If temperatures and leaves are falling, excitement is gearing up for the annual Rehoboth Beach Jazz Fest. And this one is the 15th anniversary of this homegrown event.

One of the most anticipated weekends of the year (although now it stretches to five days, one more than last year!) Jazz Fest 2004 has even more big names, big bands, and great sounds coming to Rehoboth and environs.

This year, the headliners include the Duke Ellington Orchestra, Patti Austin and Peabo Bryson.

With its new five-day schedule, the Jazz Fest got going on Wednesday night Oct. 13, but Letters readers can still catch the extraordinary weekend of events Oct. 15-17. The ticketed events sell out, so check it out at www.RehobothJazz.com, call 800-29-MUSIC or stop by the venues.

While the official Jazz Fest line-up of ticketed events boasts a lot of famous names and fan favorites, almost every gourmet restaurant and eatery in town offers all that jazz, too. There are local performers and regional imports all around town, with our local venues waiting to introduce you to some terrific new talent.

Everywhere you go, all weekend long, you can find cool jazz, hot blues and a torch singer or two. With nationally known musicians, a diversity of restaurant and performance spaces, and music for every taste and budget, the Rehoboth Beach Autumn Jazz Festival is as diverse as Rehoboth Beach.

The official Autumn Jazz Fest Friday night line-up, at Rehoboth Beach Convention Center has Live at Duke’s Place, an Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong tribute with the Ellington Orchestra under the baton of the Duke’s grandson, Paul Mercer Ellington. The trumpet expertise of Byron Stripling, combined with the legendary voice of Patti Austin lead the tribute.

The big band sound then can be heard at Rudder-towne in Dewey for a late night gig with Big Bad Voodoo Daddy.

Meanwhile, the next day back at the Convention Center there will be an afternoon performance by guitarist Peter White and saxophone sounds of Richard Elliott and Steve Cole.

Down at the Rehoboth Bandstand there will be a free concert by the Blues Alley Youth Orchestra.

There will be a second performance by the Ellington Orchestra and Patti Austin, at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Cape Henlopen High School Auditorium.

On Saturday evening, at Cape Henlopen High School auditorium, Delaware Celebra-tion of Jazz presents "Jazz Alive" an all-star Jazz Jam, featuring Gerold Veasley with special guests Kenny Blake, Chieli Minucci, Bob Baldwin and Steve Oliver. Down at Ruddertowne, Keisha Brown and the Rolling Thunder Review will hold forth with their unique sound on the tented deck by Rehoboth Bay.

On Saturday night, the Jazz Fest’s signature concert at the Rehoboth Convention Center spotlights Grammy winner Peabo Bryson, along with Regina Belle.

Following four days of hot jazz, you’d think things would wind down on Sunday, but it’s just the opposite. First, there’s the awesome Gospel Brunch at Ruddertowne, followed by a 2 p.m. concert by Dave Koz on sax. Later, pianist Deana Bogart will be at Ruddertowne under the tent.

All this is the build-up to the now legendary Grand Jam at Sydney’s Restaurant on Rehoboth Avenue, where the national names, local greats, and entire town full of musicians show up to jam and enjoy the company.

It’s fitting that the festival closes shop for the year at Sydney’s, since Sydney Arzt was one of the original founders of the festival and is still involved in bringing it to Rehoboth each year.

The beach jazz tradition started in 1990 and has been growing and glowing ever since. Over thepast fourteen years, the Rehoboth show has drawn jazz greats such as Boney James, David Sanborn, and Charlie Byrd.

According to Festival organizers, the Festival continues to grow more diversified each year, encompassing traditional and contemporary sounds as well as the heritage side of Jazz music. There’s something for every taste, from smooth jazz to hot contemporary music.

Jazz Fest weekend in Rehoboth Beach brings out the jazz lover in everyone in town for the weekend. Whether you love contemporary sounds, swing, gospel or smooth standards, you’ll hear it all spilling out of restaurants and lounges all over town.

Music is in the air—enjoy it! It’s all part of the diversity of what our small town of Rehoboth Beach has to offer.