Jazz Festival Gets In Tune With Piano Competition

The 21st Annual WJCT Jacksonville Jazz Festival kicked into high gear Thursday night with the piano competition. <P> <ibs_related> <div class="RelatedBox"> <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="10" border="0" align="left"> <tr><td><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"> <tr><td width="122" colspan="3"><img src="/images/structures/tabs/site_tab_storypage_video.gif" width="122" height="24" alt="Video" border="0"></td></tr> <tr><td bgcolor="#000000" width="1"><img src="http://images.ibsys.com/2000/0608/21560.gif" width="1" height="1" alt="" border="0"></td> <td width="120" bgcolor="#D3D3D3" valign="top"><font face="arial,verdana, sans-serif" size="1"> <A HREF="http://broadband.ibsys.com:8080/ramgen/2000/1110/163449.rm?usehostname&owner=jax&site=jax&app=page"><IMG SRC="http://images.ibsys.com/2000/1110/163614.jpg" WIDTH="120" HEIGHT="90" ALT="Jazz Festival 2000" BORDER="0"></A> <IMG SRC="http://images.ibsys.com/2000/0628/28172.gif" WIDTH="20" HEIGHT="9" BORDER="0" ALT="Video"> <A HREF="http://broadband.ibsys.com:8080/ramgen/2000/1110/163449.rm?usehostname&owner=jax&site=jax&app=page"> See and hear Matt King's winning performance.</a> </font></td><td bgcolor="#000000" width="1"><img src="http://images.ibsys.com/2000/0608/21560.gif" width="1" height="1" alt="" border="0"></td></tr> <tr><td width="122" colspan="3"><A HREF="/sh/news/stories/archive/nat-news-archive-20000328-232225.html" ><img src="http://images.ibsys.com/2000/0614/23137.gif" width="122" height="27" alt="" border="0" align="TOP"></A></td></tr> </tr></table></td></tr></table></div> </ibs_related>Five of today's finest jazz pianists competed for the honor of winning the 18th annual Great American Jazz Piano Competition at the Jacoby Symphony Hall in the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts. <p> New Jersey native Matt King walked away with the honor, $35,000, and an opportunity to perform on the main stage Saturday night. <P> The Metro Park concerts on Friday and Saturday will feature a lineup of some of the best jazz artists and groups around, including Al Jarreau, the Neville Brothers and some rising new talents. <P> The festival is actually a week long (Nov. 4-11), and includes the Patrons' Party, Jazz at the Ritz and the exhilarating 5K Jazz on the Run. <P> New events this year include the free-wheeling jam sessions at Crawdaddy's and a spectacular fireworks display on Saturday night. <P> <b>FESTIVAL LINE-UP</b> <P> <b>Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 9-11 9 p.m.</b> <br> <b>Crawdaddy's Restaurant</b> <br> Jacksonville Jazz Jams <P> <b>Friday, Nov. 10 -- Metropolitan Park</b> <br> Teddy Washington & the Point After 6:30 p.m. <br> Craig Chaquico & Acoustic Highway 7:25 p.m. <br> Surge 8:40 p.m. <br> Neville Brothers 9:20 p.m. <P> <b>Saturday, Nov. 11 -- Jacksonville Landing 8:30 a.m.</b> <br> <b>Metris Jazz on the Run</b> <br> Vagabond's Dream <P> <b>Saturday, Nov. 11 -- Metropolitan Park</b> <br> Jazz Breakfast with Swamp Dog Jazz Band 9:30 a.m. <br> Citibank Jazz in the Schools All Star Jazz Ensemble 11:20 a.m. <br> Mambo Blue 11:45 a.m. <br> University of North Florida Jazz Ensemble 12:25 p.m. <br> Piano Competition Winner 1:15 p.m. <br> Dot Wilder Jazz Quintet 1:40 p.m. <br> The Rippingtons featuring Russ Freeman 2:20 p.m. <br> John Scofield Bump Band 3:50 p.m. <br> Nnenna Freelon 5:05 p.m. <br> Kevin Bales Group 6:10 p.m. <br> The James Carter Electric Project 6:50 p.m. <br> Los Hombres Calientes 8:10 p.m. <br> Al Jarreau 9:30 p.m. <br> Metris Sky Blast 10:55 p.m. <P> For tickets to the Great American Jazz Piano Competition, call the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts at (904) 633-6110 or Ticketmaster at (904) 353-3309. <P> For all other ticket information, call WJCT at (904) 358-6336.