But times have changed, Ryan said, and jazz audiences now want full festivals to get their fix. So, Ryan and a small band of volunteers is planning on just that in a festival that will fill several Morro Bay locations January 19 to 21. There are a lot of jazz festivals around the country now, Ryan said. We thought it would be fun to have one here to show off the area. The expected line up so far includes Sons of the South from Napa, Blue Street from Fresno and Igor s Jazz Cowboys, the official state band of Arizona.
All names are tentative, though, as no performers have signed contracts.
We re talking about some heavy hitters here, said Ryan, whose own band, Ryan s Raiders, will also play during the festival. Two of Ryan s fellow Raiders reeds player Phil Smith and bassist Tom Shader also play in Sons of the South. Cuesta College s Warren Balfour will bring the Royal Garden Swing Orchestra. Meanwhile, one rising young star of the jazz world might also attend. He s the Tiger Woods of the tenor sax, said Ryan.