Strike up the band, or the piano, or the trumpet. The 17th Annual Rehoboth Beach Autumn Jazz—better known as the Jazz Festival—is underway.

While the huge event started on Wednesday, Oct. 11, the best is yet to come with the big Jazz Fest Weekend.

Produced by the Delaware Celebration of Jazz, the festival brings renowned musicians to town and hosts both ticketed and unticketed events. Tickets are available at 800-29-MUSIC.

On Friday night, the Smooth Jazz All-Stars will be at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center with a 9 p.m. show Featuring Gerald Veasley and His Band with Special Guests Rick Braun and Kim Waters. A second concert gets underway at 10 p.m. in Dewey as the New York Ska Jazz Ensemble, an internationally known recording and touring group performs their kinetic originals and interpretations on the deck in a heated tent at Ruddertown.

Also on Friday night, there will be jazz all over downtown Rehoboth as the town’s fine restaurants all offer their own programs with both local and imported performers.

An afternoon of jazz on Saturday finds Saxophonist and recording artist Euge Groove (Steve Grove) taking up residence at the Convention Center. Opening will be guitarist Paul Brown and the concert begins at 1 p.m. sharp!

Hot jazz travels to the brand new Rehoboth Bandstand at 2 p.m. with the group Tear The Roof Off (please don’t, it’s new!) led by saxman David Raynor and his New Orleans rhythms.

At 4 and again at 6 p.m. on Saturday you can wander down to the ocean block of Olive Avenue to All Saints Episcopal Church where there will be a Jazz Mass. Composer and musician Dr. Horace Clarence Boyer from Amherst, Mass. will work with the choir to lift voices and spirits—in a premier performance written especially for this year’s mass.

Also at 4 p.m. on Saturday will be a concert down at Ruddertown by Leroy Hawkes and the Hipnotics.

Back at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center on Saturday night at 9:30 p.m. will be one of the hottest ticket concerts—an appearance by eight-time Grammy winner George Benson and his Big Boss Band. Benson’s blend of jazz and R&B has been popular since the early 1970s, and in his own words, he’s "played with some of the baddest jazz cats on the planet."

Down in Dewey, at 10 p.m. the Ruddertown tent lights up with Roomful of Blues—a group that blends swing, rock blues and soul. DownBeat magazine says the band is "in a class by itself," having won accolades for years from fellow musicians.

All over town, of course, there will be singers, musicians and bands at some of Rehoboth’s finest restaurants and watering holes.

Sunday Oct. 15 starts off at 10 a.m. with another opportunity to participate in the jazz mass at All Saints.

From there, it’s a short hop to the Convention Center for a 2 p.m. concert by saxophonist Gerald Albright with Kirk Whalum. Playing both contemporary and classic jazz, Albright has sold over a million recordings in the U.S.

This last day of the 2006 Jazz Fest is just warming up, because there will be two jam sessions to end the festival this year. First, a Happy Hour jam will be held at Sydney’s Restaurant—hosted by Peggy Raley and featuring some awesome musicians. Headlining will be Greg Hatza and ORGANization.

The 2006 Grand Jam will be held beginning at 6:30 p.m. at 1776 Restaurant this year, featuring some of the biggest names from the festival. It’s always a great playoff for the festival and provides the perfect ending for the week.

Along with the official jazz fest line-up, be sure to check out your favorite restaurants this weekend. Entertainment will be available all weekend long at brunches and evening time at venues like Blue Moon (featuring local celebrity Peggy Raley) Cloud 9 (Vessa for Brunch and Viki Dee at Happy Hour), The Cultured Pearl (Pam Miller Band), and so many more.

Enjoy this fabulous Rehoboth weekend. Check out all the wonderful events listed below, or phone 800-29-MUSIC for more details.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 13

5 p.m. Jazz Vespers. Epworth Church.

5-7 p.m. Mike Massengale, Jazz Festival poster artist. Kennedy Gallery.

6-9 p.m. Debra & Patrick. Purple Parrot.

6:30-10 p.m. Richard Walton Group. Eden Restaurant.

7-10 p.m. The Jazz Guys. Back Porch Café.

7-11 p.m. Funch. Dish!

7:30/9:30 p.m. Michelle Walker. Atlantic Seafood.

7:30/9:30 p.m. Dinner Show w/Peggy Raley. Blue Moon.

8-11 p.m. Holly Lane & Shore Jazz. Café Zeus.

9 p.m. Electric Velvet. Cloud 9.

9 p.m. Mary Ann Redmond. 59 Lake.

9 p.m. Kenny Jones & the Jaded Angels. Sydney’s.

9 p.m. Bay Jazz Project. Tijuana Taxi.

9:30 p.m. Divas of One Love. Frogg Pond.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 14

11 a.m. Brunch with Vessa. Cloud 9.

11-3 p.m. Bruce Chapelle. Back Porch Café.

Noon-2 p.m. Bay Jazz Project. Tijuana Taxi.

1-5 p.m. Christina River Steel Drum Band. Purple Parrot.

1:30-5 p.m. Octavia Blues & Jazz Band. Frogg Pond.

2 p.m. Tear the Roof Off. RB Bandstand.

3-4:30 p.m. Jerry Gordon. Atlantic Seafood.

3-6 p.m. One Love. Iguana Grill.

4 p.m. Jazz Mass. All Saints Episcopal Church.

4-8 p.m. Viki Dee. Cloud 9.

5-7:30 p.m. David Zipse & Stephanie Jaye. 59 Lake.

5:30-9 p.m. The Bentones. Frogg Pond.

6 p.m. Jazz Mass. All Saints Episcopal Church.

6 p.m. Clarence Spady Trio. Atlantic Seafood.

6-9 p.m. Comfort Zone. Sydney’s.

6-9 p.m. Debra & Patrick. Purple Parrot.

6:30-10 p.m. Richard Walton Group.

7-10 p.m. Red Letter Day. Dish!

7:30/9:30 p.m. Dinner Show w/Peggy Raley. Blue Moon.

8-11 p.m. Lisa Scott & the Melting Pot. Café Zeus.

8-11 p.m. Vessa. Iguana Grill.

9 p.m. Holly Lane & Shore Jazz. Cloud 9.

9 p.m. Mary Ann Redmond. 59 Lake.

9:30 p.m. Clarence Spady Trio. Atlantic Seafood.

9:30 p.m. Divas of One Love. Frogg Pond.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 15

9 a.m.-1 p.m. Brunch Buffet w/Jerry Gordon Trio. Atlantic Seafood.

10 a.m. Jazz mass. All Saints Episcopal Church.

10-1:30 p.m. Brunch w/Viki Dee. Frogg Pond.

10:30-2 p.m. Brunch w/The Jazz Guys. Blue Moon.

11 a.m. Brunch w/Vessa. Cloud 9.

11-2 p.m. Brunch w/David Zipse. 59 Lake.

11-2 p.m. Brunch w/Triple Chivas. Sydney’s.

11-3 p.m. Brunch w/Van Williamson Trio. Back Porch Cafe.

1-5 p.m. Christina River Steel Drum Band. Purple Parrot.

4-7 p.m. Happy Hour Jam. Sydney’s.

6-9 p.m. Debra & Patrick. Purple Parrot.