Submitted by Suanne Z. Thamm
Reporter – News Analyst
September 22, 2021
It’s time once again for the annual Jazz Festival featuring Les Demerle and Bonnie Eisele, who with other jazz greats will highlight this year’s festival the week of October 3-10, 2021.
At the September 21, 2021 Regular Meeting of the Fernandina Beach City Commission (FBCC), Mayor Mike Lednovich officially proclaimed October 3-10 as “Les Demerle Amelia Island Jazz Festival Week.”
For many years the Les DeMerle Amelia Island Jazz Festival has brought exciting world-class jazz entertainment to Fernandina Beach in styles including Contemporary, Big Band, Latin, Swing, Dixieland, Blues and more. This year will be no exception. The Amelia Island Jazz Festival is featuring Grammy Award-winning headlining performers to include Jazz Vocalist extraordinaire, Steve March-Tormé, internationally acclaimed saxophonist/clarinetist Ken Peplowski, renowned Latin group Trio Caliente, the 21-piece University of North Florida Jazz Ensemble 2 directed by Dennis Marks, the Spare Rib Six Dixieland Band, and the Dynamic Les DeMerle Band featuring Bonnie Eisele.
Mayor Lednovich said, “It is truly an honor and a privilege to have these world-class performers among us.”
Founder/Artistic Director/Board of Directors President Les DeMerle and Board of Directors Vice President Bonnie Eisele were on hand to receive the Proclamation. In accepting the honor, DeMerle announced that the Amelia Island Jazz Festival is offering a wide range of concert venues including Amelia Park, the Courtyard Amelia Island/Springhill Suites by Marriott, Sadler Ranch, The Decantery, and Mocama Beer Company. Some events will be free to the public.
Safety precautions to guard against the spread of the Covid virus will also be in place.
DeMerle added that the Amelia Island Jazz Festival presents many educational programs including Jazz In The Schools, Jazz For Kids, Jazz For Seniors, as well as a Scholarship Program which supports continuing music education for high school musicians who desire to study jazz music in college.
For more information about the Jazz Festival, performers, venues and tickets, visit their website https://www.ameliaislandjazzfestival.com