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Good Shot Judy and their Little Big Band kicked off the 2016 Winter Blues and Jazz Fest.
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Williamsburg Winter Blues and Jazz Fest founders David Everett, Steve Rose and Jenn Raines thank music lovers for attending opening night of the 2016 festival at the Williamsburg Winery.
The band ignited, wine poured, folks swooned—and it was only the beginning.
Good Shot Judy and their Little Big Band kicked off the 2016 Winter Blues and Jazz Fest at the Williamsburg Winery on January 14 to a sold-out house of more than 220 people.
Performing favorites such as “Cheek to Cheek,” “Fever,” and “Get Me to the Church on Time,” the band entertained all ages, some traveling from as far as New York, Florida, and California for the festival. The band also welcomed to the stage Jocelyn Oldham, who joined them in singing jazz classics throughout the evening.
“Events like this bring artists together and brings the community out,” says Brandon Musko, a woodwind player for Good Shot Judy. “We all have other jobs, but we come together to perform and entertain … that’s what’s so great about it.”
Lisa Drummond and DJ Richardson of Hampton and Newport News, respectively, stumbled across the festival online and, an hour into it, had already decided they’d be back next year.
“There are things to do around here in the summertime, but after Christmas, it’s kind of dead,” says Richardson. “So this kind of offering is perfect!”
And that’s exactly the reaction festival organizers Steve Rose, Jennifer Raines, and Chef David Everett were hoping for.
“Basically, we just want [everybody] to have a great time all weekend long,” says Rose.
During the weekend, jazz musicians performed to sold-out houses throughout Williamsburg. According to Rose, more than 1,800 tickets were sold.
More than 300 people signed up to attend brunch on the Sunday of the festival and over the course of the entire festival, sixty-six attendees bought weekend passes, compared to a little more than twenty passes sold last year. The festival has also had an impact on the lodging community, with fifty-five rooms booked at the Williamsburg Lodge alone, compared to twenty rooms booked there last year.
For more information about the Winter Blues and Jazz Fest visit winterbluesjazzfest.com.