FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                          February 9, 2009

CONTACTS: Patty Donahey Geiger                                      Karen Eylon
                       PDG Communications                                     Gahanna Convention &
                       patty@pdgcommunications.com                       Visitors Bureau
                        (614) 325-6178                                             director@visitgahanna.com,
                                                                                              (614) 270-3277
 

THE 11th ANNUAL CREEKSIDE BLUES & JAZZ FESTIVAL
BRINGS MUSIC FROM BEALE STREET AND THE BAYOUS TO
 OLDE GAHANNA, JUNE 19 – 21

GAHANNA, Ohio –Blues and jazz, music born in the African American communities of the Deep South more than a century ago, will fill the summer air June 19 -21, in Olde Gahanna at the Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival.  The three-day festival will present nationally renowned musicians, more than 90 hours of live music performed on four stages and family fun galore. 

Creekside Park and Plaza, on the eastern bank of Big Walnut Creek, provides the focal point for the blues and jazz musicians, as well as other entertainment.  The Park, which also features the Creekside Stage, offers beautiful views of the creek, a boardwalk, a lagoon, two waterfalls, waterside restaurants with outdoor dining, retail shops, paddle boat rides and more. The festival then spreads out from Creekside into the historic downtown of Olde Gahanna, filling the city with music, entertainment, attractions and amusement rides.  

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CREEKSIDE BLUES & JAZZ FESTIVAL—Page 2

Singin’ the Blues

On Saturday, June 20, Blues headliner and swamp-blues master Kenny Neal, winner of the prestigious BluesWax Album of the Year 2008 for Let Life Flow, will perform the sizzling sounds of his native Louisiana. Neal, son of famed singer and blues harmonica player, Raful Neal Jr., grew up surrounded by family friends such as Slim Harpo and Buddy Guy.  In a career that spans more than 20 years, Neal has received numerous accolades, including the Big Bill Broonzy Blues Award (1989), Slim Harpo Award (2003), W.C. Handy Award (2005) and Junior Wells Harmonica Award (2007).  Neal recently returned to work following an absence caused by illness.  When he released his latest album, Let Life Flow, Neal said: “With all the tragedy and darkness I’ve been through … I’m finally seeing the light … and my new CD is coming straight from my heart.”

Additional Blues headliners include: 

• Teeny Tucker and The Teeny Tucker Band—Tucker, daughter of blues singer Tommy Tucker and a Dayton, Ohio, native, has performed at the Apollo Theatre and blues festivals through the United States and Europe.  Her CD, Tommy’s Girl, pays tribute to the music of her father’s era and her new CD, Two Big Ms, is receiving rave reviews across the nation.
• The Jimi Vincent Band—This band, formed in 1989 is known for its “rockin blues” that “rattle the rafters.”  Performing at a variety of blues festivals, the band has opened shows for Robert Cray, Bonnie Raitt, Keb Mo and John Lee Hooker Jr.  The band was selected to perform at the International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis, Tenn., their third performance at IBC.  Their newest CD, Been There, Done That… Won’t Do That Again, is a mix of original music and classic blues. Band members are Jimi Vincent, Sam Romagnoli, Dustin Smith and Bob Dutton.
• The Sonny Moorman Group—The band is a Cincinnati, Ohio-based Blues/Rock band in the classic “power trio” format, with Sonny Moorman—guitar and vocals; Marc Hoffman—bass; and Dave Fair—drums and vocals.  Sonny and the band are nine-time winners of the Cincinnati Area Music Awards (CAMMY) and winner of the 2005 Cincinnati Blues Challenge in the single/duo category.

And All That Jazz:

The Typhanie Monique Quartet leads off for the Jazz headliners on Friday, June 19.  Monique, a tour de force on the Chicago music scene, is a vocalist, bandleader and songwriter.  She has performed at the Chicago Jazz Festival, Stevens Point Jazz Festival and the Old Town School of Folk Music.  Monique has also made her mark on the international jazz scene.  In 2007 she was invited to teach and perform in Moscow, Russia, where she played with some of Russia’s top jazz musicians and taught at the Moscow College of Improvised Music.  JazzTimes magazine described her sound as “modern-day Sarah Vaughn, with iridescent traces of Lena Horne.”

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CREEKSIDE BLUES & JAZZ FESTIVAL—Page 3

Additional Jazz headliners include:

• Urban Jazz Coalition—Described by JazzReview.com as “an incredible ensemble of seven top-notch musicians out of Columbus, Ohio,” the Urban Jazz Coalition is a local group that has garnered acclaim on the national jazz scene.  Bassist, bandleader and founding member Phil Raney said he likes to call his band the “Ohio Players of Jazz.” They have performed in more than 750 live shows and toured with Spyro Gyra, The Rippingtons, Boney James, Peter White and Al Jarreau to name a few.  Their last two CDs climbed high on the jazz music charts, with Down To Get Up achieving the #3 spot in 2007 on The JazzWeek Independent Smooth Jazz Chart. 
• Columbus Jazz Orchestra (CJO)—During the past 30 years, the CJO has become one of the world’s finest jazz orchestras and each year brings internationally acclaimed guest artists to perform with them in Columbus, Ohio.  The CJO is led by trumpet virtuoso Byron Stripling, former lead trumpet for the Count Basie Orchestra.  He has performed and recorded with the bands of Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman and Lional Hampton and has been a featured soloist nationally and internationally, including performances with the Boston Pops, the Pittsburgh Symphony, the National Symphony and at the Hollywood Bowl, along with jazz festivals throughout the world.

Additional attractions and activities will include:

• Rising Stars Blues & Jazz Contest:  Gahanna’s version of American Idol for budding blues and jazz musicians.
• Jog for Jazz presented by AEP:   The Second Annual “Jog for Jazz,” a 5K run/walk event, will be held on Sunday, June 21, in Olde Gahanna.
• Musical Discovery Zone presented by Giant Eagle:  This free, hands-on blues and jazz musical learning experience is for the entire family—beat the bongos, blow the horns, make your own musical instrument and more.
• Mini-Midway:  Amusement rides including a fun house, giant slide, ferris wheel, merry-go-round, climbing wall and rides for small children.
• Street performers, festival food, artisans and crafters

During the past 11 years, Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival has evolved from a half-day event into a three-day family friendly event, with 90 hours of entertainment, four stages—Electric Blues, Acoustic Blues, Jazz and Creekside, more than 60 musical groups, the Musical Discovery Zone presented by Giant Eagle (a designated area for children that provides entertaining, music-related activities) and much more.  The festival was free for the first 10 years, and in order to continue presenting world-class entertainment, this year there will be a $2 admission fee, but remain free for children 12 and under.  To honor members of the military, they will be admitted free, ID required.  

Photos available upon request.

The Blues Stages are programmed by Columbus Blues Alliance; the Jazz Stage is programmed by Jazz Arts Group; and the Creekside Stage features local and regional musicians performing a variety of genres.  Event hours are:  Friday: 5 – 11 p.m., Saturday: 11 a.m. – 11 p.m., and Sunday: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. Admission $2, children 12 and under free, members of the military, free with ID.  For more information, visit www.gahannaevents.com or call the Gahanna Convention & Visitors Bureau at
 614-418-9114 or 1-866-GAHANNA             
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