Tag Archives: Lisa Kelly

In jazz music, timing is the nucleus of a song and without it, the music loses its shape. As half of one of Jacksonville’s musical power couples, jazz vocalist  understands the value of perfect timing. Kelly has been an instrumental force in Jacksonville’s jazz scene for the better part of two decades. During that time, she and her husband, trumpeter , created a name for themselves as part of the city’s cultural elite as players, teachers, and mentors. It was that spirit of fostering fresh, new talent that initially prompted Kelly to help cultivate an improvisational jazz jam session at …

John Coltrane once said that you’ve got to look back at the old things and see them in a new light. The  has a long and storied past from its humble beginnings in the  fishing village to a sprawling, three-day celebration of the many genres of jazz that are important elements to our nation’s musical history. After more 30 years, the Jacksonville Jazz Festival is hitting all the right notes. From May 22nd-25th, the heart of downtown Jacksonville will be transformed into a vibrant festival setting as local, regional, and national jazz artists gather on multiple stages to showcase their …