Pretty interesting as a Promoter/ Producer  watching events happening during our 2009 economic times.  Ticket sales are down from historical standards for us, just as the rest of the country and world are experiencing, but we're watching some other nearby musical events exploding in attendance.  Almost like the festival  audience has a Pent-Up Demand and are tired of sitting on their  wallets.   Almost as though they've had enough of giving up what they used to do as they wait for the economy to turn around.  Since March the signs of possible economic recovery have certainly been there.  In April, 3 miles from  where I keep my desert residence near Palm Springs with my son, in the La Quinta/ Indio area, The Coachella Valley Music Festival, one of the biggest alternative music events in the world, just drew 163,000 persons and had their 2nd highest attendance in their 10 year history.   Their following weekend country music Stagecoach Festival in it's 3rd year, broke attendance records with 45 thousand persons per day.   In March the 2 week long Indian Wells Tennis Tournament, world's 5th largest, broke their all time attendance records.  We're hearing of the same happening at various smooth jazz festivals.

Almost like you've had enough and want to start living again, especially now that there are signs the worst might be over.  Here's why I'm hoping you decide there is No Way you can miss October here on Catalina Island.  On our 3 October Island Weekends JazzTrax is going to throw the 80th Anniversary Celebration of the Avalon Ballroom, built by William Wrigley in 1929.  Adding in the 90th Anniversary of the Birth of Nat King Cole.   Hoping to have a singer and band performing Nat's music in the Marine Room Bar during intermissions as Nat raised his family and became famous while living in Long Beach, the departure point to Avalon.

Not only our 2 biggest draws for Unplugged at the Wrigley Ranch each Thursday Night in October, Peter & Mindi, but Keiko Matsui will for the lst time perform Solo, and Under our Stars on the Far Side of the Island.

You know those Corona commercials... .the Corona bottle on the beach?

 

Think Descanso Beach... a glass of fabulous Chardonnay. 

 

Think dancing... on that beach each Saturday Night at Midnight with the Casino as the backdrop, just down the Boardwalk as the Waves roll in.

Think Golf ... on an Island on the exact links where Kathryn Hepburn used to putt with Howard Hughes.

Think Romantic Interlude... on an Island.

Think JazzTrax 1st Timers... former NY Yankee turned Jazz Guitarist Bernie Williams, George Duke and the introduction of Trumpeter Cindy Bradley.

Think... Clint Eastwood's Bass Playing Son, Toronto's Four80East and Jesse Cook.

Think... Earl Klugh for the lst time since 1987 at the very lst JazzTrax Festival. 

Think... 30 different Stars of Smooth Jazz on an Island, 26 Miles off the Southern California Coastline....in a tiny seaport village ..called..Avalon

Think Avalon Harbor... filled with Yachts and Sailboats.

Could I ask you one favor this year?  This economy is making it real real rough to keep things normal as they've been for 23 consistent JazzTrax Festival years.   I had no choice but to pull the Big Bear Festival in June because of the economy, but also because I needed full focus on October's Island.   The line-up is splendid, the Island extra's spectacular.  But would you do me a big favor and try and bring another couple or another extra friend with you this fall to Santa Catalina Island?  If you love our event, as we put forth even further efforts to make it all good for you, we need YOU to help us market an event we're pretty sure you love. If each of you gave us the extra effort of trying to talk one other couple, or an extra friend into joining you at this 23rd edition on the Island, it would really help us get through this economic downturn as we move towards the 25th anniversary in 2 years of our almost quarter century event.
I'll say thanks, in advance.