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Founder, Long Beach Jazz Festival

The Long Beach Jazz Festival is a wellspring of sights and sounds that not only appeal to each and every jazz fan, but music fans in general and folks who just want to have a good time.

"[It's] three days of great sounds and relaxation," says festival founder Al Williams. "We treat the customer like it's their festival - not ours. We just produce it for them." A longtime jazz drummer and the former proprietor of the Jazz Safari, Long Beach's first pure jazz club, Williams' love for the music is matched only by his love for the fans. "We have had great camaraderie with our clientele for the last 20 years," he says. "In fact, we have a lot of people that have never missed a year."

"I'm a bebop player," explains Williams. "[But] I try to keep a cross reference of mainstream and smooth jazz. I'm also throwing in some other genres like pop and that sort of thing," he continues. "I try to mix it all together." Nestled near the marina in downtown Long Beach, the festival's wonderful aesthetic adds to its appeal. "We have a pavilion and we have about 70 vendors with all types of foods and the weather's always beautiful and it's a beautiful setting right next to the downtown marina - the gorgeous layout of the land, being right there on the ocean, all contribute to the success of the festival," he says.

Williams is committed to making the Long Beach Jazz Festival's 20th anniversary the best festival yet. "I love music and I love the people - they come from all over the world and they get the same seats every year so that they can mingle!" he says, chuckling. "I'm still playing my drums." -todd Williams

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