Grand Bahama Island and All That Jazz

Grand Bahama Island, Bahamas, - At the 2004 First Annual Grand Bahama Island Jazz, Rhythm and Blues Festival, scheduled for September 23 through 26, seasoned listeners and light-hearted travelers can join in this celebration of island life, soaking up the soulful sounds of legendary jazz performers as they pay tribute to the traditions of jazz on Grand Bahama Island.

Produced by Bill Lockett's Festivals and Travel, Inc., this year's jazz festival will showcase award-winning musicians and recording artists such as Lou Rawls, Roy Ayers, The Impressions and The Stylistics. Adding to the star-studded lineup, local acts such as the Edwin Elliot Quartet and Ambasah - Jazz & Caribbean Band are sure to sway audiences with heartfelt Bahamian blues and native jazz numbers.

The Bahamas has a history of hosting intimate, yet powerful jazz festivals, with Bill Lockett producing the first major Caribbean jazz festival ever in 1986 in Nassau. Together, The Bahamas Ministry Of Tourism and the Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board will be hosting this year's festivities in conjunction with the Crowne Plaza Golf Resort & Casino at Royal Oasis and The Westin & Sheraton at Our Lucaya Beach & Golf Resort to celebrate a culture rooted in soulful music. Additional sponsors include AirTran Airways, the Isle of Capri Casino, H. Forbes Charter and Discovery Cruise Line.

The festival kicks off on Thursday, September 23 at with live performances by Edwin Elliott Quartet and Ambasah - Jazz & Caribbean Band at Our Lucaya's ballroom. Throughout the weekend, three-time Grammy award winner Lou Rawls will move audiences with his distinctive, four-octave range voice, performing songs from his award-winning albums, as Roy Ayers - known for his collaborations with artists ranging from Rick James and The Roots to Erykah Badu - will entertain the crowd with his vibraphone artistry. When combined with the sweet, soulful sounds of The Stylistics and the high-pitched harmonies of Rock-and-Roll Hall-of-Famer's The Impressions, the playbill pales only in comparison to the tropical backdrop.

Festivals and Travel, Inc. is offering festival packages beginning from $499 per person, based on double occupancy from Baltimore/Washington and $529 per person, based on double occupancy from New York. Consumers traveling from other markets who are interested in experiencing the culture of Grand Bahama Island and the renowned talent found only at the Jazz, Rhythm and Blues Festival can fly to the island on most major carriers, including Continental, US Airways, American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta, AirTran Airways and Bahamasair.

For more information contact the Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board at (800) 448-3386 or visit the official website at www.grandbahama.bahamas.com . Additional information on the festival can be found at www.festivalsandtravel.com.