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The festival will feature lively music on two stages and other locations.

Afro Bop Alliance

The Grammy Award winning Afro-Cuban Jazztet led by drummer Joe McCarthy continues to gain global recognition for their stellar recordings and dynamic performances. Afro Bop's latest recording won the 2008 Latin Grammy for Latin Jazz Album of the Year and was one of four finalists for the 51st Grammy Awards.

Annapolis Junction Big Band

A 16-piece orchestra plus vocals. The band specializes in the classic big band favorites of the swing era. They are based in Annapolis. Jim Tavener founded the band in 1991.

The Basement Band

Performing the music of Bob Dylan and The Band, the Basement Band brings a fresh perspective to the songs while remaining true to their roots. The result is a powerful presentation of classic and inventive covers of some of the best songs written in this era. Featuring Dean Rosenthal on guitars, harmonica, vocals; Gary Wright on guitars, piano, banjo, vocals; Leah Weisson fiddle, guitar, vocals; Jeff Muller on electric bass and vocals; and Tom Fridrich on drums and vocals.

The Crawdaddies

Founded in 1995, The Crawdaddies infuse Cajun, Zydeco, Blues, Ska, Roots, Rock and Reggae into an incomparable, groove-laden sound that is unquestionably its own. The band has toured the USA for 14+ years and is a regular fixture on the national college, festival and theater circuits. The Crawdaddies’ music can be heard on radio worldwide, and the band has a live performance featured on the PBS program “Jubilee.”

Doug Segree

Good time acoustic based rock - a mix of originals and some covers.

Band members: Doug Segree, vocals, acoustic guitar; Eric Scott, bass, vocals; Matt Ascione, electric guitar, vocals; and Dennis Hoffmann, drums.

The Geckos

The Geckos are a group based out of Annapolis. They have performed around 3,000 events since they formed in 1991. The band creates an original sound by blending Caribbean roots music with folk, jazz, and blues grooves to create a “Caribbean Cocktail.” The band includes Mike Miller, Kevin and Sean Martin, and some of the best musicians in the area in the rhythm section.

Higher Hands

A veteran group of heavy hitters bringing the soul/funk revival to new audiences with a spontaneous energy clearly captured on their debut album “Grab Hold,” Higher Hands blends the sounds of vintage funk and jazz fusion bringing light to the darkest corners of the dance floor. Collectively the band has rocked the stage with artists including John Scofield, Cypress Hill, The Roots, and Maceo Parker.

Kelly Bell Band

Soul, Blues, Reggae, Funk, and more… it’s a mishmash of urban styles when the Kelly Bell Band comes to town. Voted the Top Blues Band in Baltimore for 12 years running, they bring together many genres that are lost in today’s culture. With elements of Motown combined with today’s modern rock and pop, there’s simply no show that compares to a Kelly Bell show. Fronted by a professional wrestler, well-known Baltimore radio personality, and special education teacher who arose from inner-city Washington, D.C., the story of Kelly Bell (and his stories on stage) will keep you fascinated from the opening note. They have passed the 100,000 record sales mark, still as an independent band, and have been touring with acts as diverse as Maroon 5, Ziggy Marley, Buddy Guy, G Love & Special Sauce, James Brown, Edwin McCain, and many more!

Old Mill High School Steel Drum Band

The Old Mill Steel Band resides at Old Mill High School in Anne Arundel County. Band leader Mike Miller started the program in 2000 with a handful of students during lunch. The steel band program is up to  80 students and is still  growing. Old Mill Band performs music in the style of a traditional Trinidad steel orchestra.    

Rob Levit Trio

One of the best loved jazz groups in the mid-Atlantic region, the Rob Levit Trio is anchored by acoustic bassist Amy Shook, one of the few women acoustic jazz bass virtuoso in the world, and master drummer Frank Russo. Together, they create a seamless mix of jazz, world, classical, and funk grooves that is rapidly vaulting them to national and international status. Led by renowned multi-directional artist, guitarist and award-winning community leader Rob Levit, the Trio performs traditional jazz and Latin classics, new takes on Beatles and Bob Marley tunes and plenty of originals with even some room for the audience to participate. Rob has been chosen twice by reader's of What's Up Magazine as Best Jazz Musician.

The Rovers

A five-piece Celtic rock band, they perform music with traditional roots while drawing from their own distinct musical backgrounds. Fiddle, bagpipes, and bodhran honor traditional elements of Celtic music, while bass, drums, congas, percussion, and acoustic/electric guitar comprise one of the tightest rhythm sections in the Irish/rock scene.

Tom Lagana

Tom Lagana is a modern acoustic jazz quartet featuring original music.

 

Unified Jazz Ensemble

Formed in 1992, the Unified Jazz Ensemble (UJE) is committed to entertaining and educating diverse audiences. Based in Annapolis, Maryland, since 1996, the UJE participated in the "Rural Residency Arts Initiative," partially funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. The UJE actively records and performs mainly in the Baltimore/Washington and Annapolis metropolitan area. 

Val Nebbia

With initial moments of soothing, balmy vocals – mixed with raw, emotive strains – Val Nebbia and her Annapolis-based band take the listener on a spiritual journey replete with lyrical explorations of love, loss, brokenness and hope. The band has played in numerous venues locally and nationally including Rams Head On Stage, The Takoma Park Folk Festival, Caroline Summerfest, And Cornerstone Music Festival as well as being nationally recognize in the Performing Songwriter's June Edition.

Virgil Cain

A life-long passion for music has culminated into a tightly woven, professionally produced show by Virgil Cain. A multi-talented musician, Virgil has drawn on over a decade of recording sessions and live performances to meticulously build a multi-layered show that appeals to most any audience.

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