonist Michael Paulo, and a listen from the new Rick Braun Christmas album.

New Boney, all that other Brand New and this week's archives album by Spyro Gyra from 2019. 'Vinyl Tap' is a first ever album of COVERS by this 50 year old legendary band who next week releases an album called 'Jubilee.' Celebrating that Half a Century. Jay Beckenstein and the gang covering songs by the likes of Cream, Blind Faith, Crosby Stills & Nash, the Doobies, McCartney/Lennon and more.

Pretty tastey show. Today's its last Airing Date before the next weekend's show jumps in at midnight. So Start Streaming or get it Downloaded before Midnight to save it on your computer, and GO (whoever your favorite football team is).

10/20/2024

This is what you missed last night if you WEREN'T in the historic 1929 Avalon Ballroom on Catalina Island.

Dutch Saxstress CANDY DULFER with maybe the Best Live Smooth Jazz Performance of the Year

The Bad Boys of Budapest, PEET PROJECT waiting backstage to go on ...then ON !!!!

THIS IS CLOSING DAY
of the 37th Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival

All being Recorded for the Thanksgiving Week
Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival RADIO Special
The Concerts from October .. 26 miles across the sea

The Finale Today is
CHRIS STANDRING noon

NAJEE 2 pm

Dinner at (pick one) one of Avalon's many delightful restaurants, some overlooking Avalon Bay and the Pacific Ocean Laguna

The Music Director and Keyboardist for EARTH WIND & FIRE
and The Myron McKinley Trio 7 pm

PETER WHITE, MINDI ABAIR & VINCENT INGALA
TOGETHER IN A FINALE ALL STAR PERFORMANCE

THEN IT's A WRAP until OCTOBER 2025
Some of the Stars of Smooth Jazz Coming Next Year Will Be
Announced on Stage TONIGHT

We'll all soon be Dreaming About October on Catalina Island All Year Long ..... but TODAY ... Don't Have to DREAM

www.JazzTrax.com

10/19/2024

Here's what you missed if you weren't on Catalina Island this afternoon
All the way from London, british guitarist Roberto Restuccia
(see his set list).
And saxophonist Paul Taylor basically breaking the record for longest time Down Inside the Audience playing his sax.

Candy Dulfer tonight (Amsterdam)
and
Peet Project (Budapest)

an All European Evening at the 37th Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival Lighting

and then Dancing on the Beach at midnight at the
JazzTrax AfterParty, till 1 a.m.

Final Day Tomorrow
One last chance this year to just
GET HERE
26 miles across the sea
in the historic 1929 Avalon Ballroom ... looking out to sea

10/19/2024

This is what you're missing by NOT being on Catalina Island TONIGHT as weekend 2, Closing Weekend of the 37th JazzTrax Festival begins.

MINDI ABAIR surprising everyone by coming up 2 nights before HER SHOW on Sunday with Peter White and Vincent Ingala
to sit in on a song with The Legend, Booker T. Jones who right now is doing 'GREEN ONIONS'

And a Full Moon over the Pacific Ocean tonight.
26 miles across the sea.

2 more days
Get Yourself Here

10/15/2024

The Lights are On in our Historic 1929 Avalon Ballroom .. looking out to sea .. at the 37th Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival .. Inside AND Out.

The Brand New JazzTrax Festival T Shirts are waiting for you ..
26 miles across the sea...

Stepping off Boats this weekend in the tiny seaport village called Avalon
Candy Dulfer .. Mindi Abair .. Peter White .. Najee ..
Vincent Ingala .. Roberto Restuccia .. Chris Standring ..
Paul Taylor .. Josh Vietti .. Gabriel Mark Hasselbach ..
all the way from Budapest, Peet Project ..

Oh, and the Music Director and Keyboardist of
Earth, Wind & Fire, Myron McKinley steps off the
EW&F 5 night stay at the Venetian in Las Vegas Saturday Night
to come right over to Catalina Island for Myron McKinley Trio show Sunday Night.

Oh, and Mr. Ghostbusters, Ray Parker Jr., on the beach,
ocean waves rolling in behind him Thursday Night.

Closing Weekend of the 37th Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival is HERE ... 4 more nights beginning in 2 nights

Just Get Here ... (weather is ocean breezes cool)
(there will be tickets available at the
door for every session)

10/09/2024

Just 1 Day to .... 26 miles across the sea
For a 37th October, since 1987,
The Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival is HERE.

Saw some of Peter White's Thursday Night on the Beach
Band coming off Catalina Express boats this morning.
Michael Paulo we just learned is joining Peter on stage
Tomorrow Night, as the waves of the Pacific Ocean roll in
behind them. (just 20 tickets left for this opening night show)

We saw JazzTrax Festival goers in the big new Vons Island Supermarket on Tuesday. Getting here several days early
to enjoy the town, watch the Padres/ Dodgers series on the
12 HUGE Wide Screens at The Locker Room Bar. Enjoy the town and Island Ahead of all this weekend 12 festival concerts.

It's 70 degrees with full sunshine. The ocean crossing looks calm. The helicopters are landing. The restaurants are stocked up with food and drink and staff all waiting for the Smooth Jazz
Lovers from all across America to arrive.

Don't forget you can make a last second decision to
DAYTRIP over Saturday or Sunday, catch all that day's shows.
Return with the final band on the Catalina Express Late Boat
back to Long Beach, not needing Hotel accommodations, but there are hotel rooms now in Avalon as low as $250.

And then there's Closing Weekend of the JazzTrax Festival
next week, Oct. 17-20.

Don't Get Left on the Mainland
Get OVER HERE, 26 miles across the sea

10/08/2024

A reminder to ALL arriving in 2 days, this THURSDAY to see
Peter White & Art Sherrod Jr.
Unplugged Under the Stars on Descanso Beach
Opening Night of the 37th Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival

This below is what you'll Wake Up to on Friday Morning.
Avalon Bay. The 1929 Wrigley Casino and Avalon Ballroom
over there on the Left. Catalina Yacht Club Lower Right. Floating Hotel Rooms, otherwise called Boats moored all over the Harbor.
A Cruise Ship parked out there on the Pacific Ocean.
A jazz festival .. literally Looking Out .. to Sea.

Peter and Art are within about 25 tickets of selling out this
Opening Thursday Night.
All Sessions this weekend still have tickets available,
and our Closing Weekend next week, Oct. 17-20

But nothing like Waking Up on Friday ALREADY HERE.
A full day to take a long walk down Pebbly Beach, maybe for
lunch at the Buffalo Nickel. Maybe get in 9 holes of golf at the Catalina Country Club. Tennis at Hamilton Cove. Scuba anyone?
Or maybe that Inner Island Bus Tour you've never done up to the
Airport in the Sky for a Buffalo Burger.

Before the Music Begins for a 37th October way up high above the ocean in the history 1929 Avalon Ballroom, 10 shows Friday to Monday Night with afternoon breaks Sat. and Sun. to have a great dinner maybe at Steve's Steakhouse or Bluewater Grille or discover the 2 Brand New Restaurants.

Just Get Here ... this weekend or Next
Look for an Avalon Bound Star of Smooth Jazz on your
Catalina Express boat. Look for Dolphins, maybe, just maybe
a whale on the way over ....

Everything you need is at www.JazzTrax.com

We're Waiting .. Over Here .. For You
26 miles across the sea

(some hotel rooms now have dropped as low as $250 a night)

10/08/2024

This Weekend ... AND ... Next
26 miles across the sea

10/08/2024

3 Nights to Opening Night
37th Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival

Peter White will be stepping off a Catalina Express boat
on Thursday.
Marcus Anderson and Blake Aaron this Friday
Saturday it's Nathan Mitchell and
Jazz Funk Soul with Everette Harp, Paul Jackson Jr. & Jeff Lorber
Sunday stepping' off boats over in this tiny seaport village called
Avalon it's Dan Siegel, Lindsey Webster, Jackiem Joyner,
Slim Gambill and YES YES YES, THE SPINNERS !!!!

Tickets available for every show even some Single Day Tables.
Full Weekend and Single Day Tickets available
www.JazzTrax.com
Select your exact seat or table with links for boats and helicopters to the Island and hotel links.
There are also VRBO's and Air B&B's
and some hotels have dropped their prices last second to as low as $250 a night. Might even now find a 1 night minimum.

Breakfast at The Lobster Trap (incredibly low prices)
Dinner at Bluewater or Steve's Steakhouse.
Couple brand new restaurants in Avalon.
Weather is perfect.
70's days
60's nights
Mermaid sitting outside the Wrigley Casino
she gets in free

Don't get left on the Mainland when there's a Smooth Jazz Island awaiting you 26 miles across the sea.

Just Get Here
or come Next Weekend

10/04/2024

One Week from Tonight,
Thursday, October 10th

As the Sun Goes Down
As Darkness Takes Over the Pacific Ocean
Right Behind the JazzTrax Unplugged Jazz Stage
on the Beach ....

Peter White will Begin to Play His Guitar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cgGK-js66s

Opening Night .. 37th Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival
7 Nights Away

www.JazzTrax.com
Tickets .. Full Artist Line-Up .. Performance Schedule ..
Links for Boats and Helicopters the 26 miles across the sea ..
Links for Hotel Accomodations, as low now as $252 a night
Also Air B&B's and VRBO's

A site dedicated to Smooth Jazz, New Jazz Releases, Jazz Festivals and Events, and the Annual Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival

09/27/2024

2 Weeks from TONIGHT
The Lights Turn On in the historic 1929 Avalon Ballroom as Catalina Island yet again becomes October's Center of the Smooth Jazz Universe

See and Read the Brand New 2024
Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival PROGRAM right now
Flip Through it's Pages at www.JazzTrax.com
where you can select seats, even Single Day Tables,
purchase on-line, with links for boats and helicopters to the Island and hotel accommodations, some nightly festival rates now as low as $249 a night.

If It's OCTOBER .... don't get left on the Mainland.
Opening Weekend, October 10-13
Closing Weekend, October 17-20

Catalina Express has Late Boats back to Long Beach
Festival Saturday and Sunday Nights after final performance for
DAYTRIPPERS

09/22/2024

SEE … READ …. FLIP RIGHT THROUGH THE PAGES OF THE BRAND NEW
CATALINA ISLAND JAZZTRAX FESTIVAL PROGRAM RIGHT NOW

JUST POSTED ON-LINE AT www.JazzTrax.com

When you arrive 26 miles across the sea next month
and step into our historic 1929 avalon ballroom,
pick up your complimentary copy.
Be sure and take an extra one home for a friend
who’s never been to Catalina Island before.

3 weeks from tonight
RnR
Rick and Richard
Rick Braun and Richard Elliot step on stage together

at the 37th Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival

4 weeks from tonight
Candy Dulfer takes the JazzTrax Stage

The Spinners, Jazz Funk Soul, Peter White, Mindi Abair, Vincent Ingala,
Najee, Booker T. Jones ….
See the full 30 artist line-up, order tickets on line, link for boats,
helicopters and accommodations on the Island at JazzTrax.com

You can Daytrip Over on Festival Saturdays and/or Sundays
no need for a hotel
See all 4 Shows that Day
Take the Catalina Express boat back to Long Beach after the day’s final note

Or come for the whole weekend.
We haven’t seen hotel room rates this low, so close in years
One hotel listing $249 a night during JazzTrax

Always look 1st at Official JazzTrax Hotels
But Shop Around … same hotel prices vary whether on Trivago, Expedia, Priceline,
Booking.com, or on the Hotel’s own website.
Coming with multiple friends or other couples, amorize your accommodation
costs with a 2, 3 or more bedroom house in Avalon.
VRBO’s and Air B&B’s have full listings

But whatever you do ………If It’s October
Don’t Get Left on the Mainland