True Blue Jazz Festival Goes ‘Deep Blue’
In Memory of Joey DeFrancesco
The 10th Annual True Blue Jazz Festival hits town October 12-16 in Rehoboth Beach and Lewes, Delaware. It will be five days of real live jazz, as only True Blue Jazz can deliver—certainly something to celebrate in high style!
The festival, which has been recognized by Fodor’s Travel Guide as one of the top 10 reasons to visit the Rehoboth area in the off-season, offers dozens of free and ticketed shows. The full listing can be viewed on the True Blue Jazz website at truebluejazz.org.
While there indeed will be much to celebrate, True Blue Jazz, and the entire jazz community, world-wide, is still reeling from the sudden loss of jazz organ legend, Joey DeFrancesco.
Slated as the Saturday night headliner for True Blue Jazz, co-producer Eddie Sherman says, “There will be a dramatic and poignant aspect to our events and festivities during this 10th anniversary as we reflect and remember an extraordinary life in jazz. This year’s festival will honor the legacy of Joey DeFrancesco. That’s why we will become the True ‘Deep Blue’ Jazz Festival for 2022, in honor of the all-too-soon passing of this jazz great.”
Co-producer Peggy Raley added, “As human beings caught in the throes of grieving a loss of this magnitude, all we can do is keep bringing the jazz…keep the jazz playing.” She shared a quote from Joey DeFrancesco himself: “More music is what’s needed to create positivity and wellness for everybody, regardless of what’s happening in the world. Music just solves a lot of problems. So more live music, more original music—just more music. Without that, we’re in big trouble.”
In keeping with that sentiment, 2022’s True ‘Deep Blue’ Jazz Festival has a full slate of great jazz acts. There’s something sure to satisfy the palate of each and every jazz fan who rolls into Rehoboth Beach and Lewes this October 12-16, hungry for a Real Jazz Party.
From the now famous, swinging Patio Jazz Party at the Blue Hen Restaurant next to the Avenue Inn, to the Cool Jazz Scene happening at Port 251. From the Festival Kick-Off Party celebrating their Youth Jazz Programs at Bethany Blues, to the best Jazz Hangs to be found during the True ‘Deep Blue’ Jazz Festival at Nassau Valley Vineyards Winery, Aqua, Blackwall at the Beach, the Ocean Glass Inn, and more.
Firehouse Jazz is bigger than ever with a Big Band Marathon, Saturday, October 15, from noon-6:00 p.m., with the Cape Henlopen High School kicking off the show. All proceeds of the day benefit the Rehoboth Beach Fire Company. Plus, new this year, three explosive nights of great live jazz right in the Rehoboth Beach Firehouse: the Nat Adderley Jr. Quartet on October 13, Minas Quintet—the Music of Stan Getz and João Gilberto on October 14, and jazz drummer extraordinaire Webb Thomas and his Superband on October 15.
The headliner shows will be held at the Boardwalk Plaza Hotel from Thursday through Sunday, featuring the Emmet Cohen Trio on October 13, America’s hard bop supergroup—the Cookers—October 14, and in lieu of the concert appearance by the Joey DeFrancesco Trio, 2022’s True ’Deep Blue’ Jazz Festival will host a Memorial Tribute Show to Joey DeFrancesco, this incredible modern day giant of our jazz world, presented by his band members.
Eddie Sherman and Peggy Raley will perform for the 10th Anniversary True ‘Deep Blue’ Jazz Festival Brunch Party, also held at the Boardwalk Plaza Hotel, on Sunday, October 16. ▼
To see schedules for all the ticketed and free events, go to truebluejazz.org.