NEWS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE                                            CONTACT:  Betsy Donnelly

August 25, 2005                                           Phone 913 236 7757

                                                                        Email          Betsy@kansascitymusic.com

2005 BLUES & JAZZ FEST TO GIVE AWAY TWO GUITARS!

All Attendees Are Eligible to Win at the Labor Day Concert

KANSAS CITY, KS. – This Labor Day weekend, Kansas City blues and jazz lovers will get the chance to hear great music and maybe walk away with a brand new guitar!  That’s because the Kansas City Music Blues & Jazz Festival and Big Dude’s Music are giving away two guitars during the two-day concert, Sept. 3-4 at the Woodlands Horse Track.

Together, the guitars are valued at $1,300.  However, their value is expected to far exceed that amount, as both are being autographed by famed musician John Lee Hooker, Jr., who will be headlining at the festival.  All attending the two-day jazz fest are eligible to win.  Show organizer and local musician Mark Valentine says the guitars are a music-lover’s dream.

“This is a treat for those who aspire to a future in music – or who already consider themselves musicians.  These are instruments to enjoy for a long time to come,” says Valentine.  “And it’s so easy to register.  Just listen to the sounds of the blues and jazz fest from a comfortable, shaded seat in the Woodlands and you’re eligible to win!”

One of the guitars to be given away at the festival is an Ibanez Artcore Series.  This jazz guitar challenges the class of its hollow body predecessors.  With a maple body and mahogany neck, the guitar exudes a smooth warmth that is a must in jazz circles. And its vintage vibrato is actually an improvement on an already classic accent. As a result, the Artcore Series is one of Big Dude's best selling guitar lines. Suddenly, jazz guitars have made a strong comeback, thanks, in part, to the Artcore series.

The second guitar is a Schecter Bomber Girl.  From the bomber girl and sheet metal body graphics, to the neck with the Stars 'n' Bars inlay and on up to the headstock, the Bomber Girl is an all-out tribute to the WWII B-17 bombers.  Equipped with a mahogany body and maple neck, the playability of the Schecter is up to their high standards. The Duncan Designed pickups provide an intense clarity that cuts through the mix. The aged chrome hardware also provides a nice accent to the vintage design.

The Kansas City Music Blues & Jazz Festival will feature 24 acts over two days.  Headline acts include such favorites as John Lee Hooker, Jr., Billy Paul and Joanna Connor.  They will also be joined by popular blues and jazz musicians like Lonesome Hank, Mama Ray, Chubby Carrier, The Scamps and Sons of Brasil, among others.  The festival also recently added Bobby Carson, Bobby Watson, Jimmy Bratcher, Dustin Thomas, Dan Doran and The Rain Dogs to the schedule.

Acts get underway at Noon on Sept. 3 and 4th. Tickets are $17.50 per day; children under 12 are free with a paid adult. The Woodlands offers concert-goers a covered grandstand with seating for 30,000, free parking and patrolled parking lots.

A portion of the ticket proceeds will go toward helping several local charities, including Midland Hospice, Youth Arts Consortium (YAC), KC Free Health Clinic and PUPS-Without- Partners.org.

Show sponsors include Coldwell Banker Advantage, Famous Dave's BBQ, Tommy Guns Vodka, 75th Street Brewery, Barley's, O'Dowd's Little Dublin, the Blue Moose Bar & Grill, Jerry Bait Shop, Jazz Louisiana Kitchen, Jostins, EKC Online, BNSF Railway, RawhideDirect.com, and Big Dude's Music City. Media sponsors include Magic 107.3, Hot 103 Jamz, and all the Kansas Cumulus radio stations.

Visit The Kansas City Music Blues and Jazz Festival Website >>

About The Kansas City Music Blues and Jazz Festival

For more information and up-to-date additions to the show, visit the Kansas City Music Blues and Jazz Festival website at www.kansascitymusic.com.

Message to the Press: To schedule an interview, please call Betsy Donnelly at 913.236.7757 or contact by email at betsy@kansascitymusic.com

Website: http://www.kansascitymusic.com

Copyright 2005 : Kansas City Music Blues and Jazz Festival