Seabreeze Jazz Festival April 20-24

The “Ultimate Weekend of Smooth Jazz" returns to Panama City Beach with an incredible lineup of musicians at Aaron Bessant Park Amphitheater next to Pier Park, 15 minutes east of SoWal.

The 23rd annual Seabreeze Jazz Festival is presented by Visit Panama City Beach, and also sponsored by WSBZ 106.3 FM -- The Seabreeze. Organizers of the Seabreeze Jazz Festival are showcasing the top names in contemporary smooth jazz, along with select vocal acts in the pop and classic R n B genre.   

Top national saxophonist Boney James will headline the show along with contemporary jazz icons Spyro Gyra, Norman Brown, Gerald Albright, Marion Meadows, Lindsey Webster, Eric Darius, Cindy Bradley, Kim Waters, Brian Simpson, Four 80 East, Damien Escobar, Chris Standring, Keiko Matsui, Adam Hawley and more.   

The Seabreeze Jazz Festival also features select vocal performers including Billboard #1 Selling R n B artist Charlie Wilson (making his first appearance), top singer and Latin percussionist Sheila E, and Grammy award winning vocalist Peabo Bryson are also included.   Saxophonist Marcus Anderson will be featuring top vocalist Ceelo Green as a special guest in his exciting performance as well.  And --as a tribute to the iconic music of the legendary vocalist Luther Vandross -- singer Ruben Studdard presents a special tribute to Luther with "Ruben Sings Luther".  

Other artists performing include Alex Bugnon, Brian Bromberg featuring saxophonist Everette Harp, Jazz In Pink featuring Paula Atherton, Kim Scott, and Chelsey Green and others, Jackeim Joyner, Jessy J, Hiroshima (celebrating the band's 40th Anniversary), Blake Aaron, Ken Ford, Kayla Waters, and Lin Rountree.

A big part of the 2022 event is the unveiling of the "Seabreeze Rising Stars" -- four special performers selected for their talent and current hit record movement up the Billboard Smooth Jazz charts.   This year's "Seabreeze Rising Stars" include 16 year old Justin Lee Shultz (a contemporary jazz piano prodigy from South Africa), Ryan La Valette (an inspiring young multi-instrumentalist from New Zealand), Randy Scott (a talented saxophonist from Detroit, MI with three recent #1 Billboard Smooth Jazz singles), and Mark Jaimes (a London-based guitarist with several Top 10 smooth jazz single releases).   This year's Seabreeze Jazz Festival marks the first USA appearance by newcomer Ryan La Valette, recently signed by Trippn' N' Rhythm Records.    His current single "Let It Flow" is quickly climbing up the Billboard Smooth Jazz Charts.

Another new element is the expansion of the nightly Seabreeze After Party Shows with a second stage on the amphitheater grounds for each night's "After Party Late Show" right after the main performances.   The Seabreeze After Party Stage is set in a cozy, cool, corner of the festival footprint surrounded by woods with some tables under tents, concert style seating and cocktail tables all with jazz bistro lighting for a true intimate jazz club feel.   Each evening's After Show features a full show from a top national artist including guitarist Norman Brown, saxophonist Gerald Albright, the U.K. based group Down to the Bone, and the combination of #1 selling vocalist Lindsey Webster with guitarist Adam Hawley.    After Party performances are ticketed separately or included with a festival Single Day Pass.   Four Day Pass holders can easily add-on any of the After Party performances with an add-on ticket available on the festival website. 

The Seabreeze Jazz Festival has gained national attention as the country's fastest growing smooth jazz festival with tickets sold in all 50 states and 6 countries.   The appeal of white-sand beaches, great shopping, and Gulf Coast flair is paired up with a stellar weekend of smooth jazz talent -- creating the ultimate destination festival for fans to enjoy both the music and the attractions that Panama City Beach has to offer.   The smooth jazz audience is a mixture of pop, R & B, and jazz lovers --with the core segment of fans known as upscale "Baby Boomers".     Well educated and ready to travel with mid to high income -- The Seabreeze Jazz Festival caters to this discriminating destination traveler that loves the pairing of world renowned sugar sand beaches with an unbelievable pairing of top national smooth jazz talent. 

The festivities kick off with a Dinner and Brunch Cruise --each with a live jazz performance -- aboard "The Solaris Dinner Yacht" departing Wednesday night April 20th and Thursday morning April 21st from the Lighthouse Marina in Panama City Beach.    The Dinner Cruise features saxophonist Eric Darius and sails 7-10pm on Wednesday, April 20th.   The Jazzy Brunch Cruise follows on Thursday, April 21st from 9am-11am with guitarist Chris Standring performing.   Chris Standring held the #1 Billboard position in early March 2022 on Billboard's Smooth Jazz charts with his current single "Change The World".

The event continues with the main performances at the Aaron Bessant Park Amphitheater in Panama City Beach on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday April 21st through 24th.   Gates open at 10am and the show begins at 12 noon each day.    Combined with the After Party -- patrons can enjoy close to 12 hours of music each day at the event.   It creates a magnet appeal to the core smooth jazz music fan and sure to attract die-hard festival goers who call the weekend "smooth jazz heaven on earth".

Building on the best year yet for the festival, the Seabreeze Jazz Festival team continues to be totally cashless and innovative -- with both entry into the festival and all purchases inside the show done through the single RFID encoded wristband each festival attendee receives -- or as they call it their "Jazz Band".  Patron enter and exit with a pass-through the event scanners, and any purchase for food, drink, or merchandise inside the show is easily and quickly down with a scan of the wristband instead of cash or credit cards.  The Seabreeze Jazz Festival was the first festival to use this technology beginning in 2014, and has used this cashless technology for the past 7 jazz festivals.

For complete details on event schedules, list of performers, and tickets -- go to www.seabreezejazzfestival.com.

Four Day General Admission Passes for all performances on the main amphitheater stage for Thursday-Sunday are $325 each, with Single Day Tickets which include the nightly After Party Show priced at $200 each.   Each nightly After Party show can also be purchased individually for $80 each.  The After Party performance includes an appetizer buffet. 

Discounted military tickets are available at three area military bases including Tyndall Air Force Base Tickets and Travel, Eglin Air Force Base Tickets and Travel, and Naval Air Station Pensacola NWR Office.   Each base is offering discounted Four Day General Admission Passes and can ship to military patrons outside the local area with proof of military ID.  For details on military tickets:  www.seabreezejazzfestival.com/military.html 

WSBZ-FM The Seabreeze is a 6000 watt FM radio station  licensed to Miramar Beach, FL and broadcasts smooth jazz programming to the Northwest Florida area.  WSBZ is a "music indicator station" for Billboard Magazine and their smooth jazz weekly playlist is monitored for airplay.   WSBZ The Seabreeze is available to listen across the Florida Panhandle on 106.3 FM.   The radio station also streams their radio station live online at www.seabreeze.fm.    WSBZ will soon celebrate 28 years on-the-air in the Destin market with smooth jazz music.    The station currently is only one of less than a dozen smooth jazz radio stations in the entire USA.

SoWal.com is a Seabreeze Jazz Festival sponsor each year.