2024 Duck Jazz Festival Lineup + Band Biographies
The theme for this year’s Duck Jazz Festival is to celebrate the colorful livelihood of Jazz music and celebrate the fellowship it creates amongst people who enjoy live music.
Thursday, October 10
Town Green
6:00 PM Elizabeth City State University Choir
Friday, October 11
Town Green
10:00 AM Children’s Story Time and Rhythm Play with Ascencion Music Academy
6:50 PM Movie on the Green: Back to the Future
Saturday, October 12
Town Green
4:00 PM Community Concert on the Green – U.S. Army Blues
7:30 PM Live Jam at The Blue Point
Sunday, October 13
10:00 AM Gates Open
11:00 AM Music Starts
Main Stage
11:00 AM The Jae Sinnett Quintet ft. Randy Brecker and Ada Rovatti
1:00 PM Jazzmeia Horn
3:25 PM The Lao Tizer Band
5:25 PM Antonia Bennett
Amphitheatre Stage
12:10 PM First Flight High School Honors Jazz Band
2:20 PM The Joe Baione Vibraphone Experience
4:30 PM Empire Strikes Brass
U.S. Army Blues
Saturday, October 12th: 4:00 PM – Main Stage
The U.S. Army Blues, part of the United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” is the premier jazz ensemble of the US Army. After informal beginnings in 1970, this 19-piece ensemble became an official element of the Army Band in 1972. The Army Blues strive to fulfill their mission through public concerts, educational outreach, and the preservation of the tradition of America’s unique art form: jazz.
the Jae Sinnett Quintet
Sunday, October 13th: 11:00 AM – Main Stage
Jae Sinnett is an iconic jazz drummer, composer, educator, and radio host of a jazz segment of WHRO public radio. Sinnett holds a resume of performances with jazz legends such as Branford and Ellis Marsalis, Joe Henderson, Chuck Mangione, Charlie Byrd, Arthur Blythe, and many more. Jazz trumpeter Randy Brecker and Ada Rovatti will be joining The Jae Sinnett Quintet for the Duck Jazz Festival.
Jazzmeia Horn
Sunday, October 13th: 1:00 PM – Main Stage
Horn is a jazz vocalist compared to Nina Simone & Betty Carter, redefining jazz with her powerful voice and genre-bending style. A Thelonious Monk Competition winner and 3x Grammy nominee, she blends standards with contemporary flair, captivating audiences with improvisation and scatting. Her original compositions in albums like “Love & Liberation” showcase her songwriting prowess, solidifying her place as a leading voice in jazz’s evolution.
Joe Baione
Sunday, October 13th: 2:20 PM – Amphitheatre Stage
Joe Baione performed at the third annual Duck Jazz Festival and brings a rare element to the genre with vibraphone jazz paired with colorful, groovy jazz arrangements.
The Lao Tizer Band
Sunday, October 13th: 3:25 PM – Main Stage
Lao Tizer performed at the ninth annual Duck Jazz Festival. Tizer and his band hold some of the most notable accolades in the jazz world including Grammy winners, Grammy nominees, American Idol star, Voice star, and a three-time Emmy winner. Tizer brings a lively, soulful punch to the genre with rich melodies and reimagined classics that audiences enjoy.
Empire Strikes Brass
Sunday, October 13th: 4:30 PM – Amphitheatre Stage
This nine-piece powerhouse blends New Orleans-inspired brassy funk, rock, and jazz. Catchy covers and original compositions groove with the rhythm section’s thump, rich horn arrangements, and powerful vocals. The group includes a diverse lineup of musicians including Grammy Award-winning artist Debrissa McKinney (Secret Agent 23 Skidoo), keyboardist/producer Lenny Pettinelli, & guitarist Chris Porter.
Antonia Bennett
Sunday, October 13th: 5:25 PM – Main Stage
As Tony Bennett’s daughter, she is making a name for herself as a distinguished jazz vocalist with her unique style of classic and modern vocalizations. Often compared to Billie Holliday and Rickie Lee Jones, Bennett spent her life surrounded by jazz music and shared the stage with her father as well as Count Basie, Rosemary Clooney, and Frank Sinatra. Bennett began her career as a jazz vocalist alongside her father and continues to honor his legacy by embarking on her solo career.
