Welcome
The St. Petersburg Jazz Festival programs concerts with the nonprofit EMIT all year long. Upcoming concerts include:
Nova Musica - New Works by David Manson for O Som Do Jazz
Saturday, November 12 at 1 PM
Creative Pinellas at the Florida Botanical Gardens
Free concert!
David Manson premieres his original Brazilian-inspired jazz compositions on Friday, October 21 at 6 PM in the Music Center. Joining him in this free concert is Brazilian music group O Som Do Jazz performing new works of samba, Bossa Nova, Afoxé and Baião. O Som Do Jazz players include Andrea Moraes Manson (voice), Alex Malkovich (saxophone & guitar), John O'Leary (piano), Alejandro Arenas (bass), Mark Feinman (drums) and David Manson (trombone).
Manson is a recipient of the John Collins Arts Endowment, Individual Artist Grant through the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance and a Pinellas Recovers Grant through Creative Pinellas and the National Endowment for the Arts. This free concert is made available through these grants and EMIT. Creative Pinellas is located at 12211 Walsingham Rd, Largo, FL 33778.
Sonja Spence & the Helios Jazz Orchestra
Tuesday, November 15
Palladium Theater Side Door
The 18-member Helios Jazz Orchestra, directed by Dr. David Manson, backs vocalist Sonja Spence in a big band show.
Sonja Spence is a seasoned jazz vocalist with a warm, resonant voice well suited to traditional jazz standards and swing. Her singing and style are influenced by jazz greats Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughn. Tickets are available at www.mypalladium.org .
past concerts:
Nova Musica - New Works by David Manson for O Som Do Jazz
Friday, October 21 at 6 PM
Leepa-Rattner Museum at St. Petersburg College - Tarpon Springs campus
David Manson premieres his original Brazilian-inspired jazz compositions on Friday, October 21 at 6 PM in the Music Center. Joining him in this free concert is Brazilian music group O Som Do Jazz performing new works of samba, Bossa Nova, Afoxé and Baião. O Som Do Jazz players include Andrea Moraes Manson (voice), Alex Malkovich (saxophone & guitar), John O'Leary (piano), Alejandro Arenas (bass), Mark Feinman (drums) and David Manson (trombone).
Manson teaches jazz ensembles, composition, Pro Tools and low brass in the Music and MIRA programs at SPC. His music has been placed in TV shows on HBO, Fox, BBC, Showtime, AMC, ABC and CW networks. Manson is a recipient of the John Collins Arts Endowment, Individual Artist Grant through the St. Petersburg Arts Alliance and a Pinellas Recovers Grant through Creative Pinellas and the National Endowment for the Arts. This free concert is made available through these grants, EMIT, the Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art and St. Petersburg College
Jaap Blonk on the EMIT series
Sunday, October 16 at 3 PM
Tully-Levine Gallery in the Arts Warehouse District
EMIT & the Warehouse Arts District present Dutch vocal artist Jaap Blonk performing one of the key works of the Dada movement, a poem existing of nothing but (mostly) meaningless syllables: the Ursonate by Kurt Schwitters, a masterpiece, written between 1923 and 1932. Jaap is joined by improvisers Jim Stewart (drums), Tom Kersey (cello) and David Manson (trombone) in a freeform exploration of sound. Renowned Dutch vocalist and sound poet Jaap Blonk is unique for his powerful stage presence and almost childlike freedom in improvisation, combined with a keen grasp of structure.
“Blonk’s avant-garde performances channel the provocatively pioneering nonsense of Dadaism. His work is tremendously complex, but his brilliance makes it easy to think the opposite.” (San Francisco Weekly)
Admission is $15 available at https://www.eventbrite.com/.../jaap-blonk-on-the-emit...
EMIT Latin Jazz Fest!
Martin Bejerano Trio on the EMIT Latin Jazz Fest
Thursday, October 6 at 7:30 PM
Music Center at St. Petersburg College
Award-winning pianist and composer Martin Bejerano leads a trio playing original music influenced by the his Cuban and American roots. The #CubanAmerican Suite, commissioned by Chamber Music America, will be performed at the SPC Music Center on Thursday, October 6 at 7:30 PM. This concert is part of the EMIT Latin Jazz Fest and celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month.
With extraordinary technical command of the piano, a highly modern harmonic and rhythmic concept, and a commitment to lyricism and musicality, Martin has continually garnered critical praise across the world. He has perfomed with the Christian McBride Band, Dave Holland, Pat Metheny, Ron Carter, Ignacio Berroa, Lonnie Plaxico, Bryan Lynch, Adam Nussbaum, Roy Hargrove, Arturo Sandoval, Mingus Big Band, Marcus Strickland, E.J. Strickland, John Faddis, Wycliffe Gordon and many others. Martin is lead piano professor at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami. Joining him is Edward Perez (bass) and Ludwig Alfonso (drums). Support for this concert also comes from EMIT, St. Petersburg College, Creative Pinellas and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Admission is free for SPC faculty and students with an ID. General admission is $20 available from https://www.eventbrite.com/.../martin-bejerano-trio-on...
MJR Latin Project on the EMIT Latin Jazz Fest
Friday, October 7 at 7:30 PM
Bayboro Brewing
The second concert on the EMIT Latin Jazz Fest features Mauricio J Rodriguez, a well-known Cuban bass player and composer ,and his band with some of the finest musicians in the area: a Grammy winning saxophonist, Zach Bornheimer, pianist Pablo Arencibia; drummer Andy Fornet (of Orquesta Revé and Charanga Habanera, Cuba); and conguero and percussionist Dimas Sanchez. The venue is a recently constructed music venue at Bayboro Brewery located at 2390 5th Ave South in St. Petersburg. It's a great venue in the Arts Warehouse District with fine craft beers and food. General admission is $10 available from Eventbrite at http://www.eventbrite.com/.../mjr-latin-project-emit...
The Latin Knights & O Som Do Jazz on the EMIT Latin Jazz Fest
Saturday, October 8 at 3 PM
Museum of American Arts and Crafts Movement
FREE ADMISSION!
FREE Concert! - The Latin Knights and Brazilian band O Som Do Jazz finish the Latin Jazz Fest with a free concert in the beautiful Museum of American Arts and Crafts Movement in St. Petersburg.
Enjoy this gorgeous museum, have a cocktail from the concession and listen to great Latin jazz. This free concert is brought to you by EMIT, the National Endowment for the Arts, Creative Pinellas, the Florida Division of Arts and Culture, MAACM and the City of St. Petersburg.
Larry Camp Duo at the Warehouse Arts District ArtWalk
August 13 - 6:30-8:15 PM
Tully-Levine Gallery located at 515 22nd St South in Saint Petersburg
Free admission!
The Larry Camp Duo plays jazz at the Tully-Levine Gallery during ArtWalk on August 13. This free jazz event is presented by EMIT, an adventurous nonprofit music organization.
Larry Camp is Tampa Bay’s quintessential jazz guitarist. Born in Virginia, he learned his craft along the East Coast and at the University of Miami. He has been hailed by Musician Magazine as ‘one of the ten best unknown jazz guitar players in the U.S.’ He has played at the Kennedy Center for the President, the Smithsonian Jazz Series, as well as jazz festivals in Europe, in Clearwater, and Sarasota, Florida.
Bassist Joe Porter performed with the Maynard Ferguson Big Bop Nouveau band on a world tour from 2001-2003. During his tenure he also had the chance to perform with singer Diane Schuur. He freelances and teaches music here in the Tampa Bay area.
O Som Do Jazz at St. Pete Pride
Sunday, June 16
11 AM & FREE!
O Som Do Jazz is playing a free concert outdoors at the Zoie's Stage @ the MARket in Grand Central on Sunday, June 26 at 11 AM. It's part of St. Pete Pride and sponsored by Zoie's (a great new restaurant), the Mar and the nonprofit EMIT. The location is Central Ave. & 23rd St. in St. Petersburg.
best,
David Manson
Director
St. Petersburg Jazz Festival
mansond@spcollege.edu
The St. Petersburg Jazz Festival is sponsored in part by EMIT, the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts and Culture, Florida Council on Arts and Culture, City of St. Petersburg, Pinellas Community Foundation, HomeLight and Creative Pinellas. The 2022 St. Petersburg Jazz Festival is funded in part by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.
