Jazz 88.3 Ocean Beach Festival 2011
The Jazz 88.3 Ocean Beach Street Fair is one of San Diego's best-kept secrets - a free jazz and blues festival right on Newport Avenue in Ocean Beach. 2011's lineup was absolutely stacked with legends and rising stars.
The Headliners
Dr. John and The Lower 911
The Night Tripper himself brought New Orleans funk and voodoo to Ocean Beach. Mac Rebennack's gravelly voice, his masterful piano playing, and the Lower 911's tight grooves created pure Louisiana magic on the California coast. "Right Place Wrong Time" and "Such a Night" had everyone dancing in the street.
Dr. Lonnie Smith
The legendary Hammond B-3 organ player brought that soul-jazz sound. His bluesy, groovy organ work is unmistakable - he's one of the last living links to the golden age of jazz organ.
Charlie Musselwhite
The blues harmonica legend brought his Mississippi-to-Chicago sound to the beach. His harp playing is gritty, authentic, and powerful. When Charlie plays the blues, you feel it.
The Jazz Masters
Hot Club of Cowtown
Western swing meets gypsy jazz. This trio brings virtuoso musicianship to American roots music, with Whit Smith's guitar playing and Elana James' fiddle work stealing the show.
Wayne Wallace Quintet
Latin jazz excellence from the San Francisco trombonist and his band. Infectious rhythms and tight horn arrangements.
Charlie Hunter Duo
The seven and eight-string guitar virtuoso creates bass lines and melodies simultaneously - it's like watching someone play bass and guitar at the same time. His jazz-funk grooves are hypnotic.
Nathan James Trio
Soul-jazz with Hammond organ, guitar, and drums. Pure groove music.
Rising Stars
Janice Edwards
Soulful vocals and a commanding stage presence. Her jazz and blues stylings showed why she's a rising star in the scene.
The Ocean Beach Vibe
What makes this festival special is the setting and the community. Newport Avenue gets shut down, the beach is right there, and the entire Ocean Beach neighborhood comes out. Families, jazz heads, curious tourists, and everyone in between - all enjoying free world-class music.
You can wander from stage to stage, grab food from local restaurants, and soak in that laid-back OB atmosphere. The fact that it's free and community-focused makes it feel less like a corporate festival and more like a neighborhood celebration that happens to feature incredible musicians.
The Verdict
Jazz 88.3 OB Fest 2011 was a celebration of jazz and blues in all their glory. From Dr. John's New Orleans funk to Charlie Musselwhite's Chicago blues to Dr. Lonnie Smith's soul-jazz organ to Charlie Hunter's innovative guitar work - this festival showcased the living tradition of American music.
Thank you to Jazz 88.3 for supporting jazz in San Diego and for putting on this free festival every year. These are the kind of community events that make a city's cultural life rich and vibrant.