I never thought I would say this. I'm sick of the snow. I'm ready for Summer. That usually comes from someone living in the North East... or Canada. But what an idiotic statement from someone who spends half of every week in the Palm Springs desert. Yep, that will be me at the Margarita Bar at the Indian Wells Tennis Gardens this week. But my vehicle is sick of sitting on ice in the cabin driveway at the JazzTrax Studio in Big Bear Lake. So much snow up at the Lake, my Land Rover is complaining. Southern California is 3 inches above normal rainfall and Big Bear is close to it's record amount of winter white. That means however the Lake for the JazzTrax Festival in June is going to be brimming full!. We'd thought we could use some of the slope of the lake with the water level down, for our Club Section Beach Chairs, but no. The Lake is expected to be full... brimming full!
Big Bear Lake Summer Music Festival
Summer is right around the corner but Bear Mountain has so much snow I'll still be skiing all week! Tickets are On Sale for the 5th Annual Big Bear Lake JazzTrax Summer Music Festival. June 18,19, 20. You can select your exact seats by ordering on-line.Order Now or just 'see' what seats are still available. The Artist Line-Up is completely announced at JazzTrax.com with full details of the event and Big Bear Lake, California.
I was on the Festival site... walking through snow this past weekend and meeting with the Big Bear Marina to scope out how the power will get from on land to our Floating Stage, sitting right on Big Bear Lake. Now that the festival is actually in the Village, right at the Marina, the town of Big Bear Lake is all excited about the Stars of Instrumental Jazz rocking' their Lake, Father's Day Weekend.
Checking on reservations at the Marina Resort which is actual the Festival location, it's their Lakeside Lawn, I found that ALL top level rooms are now sold for JazzTrax. Those people figured it out! You can get a hotel room, right on the festival site. Right across the street from the Village. Never a need to get in a car all weekend. Drink and Dine. Frolic and don't even worry about transportation other than your feet. Why would you stay anywhere else? So my point? There are still the bottom level of rooms at Marina Resort where you simply walk out from your bedroom, Onto the Beach and right to your JazzTrax Seats. Heck, when you have to use the restroom... .your hotel potty will be closer than the Public Restrooms! But those rooms are going and going fast! The hotel rooms right at the festival resort will soon be sold out.
Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival
So there I was on Monday afternoon sitting in my computer chair trying to figure who it was I was not thinking of to fill one of our final two slots for October at the Wrigley Ranch. Our Un-Plugged Evening under the stars on the far side of the Island. I'd tried so hard to get Jesse Cook to come unplugged...maybe next year. I'd tried so hard to get Australian Guitarist Tommy Emmanuel who gave us our very first performance there in 2005... maybe 2011. Schedules already tight for routing artists this year and not every artist feels confident enough to leave their band home and come Solo, or mostly Solo to the Ranch before our the intimate 200 tops audience. I was looking back over previously booked Un-Plugged Artists and then leafing back (scrolling I guess) on our New Releases Page at JazzTrax.com over the entire past decade... when BOOM, there he was. Craig Chaquico! Why hadn't I thought of Craig before? After all, he'd given us one of the most memorable Un-Plugged concert ever! In a blinding snowstorm, on the Nevada side of Heavenly Valley at Lake Tahoe back in the Mid 90's at the top of the Mountain Lodge. I quickly turned to my e-mail and shot a quick offer to Craig and to his manager. Within 10 minutes (a World Record) I had an e-mail back that said simply. We accept!
We'll announce shortly if Craig will do October's Weekend One Thursday or Weekend Two Thursday, but boy did that turn my day around. Craig is a legend in this genre and not just for his melodies and guitar stylings. He also tells some of the best stories on the planet and under the stars with the fire pits burning, on the far side of Catalina Island in October... Craig Chaquico, Un-Plugged at the Wrigley Ranch could be absolute classic! Full Series Tickets and Un-Plugged Tickets are on sale NOW. Single Session Tickets for the Avalon Ballroom go on sale Memorial Day Weekend. Much of October's 30+ Artist Line-Up for the 24th Annual Catalina Island JazzTrax Festival is already announced at JazzTrax.com along with full event details and many pictures of past festivals. Watch for more Artist Line-Up Announcements Next Week!
Art Good