When you go to the 35th Annual Long Beach Jazz Festival at Marina Green Park next weekend, you won’t just be listening to music, you’ll be witnessing another labor of love brought to you by a family whose commitment to jazz music in Long Beach spans three generations.
“My father Al Williams, a jazz drummer and entrepreneur, started Rainbow Promotions LLC over 35 years ago and I have been with him since the inception,” said Kimberly Benoit, whose company produces the festival. “He also started the Queen Mary Jazz Festival over 40 years ago, and had two clubs in Long Beach — the Jazz Safari by the Queen Mary, and Birdland West at Pine and Broadway. In 2013 he retired and my husband Ozzie Benoit and I took over the business. My kids have also come up through the company, making it a third generation family-owned business.”
Photo courtesy of Long Beach Jazz Festival
Throughout the years, Benoit has seen amazing festival performances by iconic jazz greats such as Cab Calloway, Art Blakey, Ray Charles, and Miles Davis. This year, she and thousands of festival goers will have two stages to choose from as they check out their favorite artists playing straight-ahead, smooth, and contemporary jazz, with some soul, Latin, and R&B mixed in.
Gerald Albright, a mega-talented saxophonist/bassist who makes chart-topping albums and has toured with such legends as Whitney Houston and The Temptations, will be taking the stage on Saturday, Aug. 10.
Saxophonist/Bassist Gerald Albright
“I’m very, very proud to be part of the festival this year,” he said. “I am one of the veterans of the jazz fest; I’ve performed there over 30 times. I consider Al Williams and his family to be part of my family. We love them dearly. I’m looking forward to performing on August 10 along with an array of fantastic vocalists and instrumentalists who will be gracing the stage as well.”
In addition to a second stage, this year’s festival will feature a Health and Wellness Pavilion which encompasses mental, physical, and financial wellness. This aligns with Rainbow Promotions LLC’s hope that “everyone who attends the festival will come away with tools for leading a healthier way of living. They’ll feel energized, focused, de-stressed, and will enjoy an overall sense of profound pleasure.”
Benoit is grateful for the festival’s growing number of regular attendees. “We have had very loyal fans over the years, from locals to those from other states and countries,” she said. “We have helped them celebrate birthdays, reunions, and marriage proposals. Nowadays, it’s really great to see millennials coming to the festival.”
Photo courtesy of Long Beach Jazz Festival
The 35th Annual Long Beach Jazz Festival will happen Friday, Aug. 9 through Sunday, Aug. 11. For complete lineups, parking information and to get your tickets, click here.