Six guitarists will play a variety of jazz today, including traditional, swing, bebop, and modern, at Guitar-rama to kick off the 23rd Annual Hot Springs JazzFest.
The Hot Springs Jazz Society will present JazzFest daily through Sunday at a variety of venues.
"I'm very pleased the way it's turning out. We just gotta do it. That's the next step," says Clyde Pound, entertainment chairman.
Guitar-rama begins with doors opening at 6:15 p.m. and the program at 7 p.m. in the Crystal Ballroom at the Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa, 239 Central Ave.
One of the featured artists, Bill Huntington, will play selections from the swing era.
"He is from New Orleans and will be doing some pretty traditional music. He is a wonderful bass player but he also plays guitar," Pound said.
Ed Smith, of Little Rock, will play some standards, "maybe a bossa nova," Pound said.
After that, Michael Carenbauer will play a solo 12-string guitar, "not exactly classical, but by jazz composers."
Les Pack, associate professor of music at University of Arkansas Monticello, will "definitely do a jazz set," Pound said.
Larry Womack will perform some blues.
"I love Larry, he is just a great player. I wanted to get a blues player in there, and I think Larry is one of the best," Pound said.
Guitar-rama will close with Ted Ludwig.
"He plays at the Capitol Hotel five nights. He is a very contemporary jazz guitarist, so I think that will cover it very well," Pound said.
"I think of all the popular instruments in the state of Arkansas, it's got to be guitar. I am hoping we get some people there who are not necessarily jazz fans."
Wednesday's program is Jazz 101, the history of Jazz from the Early Roots to Contemporary Style.
The program begins at 6 p.m. with free admission at the Garland County Library, 1427 Malvern
"Jazz 101 we did last year at the library. We are doing it again, but this time I have a guest, Gary Meggs, who teaches jazz history at the University of Arkansas in Monticello, the band leader director who will be involved gives it another dimension going through the history of jazz and giving demonstrations of various styles and how it evolved," Pound said.
Artists presenting along with Meggs, on saxophone, are Pound, on keyboard, Jay Payette, on drums, and Byron Yancey, on bass.
Thursday's program is S-Wonderful at 6 p.m. with vocalist Shirley Chauvin at Quapaw Baths & Spa, 417 Central Ave.
Complimentary hors d'oeuvre and a cash bar will be available.
"Thursday is Shirley's baby. She is bringing in some guests," Pound said.
"Friday is something we did last year. It's my baby. I'm taking a lot of pride in."
Friday's program, Classical Jazz Explosion, will be held at 7 p.m. at Five Star Dinner Theater, 701 Central Ave.
"It's a fusion of different styles of music. We start out the first set with the Quapaw String Quartet from the Arkansas Symphony. They will do their thing, some classical, and some light classical.
"The second set is the jazz combo and we are featuring Ray Blue from New York on saxophone," Pound said.
"He is one of our special guests. The third set will combine it all. We will have the classical string quartet along with the combo. I did the arranging for that. We have a special vocalist, Tyler Stephenson, who is relatively new in Hot Springs. He has very much of a Broadway voice. So we are combining Broadway, jazz and classical."
Saturday's program is set outdoors for Jazz in the Streets. The music begins at 11 a.m. and continues until 5 p.m. under the skywalk at Broadway Street.
Admission is free.
"The last set we are calling Dancing in the Streets with TwiceSax. People are invited to get in front of the band and start dancing and have a good time," Pound said.
Lawn chairs are welcome, but no coolers.
Sunday's program is Jazz Mass at 10:45 a.m. at St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 228 Spring St., followed by Jazz After Church at 2:30 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 1100 Central Ave.
"We have another new event, a jazz group put together by Ron Hall. It's called Jazz After Church and they will take a lot of the hymns and jazz them up," Pound said.
"It's seven events. I am really happy about that. We are working within the constraints of our budget and we are always looking for sponsors."
Local on 09/16/2014