Destin Smooth Jazz presents this year’s second live jazz event, “Juneteenth Jazz,” at 7 p.m. June 19 at A Touch of Class, 202 Jonquil Ave. in Fort Walton Beach. The event with Gino Rosaria is just one way to celebrate this historic occasion with music.
This day is rightly seen as a joyous celebration of freedom and a call for education, reflection and action. Juneteenth celebrates the day African Americans in Texas learned of their freedom, two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Cities across the country celebrate June 19, 1865, when Union Army General Gordon Granger publicly read General Order No. 3 after his arrival in Galveston, Texas, with 2,000 Union troops, declaring that all formerly enslaved people in the state were now freed.
“We could think of no better way to celebrate the freedom of African Americans and music than with a show with one of the hottest pianists in the Panhandle, Gino Rosaria,” said DSJ founder and CEO Raymond Nelson, aka Jazzy Ray.
Music has a long colorful and meaningful history in African American and American history. Jazz is an original American art form, born in New Orleans in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was reared out of the blues and ragtime; jazz has now blossomed into so many different styles. Destin Smooth Jazz’s (DSJ) focus is in the name “smooth jazz.”
Rosaria is a highly sought keyboardist and pianist who performs around the world as a solo artist and extraordinary accompanist. Come see him in an intimate setting with less than 100 attendees, hosted by Q’Lala of RWR 365 Live.
Juneteenth Jazz is a continuum of DSJ’s dedication to bring the best and hottest emerging stars in smooth jazz to Fort Walton Beach. DSJ believes building a stronger community requires supporting and participating in the arts. DSJ creates new jazz collaborations and experiences with established and emerging stars for the community’s musical enjoyment and cultural enrichment.
DSJ provides recurring smooth jazz entertainment in small venue settings to the community of smooth jazz fans and inspires new and potential smooth jazz fans through high quality entertainment, memorable experiences, affordable prices, while also spotlighting local smooth jazz artists. The next event hosted by DSJ will be a 60th birthday celebration for Nelson at 7 p.m. Sept. 18.
Nelson stated, “We are taking a cautious approach in re-kindling our live jazz events by limiting ticket sales and continuing to encourage the wearing of masks.”
Demographically, most of the attendees at the May 15 event were jazz family members who acquired vaccines at the first opportunity. DSJ’s focus remains providing a safe and comfortable atmosphere for established and new smooth jazz family members.
Nelson added, “Our May 15 show was phenomenal, multi-instrumentalist, Nathan Mitchell performed a two-hour show that mesmerized and pleased the audience of 80 jazz fans. Nathan was very excited to perform for fans and family, as he also spent part of his childhood here at Eglin Air Force Base. We expected a 75-minute, but once the groove started, Nathan let it run.”
Tickets for Juneteenth Jazz may be purchased online at https://destinsmoothjazz.com/gino-rosaria by credit/debit card or PayPal. Tickets also may be purchased in person at Mr. J’s Barbershop, 437 Mary Esther Cut Off in Fort Walton Beach; A Touch of Class, 202 Jonquil Ave., in Fort Walton Beach; and Real Women Radio, Live 365, in Pensacola. Tickets are $35 and $40. Details: www.destinsmoothjazz.com or 850-367-5299, 850-FOR-JAZZ
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