Sheila E, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue and Big Bad VooDoo Daddy will be among the performers at the 2018 Jacksonville Jazz Festival.
The annual festival will be held in downtown Jacksonville over the Memorial Day weekend, May 24-27.
This year the Swingin’ Stage is being relocated to the front lawn of the Duval County Courthouse while the Groovin’ Stage will once again be at Hemming Park. The Breezin’ Stage will be at the corner of Adams and Main Streets.
The festival kicks off Thursday, May 24, at The Florida Theatre with the Jacksonville Jazz Piano Competition and concludes Sunday night.
Festival Schedule
- Thursday, May 24 – Piano Competition, Florida Theatre, doors open at 6p.m., competition start at 7 p.m.
- Friday, May 25, 2 - 10 p.m, performances start at 3 p.m., various locations
- Saturday, May 26, 2 - 11 p.m, performances start at 3 p.m., various locations
- Sunday, May 27, 2 - 10 p.m., performances start at 3 p.m., various locations
Performers Announced As Of April 10
- Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue
- Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
- Sheila E.
- The Bad Plus
- Euge Groove
- The Pete Escovedo Orchestra with special guests Jimmy Bosch and Chembo Corneil
- Ulysses Owens, Jr.
- Trio
- The 4 Korners
- Grace Kelly
- Jane Bunnett & Maqueque
- Lohai
Local Performers Announced As Of April 10
- The Chris Thomas Band
- UNF Jazz Ensemble
- The Douglas Anderson Jazz Ensemble 1
Other festival activities include the Omni Sacred Jazz Brunch featuring the Noel Freidline Quartet with vocalist Maria Howell, the Jazz Clinic, the Second Line Jazz Parade, the Jazz Marketplace and the Official Jazz Store.
Jazz After Dark will also return Friday and Saturday from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. at numerous locations downtown.
The festival is free and open to the public unless otherwise listed.
Additional information is available at JaxJazzFest.com.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
