A week's worth of events are on tap for area jazz enthusiasts

The Coastal Jazz Association 20th Annual Savannah Jazz Festival will be held in Forsyth Park Sept. 27-30. This year's festival is a tribute to Savannah-born and renowned jazz drummer Ben Riley.

The celebration of 20 years of this free jazz festival begins Sept. 23 with a Jazz Week Kick-Off Jam Session at Chadwick's Lounge, located in the Marshall House Hotel on Broughton Street. The jam session will feature various musicians, preparing fans for the rest of the week's events. During the week, (Monday-Wednesday) local venues will host jazz artists and early arriving concert performers will conduct workshops in area schools.

The week culminates with three nights of great jazz in Forsyth Park - Thursday, Friday and all day Saturday.

On Thursday the activities begin with Blues Night featuring the EROK Trio with Eric Culberson, Savannah's own national recording artist Irene Reid and the Claude Rhea Quartet. Finally, Ike and Val Woods, who performed during the Black Heritage Festival, return to Savannah to close out the evening's park activities. Blues fans will then be treated to a Blues Jam Session at Savannah Blues, in City Market, immediately after the concert in the park.

Friday will be an equally exciting evening featuring the U.S. Air Force Reserve Band, Joanne Bracken, Jane Bunnett and the Sprits of Havana Rider.

On Saturday jazz fans will be treated to a day full of jazz starting at 3 p.m. with the Valdosta State University Jazz Combo. Additional artists for the day include the U.S. Army Ground Forces Band, The Coastal Jazz Association All Stars, the James Spaulding Quartet and Rick Dellaratta Trio. The evening in the park closes with performances by Bobby Watson and Terence Blanchard.

On Friday and Saturday the fun continues for after the park 'late owls' with jam sessions at Chadwicks. Musicians and singers can bring their instruments and join the fun both nights.

Jazz week ends with the Annual Children's Festival on Sunday, a day full of activities for the next generation of jazz lovers. This year the Children's Jazz Festival is sponsored by St. Joseph's Candler Hospital and features the Coastal Jazz Association All Stars and the Savannah Arts Academy's Skylite Band. Regular visitors to the festival will be pleased to see that Ronald McDonald has returned again this year.

For more information contact www.coastaljazz.com or call (912) 356-2399.