Jazz festivals the world over have been drawing crowds to hear this most American of musical genres for about three-quarters of a century. The biggest of them have been around for decades.
But now, a relatively young festival in Nassau County is making noise in the jazz world.
The Les DeMerle Amelia Island Jazz Festival, launched in 2001, is taking its place alongside storied events in New Orleans, Chicago, Montreux, Newport, Nice and Copenhagen. Anyone attending this annual Northeast Florida gathering will need no convincing, but validation came anyway in the May issue of DownBeat, the pre-eminent magazine devoted to “Jazz, Blues & Beyond.” The publication featured the Amelia Island festival, giving it a level of notoriety that has been clearly earned through the tireless efforts of founder, drummer, clinician and bandleader Les DeMerle and his wife, vocalist Bonnie Eisele, and the countless others who have supported them.
“Full feature!” said DeMerle. “I was blown away.”
Over the years, the eight-day festival has attracted some of the top talents in jazz, and this year was no different.
The 2025 festival
The music got started — as always — with the Free Community Kick-Off Concert on Sunday, Sept. 28, at the Fernandina Beach Rec Center featuring the 21-piece University of North Florida Jazz Ensemble 2 with special guests, directed by Dennis Marks.
The invitation-only Sponsor Party followed on Monday, Sept. 29, at Courtyard by Marriott Amelia Island/SpringHill Suites. Entertainment was by DeMerle on drums, Eisele on vocals and special guests.
There were two seatings for the Jazz & Wine Tasting event held Tuesday, Sept. 30, at The Decantery. Tickets sell out quickly for this popular, more intimate, gathering. DeMerle and Eisele were joined by Doug Matthews (piano), Paul Tafoya (trumpet) and Ajax McDonell (saxophone).
Wednesday, Oct. 1, was Jump Jive & Wail/Swing Night back at the hotel featuring the Les DeMerle Little Big Band: DeMerle, Eisele, McDonell and Matthews joined by Jim Malmgren (trumpet), Clarence Hines (trombone), Don Zentz (saxophone) and Ricky Ravelo (bass).
Next up was the Latin Jazz Concert & Dance featuring Tony Cruz and the Latin Jazz Legends on Thursday, Oct. 2.
“They packed the dance floor all night!” observed DeMerle.
Internationally renowned jazz vocalist Jane Monheit took the stage as one of the festival’s headliners on Friday, Oct. 3.
The Grammy-nominated Monheit performed selections from what DeMerle described as “The Great American Songbook.”
Monheit is a tremendous talent. At age 20, she was a finalist in the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz International Competition. Two years later, she was recording and touring with jazz legends. She has released 12 acclaimed albums, performed on national TV and contributed to film soundtracks.
Opening for Monheit was the Les DeMerle Jazz Quintet with DeMerle, Eisele, Matthews and Marks (bass), as well as Pablo Duque (saxophone) and special guests.
Then, a Late Night Jam was held from 10 p.m. to midnight at Dizzy’s Den at Mocama Beer Company.
Saturday, Oct. 4, featured another headliner: world-renowned, Grammy-nominated pianist Monty Alexander, whose career spans more than 60 years. Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Alexander fuses Caribbean rhythms with other forms of jazz.
“That was really unique,” said DeMerle. “It’s almost like world music.”
Alexander, who has been named one of the top five jazz pianists of all time, was joined by Luke Sellick (bass) and Jason Brown (drums).
Once again, the Les DeMerle Jazz Quintet opened, featuring Eisele, DeMerle, Matthews and Marks as well as Longineu Parsons (trumpet) and Bill Prince (saxophone).
The Late Night Jam followed at Dizzy’s Den at Mocama Beer Company.
The festival wrapped up Sunday, Oct. 5, with the N’Awlins Jazz Brunch, taking everything back to the origins of the musical genre. It featured the ensemble of Eisele, DeMerle, Parsons, Prince, Matthew and Marks, as well as Bill Hazlett (trombone).
Other festival performers included Cameron Strine, Ernie Ealum, Joe Watts, Lawrence Buckner, Matt Vance, Paula Prince and Terry “Doc” Handy.
Drumming Up A Career
That the festival is so successful is due in part to years of DeMerle and Eisele perfecting their art and making key connections in the business.
DeMerle was introduced to music at a young age by a roommate at the Eastern Military Academy on Long Island. At age 10, he began to study drums in New York City. Then, at 16, he landed a spot in jazz legend Lionel Hampton’s orchestra.
A few years later, represented by the agent who worked with Louis Armstrong, DeMerle and his quintet got a gig on “The Mike Douglas Show,” where they were heard by none other than Big Band legend Harry James.
“He called the agency and said, ‘Who’s the kid?’” DeMerle recalls.
James wanted DeMerle to open for his band in New York. Impressed with the young drummer, James said he’d consider hiring him should he ever make a change.
Two years later, DeMerle was performing with Wayne Newton at The Frontier in Las Vegas when James called. Drumming legend Buddy Rich — the original hard act to follow — was leaving the band the next night and James wanted DeMerle to take his place at a venue in Reno, Nevada.
“Buddy is my favorite drummer, of course,” DeMerle said. “Nobody can do what that man did!”
At James’ advice, DeMerle called Newton to find out if he could get a substitute. They were able to arrange for Tony Bennett’s drummer, Joe Cocuzzo, to fly out from Newark, New Jersey, to take over DeMerle’s chair with Newton.
DeMerle performed with James for a dozen years, recording three albums with him, the last being 1981’s “The King James Version,” which won a Grammy Award.
At Home On Amelia Island
DeMerle was on the road performing with top acts like Frank Sinatra, Lou Rawls, Sammy Davis Jr., The Manhattan Transfer and Mel Torme when he and Eisele were invited to be the house orchestra for The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island.
The job lasted 10 years, but in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, events, the gig was ended.
Owning a home on their beloved Amelia Island, the couple decided to launch a jazz festival. It started small, but grew, and became a nonprofit in 2006. The mission was twofold: entertain and educate.
DeMerle and Eisele travel to schools around Nassau County, and sometimes in Jacksonville, where they keep appreciation of jazz alive for the next generation.
“That’s the only way that kids are going to learn about Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday,” said DeMerle.
The nonprofit also grants scholarships to high school students who want to study jazz in college. Many of them have gone on to receive recording contracts with major jazz labels.
Putting It Together
Of course, performing requires a different skill set than creating and maintaining a successful, annual festival.
Fortunately, over his career, DeMerle had gotten to know the promoters, including George Wein, who had organized the landmark Newport Jazz Festival at the invitation of Louis and Elaine Lorillard in 1954.
Wein gave DeMerle critical advice on what to do, what not to do, how to book, what agents to work with and which ones to avoid.
Planning each year’s festival consumes the entire preceding 12 months. In addition to booking acts, venues must be secured; volunteers directed; airplane flights, limousines, hotel accommodations and countless other details must be worked out. Lights and sound systems must be arranged. And great care must be taken to ensure that everyone who comes in to perform is treated royally.
“My wife, Bonnie Eisele — I could not do it without her,” DeMerle said. “We oversee every detail.”
The festival receives a lot of support from both the Amelia Island Tourist Development Council and the Jacksonville Aviation Authority.
In planning the festival, much attention must be paid to diversity of sounds. There are dozens of types of jazz, so the festival aims to keep things interesting by varying the acts. Attendees may find themselves taking in swing, bebop, Dixieland, Big Band, Latin, contemporary or some other sound on any given night.
“It’s kind of like going into a restaurant where there’s got to be something on the menu for everybody,” DeMerle said.
Coming Up
The next big gig for DeMerle’s full 17-piece orchestra will be a large scholarship benefit dinner-dance gala on Feb. 14: The Amelia Island Jazz Festival Valentine’s Day Big Band Bash. Tickets will go on sale by year’s end. Though some venues on Amelia Island sell them, most are purchased online. Check ameliaislandjazzfestival.com or facebook.com/AmeliaIslandJazzFestival for the latest information.
“It’s a great Christmas gift for people who want to come out and hear the Big Band,” DeMerle said. “Give the sound of the Big Band for Christmas!”
Unrelated to the festival itself, but still a big attraction, is the annual Les DeMerle Dance and Jazz Party Cruise aboard Holland America’s Eurodam, which leaves from Fort Lauderdale for a weeklong Caribbean cruise Oct. 26.
For information, email tom@ahoycruisesdfw.com or call 214-761-1968.
To learn more about DeMerle and Eisele or about the festival, go to lesdemerle.com or ameliaislandjazzfestival.com.
