Annual Eddie Durham Jazz Festival set for Oct. 21

The Calaboose African American History Museum is celebrating the musical contributions and legacy of San Marcos native, Eddie Durham, with a free concert in Eddie Durham Park, 205 MLK Drive, across from the Calaboose Museum. Durham was a gifted jazz guitarist, trombonist, composer and arranger in the swing era. His work contributed to the popularity of Glen Miller, Bennie Moten, Count Basie and Jimmie Lunceford. He is credited with being the first person to record an amplified guitar when he was featured on the 1935 Jimmie Lunceford recording of Durham’s arrangement of “Hittin’ the Bottle.”

The 2023 Eddie Durham Jazz Fest will feature a concert from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. with special guest and MC, Kory Cook, the managing director and disc jockey of jazz station KRTU 91.7 in San Antonio. The event will feature big band sounds from the Texas State Jazz Ensemble, the Central Texas Women of Jazz, blues tunes from Indigo Soul featuring Sonia Love, Morris Nelms and the Calaboose Players and the Joe Morales Quartet. These bands will bring jazzy sounds to make this event foot-stomping entertainment for the entire family to enjoy. Five amazing and talented bands are set to entertain visitors with a taste of Eddie Durham’s classic hits and more.

MLK Drive will be closed between Freder-icksburg Street and Comanche Street to create a pedestrian-safe area to allow food trucks and vendors of fine arts, crafts, books and unique specialty items.

Everyone is invited to participate in the fun — food trucks, arts and crafts booths and jazz all day promise to make this a wonderful way to spend a Saturday in October.