In Suttons Bay...the show must go on

June 29, 2005

When organizers of the Suttons Bay JazzFest announced that they were skipping the 13th year of the big band & jazz bash due to a major act dropping out, members of the local Chamber of Commerce scrambled to ensure that the village doesn’t miss a beat this summer.
The result is the Suttons Bay MusicFest, to be held Saturday, July 23 at Marina Park with mostly-local musicians filling the gap.
“Our most exciting difference with this year’s festivities is the 21-piece big band we’ve got wrapping up the line-up,” said Bruce Vaughn of The Silvertree Deli. “We’re bringing in a dance floor so that festival guests can get up and really party.”
Traditionally held under a big top tent at the marina park, the JazzFest has attracted a mostly older crowd with some of the acts verging on snoozy. The new festival promises a younger direction with a dash of verve. The lineup includes:

• The Andy Six Band offering a blend of country, jazz and pop;
• The Claudia Schmidt Quartet working on the folksinger’s jazz persona;
• The Sky Island Band with Bugs Beddow, blues and jazz;
• Ray Kamalay and the Red Hot Peppers performing ‘30s style jazz;
• Luther Gravy & The Soul Biscuits, big band;
• Grammy Award winner Alison Brown and her quartet, jazz-classical-pop-folk-Latin mix;
• Dave Warne’s Big Band;
• And by tradition, the Suttons Bay High School Jazz Band, which kicks off the festival.

Organizers vow that their festival will offer the same food and wine offerings from local restaurants and vineyards as in JazzFests past, along with a deeper commitment to creating a dance scene with big band swing sounds.
The MusicFest will be held from noon until 9 p.m. on July 23. Advance tickets are $15 or two for $25, available at The Business Helper, The Silvertree Deli, and 45th Parallel, all in Suttons Bay. For other locations, or to order tickets by phone call 271-4404 or 271-2271. Tickets at the gate on the day of the MusicFest will be $20. Children under 10 will be admitted free.