Dixieland Jazz Festival Returns
to Central Missouri's Lake of the Ozarks

LAKE OF THE OZARKS, MO --After a one-year hiatus, the popular Lake Ozark Annual Dixieland Jazz Festival returns Nov. 1-4 to the Country Club Hotel & Spa at Central Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks.  The lively festival is expected to attract hundreds of jazz fans from across the country to central Missouri for four days and nights of first-class jazz performed by nationally known bands.

   “We always hope the festival will coincide with the fall colors in the Ozarks,” says Lynn Zimmer, the renowned clarinetist who appears with his group, The Jazz Band, Wednesday through Saturday at the Country Club Hotel’s popular Bourbon Street Grill.  Zimmer lines up the Dixieland Jazz Festival’s music, and throughout the event he’ll perform with The Jazz Band group, consisting of Connie Jones, Mike Pittsley, Jeff Hamilton, Ken Kehner and Gerald Spaits.

   A native of Kansas City, Kan., Zimmer has shared the stage with the great swing-era bandleader Clyde McCoy, San Francisco jazz master Turk Murphy, New Orleans legend Pete Fountain and jazz trumpeter Al Hirt. Said Hirt, “I've had good clarinet players in my band for many years.  In my opinion, the finest has been Lynn Zimmer.”

   Three other top jazz bands will perform at the Dixieland Jazz Festival:
·       Bob Schulz’ Frisco Jazz Band is the creation of cornetist and vocalist Bob Schulz.  Schulz performed with the Turk Murphy Band in San Francisco from 1979 to 1987; several other musicians in the group are alumni of the renowned Murphy band, as well as the highly acclaimed Salty Dogs, Golden Gate Rhythm Machine and others.  Every year the group plays dozens of festivals and several cruises and performs in concert throughout the Bay area.
·       The New Red Onion Jazz Babies from Kansas City, Mo., was formed in the early 1980s to perpetuate the music of early New Orleans as performed by Louis Armstrong, Kid Ory, King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton, Original Dixieland Jazz Band, Lou Watters, Turk Murphy and others.  The Jazz Babies are always in great demand at jazz festivals throughout the country.
·       Jean Kittrell & The St. Louis Rivermen features college professor and red-hot mama Jean Kittrell who plays barrel-house piano and sings in a lusty Bessie Smith style.  Along with the six multi-talented Rivermen, Jean and the guys are popular features on the jazz festival and jazz cruise circuit.

   All four bands will perform in morning/afternoon and evening sessions, except for the evening session on Thursday when only Lynn Zimmer and the Jazz Band will perform.  Individual ticket prices will be $29 for all sessions except the evening session on Thursday, when tickets will be $10.  An “All That Jazz” four-day pass is $115.

   The Country Club Hotel offers special package rates for the Jazz Festival.  For information, reservations or festival tickets call 800-964-6698.  The Country Club Hotel & Spa is located at Route HH and Carol Road in Lake Ozark.  Other lodgings throughout the Lake area offer lower, off-season rates in early November.  For details, check the lodging information at www.funlake.com.

   “With cooler temperatures and smaller crowds, the fall is a great time of year for a jazz festival or any other activity at the Lake,” Zimmer notes.

   In addition to the Lake Ozark Annual Dixieland Jazz Festival, the Lake of the Ozarks offers a wide variety of other festivals and musical events throughout the year.  For more information on activities, dining, lodging, shopping and attractions at mid-Missouri’s scenic Lake of the Ozarks, call 800-FUN-LAKE (386-5253) or visit the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau’s web site at www.funlake.com.