Camellia City Smooth Jazz Festival

Diane Colmore-Bias and her husband had a problem. Avid jazz fans with their own production company, they enjoyed traveling to festivals throughout the United States to listen to the best in modern jazz­—but they never had a chance to attend one near home. At one event, they had the chance to ask guitarist Nick Collione: why not New Orleans? The answer: no one had ever worked to put together a festival specifically celebrating modern, smooth jazz in the New Orleans area.

Collione had talked to the right people. Colmore-Bias and her husband not only ran their own production company, but also had extensive experience putting together jazz events. In the wake of Katrina, they had organized a long-running supper club in uptown New Orleans, pairing dinners with some of the best local jazz performers, as well as a concert series combining nationally known artists with local musicians. They had the experience to produce a festival… but where?

They considered a handful of cities in Louisiana and Mississippi, and of those, Slidell was the most enthusiastic. Local stakeholders and city officials excitedly came on board with the project, and have helped Colmore-Bias organize and promote the event for fourteen months of planning. Even before the first note of the first festival, the event has a contract with the Northshore Harbor Center for five years—now that’s community support!

The first Camellia City Smooth Jazz Festival will take place October 6—8 and present such stars of the modern jazz scene as Generation NeXt, Stephanie Jordon, Gerald Albright, and many more. Because, as Colmore-Bias said, every festivalgoer is special, there are 800 VIP seats available, arranged in tables of ten for a group or two for a more intimate experience. Attendees who prefer the more causal classic festival experience will have plenty of space to set up chairs and have a relaxing listen. Sunday’s Camellia City Jazz Brunch will be hosted by Chieli Minucci, Lin Rountree and Joey “Papa J” Sommerville, also at the Harbor Center. Buy tickets for both events and receive a discount. Make plans to attend this festival so you can say you were there the very first year!

For more information, a full lineup of performers, and a complete listing of events, visit camcityjazzfest.com.