Do you love jazz? Does the crisp sound of a blaring brass section make you want to dance or is it the intimate tones from a sensual saxaphone that help you unwind? Whatever your connection is to jazz, Hot Springs' upcoming jazz fest will thrill your senses!

Until I married my husband, I never listened to jazz. Now I know his favorite artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Rick Braun and Boney James (to name a few). So great wife that I am, I have always wondered if Texas or Arkansas has a jazz festival nearby. Now the waiting is over.

Today I discovered that Hot Springs will host "Jazz In The Streets," a one-day jazz festival that will be held on Sept. 14 under the skybridge on Broadway Street. Admission is free and attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs so they have a place to sit. Just don't bring a cooler because they're not permitted. Eats and drinks will be available at the festival.

So here's a quick rundown of who you can expect to hear throughout the day:

  • At 11 a.m., the Spa City Stompers will crank out jazz from the roaring 1920s, hot jazz from the 1930s, ragtime, dixieland, and even some second line tunes.
  • At noon, the University of Arkansas in Monticello's Jazz Band with Director Gary Meggs will get your feet moving with big band favorites.
  • At 1 p.m., the Delta Brass Express will infuse jazz fest with the blues-tinged sounds reminiscent of Joe Cocker and David Clayton-Thomas.
  • At 2 p.m., Henderson State's NuFusion will play a wide catalog of music, from rock hits by Maroon 5 to classic charts from Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich and Nat King Cole.
  • At 3 p.m., Calle Soul will make you want to salsa with their latin-influenced American jazz.
  • Finally, at 4 p.m., the 106th Army National Guard Band will relive history with their classic, historic sounds that have thrilled audiences since 1898.

Visit the jazz fest site for more details such as when to be there, where to go, and information about good eateries plus background information on the jazz bands. I can’t wait to attend! I hope to see you there!

Here's a video from the jazz fest a few years ago to give you an idea of what it will be like.

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