Organizers of the Bix Jazz Society say they won't have a live festival this year and will instead host a virtual jazz fest. The virtual festival will be on July 31 and August 1 and will be streamed online at no charge.
"COVID-19 may be separating us," officials said in a release. "Through Bix, jazz and technology we will unite."
"The 49th annual Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival will feature seven talented bands from Denver to Chicago," officials said in the release. "Each band will premiere new sets of traditional 1920’s & 30’s Jazz era music."
The virtual festival will be on Friday, July 31st from 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM and then on Saturday, August 1st from 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM. The concerts can be viewed on a smartphone, tablet, desktop or laptop computer or on a television.
More information will soon be available at www.bixsociety.org.
Bands scheduled to perform at the virtual 49th Jazz Fest are: Joe Smith and the Spicy Pickles (Denver); Chicago Cellar Boys, led by Andy Schumm; Vine Street Rumble (Kansas City); NOLA (Des Moines); and from the Quad Cities, Josh Duffee Quartet, Manny Lopez Big Band, and the Bix Youth Band, comprised of QCA teens.
Officials say they will be accepting donations to help offset the costs of providing this virtual Jazz Fest, music scholarships and programs. Donations are not required to participate.
(Photo courtesy KWQC)