27th JazzTrax Festival starts

JazzTrax has returned to Catalina, starting on Thursday and kicking off with the first unplugged sessions under the stars at Descanso Beach and flowing through Sunday with shows in the Casino Ballroom.

The popular music festival runs over three weekends, during which Avalon turns into “smooth jazz central” with an atmosphere unique to the island.

JazzTrax has returned to Catalina, starting on Thursday and kicking off with the first unplugged sessions under the stars at Descanso Beach and flowing through Sunday with shows in the Casino Ballroom.

The popular music festival runs over three weekends, during which Avalon turns into “smooth jazz central” with an atmosphere unique to the island.

The event, now in its 27th year, was voted the Best Jazz Festival in America for 2010 and 2011. Since 1987 it has brought visitors to the island at a time when the tourist economy would normally slow down to a trickle, thus giving the town an economic boost.

JazzTrax was a big help to Avalon’s economy during the recession and this year continues its three-weekend tradition. However, according to it founder Art Good, next year, JazzTrax will be consolidated into a two-weekend event.

Good explained in this year’s festival brochure that the move is a business decision aimed at keeping the festival going for another 10 years.

Originally, and for its first four years, JazzTrax was a one-weekend event. It expanded to two weekends in 1991 and then became three consecutive weekends in 1999.

“Even with the downturn in the economy, ‘the Great Recession,’ our three weekends continued,” Good said. “But every business must evaluate the market and demand.”

Good said that since the recession and the subsequent improvement in the economy, “this festival has been a bit like three airplanes taking off where only two were needed to accommodate everyone.”

For those who prefer the three-weekend approach, Good suggested the future could always bring surprises.

“I believe this consolidation will now secure another full decade or the JazzTrax Festival,” he said. “By then, who knows what kind of festival my son, then in his mid 20’s might decide to take it. After all, we were all around age 30 when the festival first began.”

Good said he believes JazzTrax will still draw as many visitors and tourist dollars as a two-weekend event.

“We are fully expecting the same number of attendees over two weekends in 2014 as are attending in 2013,” he said.

Meanwhile, the music will flow this festival season with a stellar lineup of 30 talente acts from the well-known, such as headliner Booker T. Jones who will perform this evening, to up and coming artists like saxophonist Vincent Ingala. Although he is only 20 years old, the Connecticut-based musician has been jumping up on smooth jazz stages since age 17. He reached the top of the Smooth Jazz Charts before he could even celebrate at a bar.

In addition, returning to JazzTrax again this year is the irrepressible saxophonist Mindi Abair, who has become a mainstay of the festival.

Abair is one of the musicians that Good has helped introduce to the music industry.

Good met Abair when she was just out of college while she was still playing small clubs around San Diego. Abair made her big venue debut at JazzTrax as a relatively unknown and has gone on to major success.

Last year she kicked the festival off playing a barefooted, unplugged show at Descanso Beach.

This year Abair will perform at Descanso on Oct. 17.

With the shows already underway, there is still time to attend one of the many performances. For more information on who is playing and when, and for tickets, go online at www.JazzTrax.com or call 866-TRAX TIX (866-872-9849).