The Coastal Jazz Association of Savannah, Georgia

Coastal Empire Jazz

About The Savannah Jazz Festival

September 19 to September 26  -2010-

The Coastal Jazz Association was started as a result of a Jazz appreciation class that was taught by Bassist, Ben Tucker and Trombonist, Teddy Adams at Savannah State University in 1982. Within a year(1983), CJA quickly developed and recognized the strong Jazz legacy and talent that Savannah had in her midst.On October 1, 1983, the first Savannah Jazz Festival was held at Grayson Stadium. Sponsored by the City of Savannah, the festival was free and open to the and still remains so. Local and area Jazz artists who included: Ben Tucker, Teddy Adams, Kahn Keen, Sam Gill, Ken Palmer,Terri Rini Powers, The Hilton Head Jazz Workshop along with national artists: Al Grey, Jimmy Knepper, Joe Newman,Frank Wess, Roland Hanna and many others rendered Savannah its first Jazz Festival.

Since 1983 CJA and the City of Savannah have sponsored twenty seven festivals. In 1996 the Olympic Games were held in Atlanta. Because Savannah hosted the Regatta events, two Jazz festivals were held that year. The Savannah Jazz festival is considered to be one of the best free Jazz festivals in the country. Its reputation is internationally known and Jazz artists are eager to perform here. Over the years the Savannah Jazz Festival has featured some of the best artists in the world who include: Lionel Hampton, Ahmad Jamal, Clark Terry,Carmen McCray, Nancy Wilson, Benny Golson Jimmy and Tootie Heath, Ben Riley, Jimmy Smith, Maynard Ferguson, Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, McCoy Tyner and numerous others.

An outstanding festival has been held every year without fail since its inception in 1983 and the Coastal Jazz Association is making every effort to enhance and continue this event which lucidly reflects the strong Jazz tradition that Savannah has offered the world for many years. The festival is held during the last full week of September each year.

Tribute to Louis Armstrong

BOB MASTELLER PERFORMS IN A SPECIAL

TRIBUTE TO LOUIS ARMSTRONG

Sunday, November 21^st  @ 5:00 p.m.

Westin Savannah Harbor – Free For Members

Bob Masteller has been a major force on the musical scene of the Low Country since 1973. In the period between '73 and '80, while a Senior Vice President of The Sea Pines Company, Bob played in a group called Jazz Reborn, which included early Hilton Head Islanders Mark Stuppy and Garry Moore, the legendary entertainer. During this period Bob became well known in Savannah as the trombonist with The River Street Ramblers, which included Savannah musical legends Sam Gill and Ken Palmer.

In the 1980's, Bob headed up various groups with different styles, including New Orleans, straight-ahead jazz, and mood music. He has appeared at virtually every mainstream location for swing and jazz in the Low Country, including all major hotels, Hannah's East, The Golden Rose, Self Family Arts Center, USC Performing Arts Center and the Original Old Post Office on Pope Avenue.

Included in the highlights of Bob's career, he has performed for Presidents Clinton, Ford and Bush and Senator Bobby Kennedy. Also in hi background was a 26-week stint at Sweet Georgia Brown in Savannah during the key moments that went into the makeup of "The Garden of Good and Evil".

In the past ten years Masteller has concentrated on his lifelong dream, The Jazz Corner. The club was commissioned in 1999 with the legendary George Shearing Quintet, and is now an island institution. "The Jazz Corner has allowed me to pursue, with equal intensity, business and artistic goals at the same time, and I feel good about both pursuits", says Bob. Masteller has conducted a Live TV series at the Jazz Corner called "The Man Who Lived Jazz" on the senior channel and also conducts seminars on The History of Jazz in various venues throughout the country.

Bob Mastellar will perform “A TRIBUTE TO LOUIS ARMSTRONG” at the Westin Resort on Sunday, November 21^st  @ 5pm.  Free for Coastal Jazz Association members and $10 for non-members.

Attendees who join CJA while at the concert will also be admitted for free.

For more info  call: 912.920.1317 or go to www.coastal-jazz.org