Bainbridge Jazz & Blues Festival goes bigger with 12 bands for Saturday event

Sometimes, the new kid on the block will bring in new ideas to freshen things up a bit. And that's exactly how the Bainbridge Jazz & Blues Festival was born.

In 2019, Southern Philosophy Brewing opened in Downtown Bainbridge, Georgia, marking the city's first craft brewery. Almost instantly, owner and founder Gallagher Dempsey saw the opportunity to throw a big event.

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Southern Philosophy: Eat and drink at Southern Philosophy, located downtown Bainbridge, Georgia

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So he began collaborating with his neighbor, Tyler Thomas — owner and chef at The American restaurant — and the Inaugural Bainbridge Jazz & Blues Festival was born. The kick-off event was held in 2020, but the festival was canceled last year due to pandemic concerns.

Now it's back, and the 2nd Annual installment is going down Saturday, Feb. 5, from noon to midnight in Downtown Bainbridge.

12 acts and 5 stages

In Year 1, there were seven acts across three stages with a crowd of nearly 1,200 people, but in Year 2, double the attendance is expected and organizers have upped the. Saturday will feature 12 acts across 5 stages — including one outside Southern Philosophy, which is the official craft beer being served at the event.

One of the marquee acts includes up-and-coming blues star Jontavious Willis, who just released an album and is currently on a world tour heading to Paris after this event. The Festival will be spread throughout Downtown Bainbridge on closed streets with most performances taking place on open-air, outdoor stages and surrounded by food and craft vendors.

The festival will open up at noon with a performance from Longineu Parsons and run through midnight. Because of the support of some generous sponsors, the event is free to the public for general admission. There is a VIP ticket option for $75 available for those interested, and that includes food and drinks in an outdoor tent. VIP tickets can be purchased on the festival's website.

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Leon High sparked taste for jazz

The inspiration for the festival stems from Dempsey's days as a musically-curious youngster who grew an appreciation for jazz and blues while a student at Leon High School.

"I grew up listening and playing blues at a young age and developed a taste for jazz as well. And you can't beat (hearing) them live," he said. "I used to be in Leon High School's guitar program and I was in a group called Frets & Strings — essentially a guitar ensemble but also a class. Frets & Strings used to go to the New Orleans Jazz Fest every year, which was totally awesome. As teenagers being set loose at the horse race track grounds in New Orleans and roaming from tent to tent experiencing some of the best jazz, blues, soul, pop, world music — you name it — was quite the experience for sure. So that experience also gave me the idea to go that direction with this festival."

And City of Bainbridge Special Events Coordinator Randee Eubanks is glad Dempsey had the vision to put on the festival.

"The City of Bainbridge is happy to welcome back the Bainbridge Jazz & Blues Festival to Downtown Bainbridge. After a year hiatus due to the pandemic, we are excited to return to some sense of normalcy, he said.

"The Bainbridge Jazz & Blues Festival is a fun-filled event that brings many people to Bainbridge. We look forward to welcoming everyone to our area and showing what all Downtown Bainbridge has to offer. Bainbridge has a bustling downtown with great restaurants, shops, bars, and parks. Gallagher Dempsey at Southern Philosophy has worked hard to design what we believe will be a very successful event."

A talented dozen

The other musicians being featured include: The Johnnie Marshall Band, Revival, Longineu Parsons, Frankie's Blues Mission, Rachel Hillman, the Richie Summa Trio, the Ben Flournoy Trio, Dirty Bird and the Flu, Steve Fryson, Jr., The Reese Cloud Quartet and Dabbit.

"Longineu Parsons is world-class and will be a treat to listen to. I'm also looking forward to Frankie's Blues Mission from Atlanta — a true blues group that, to my knowledge, has never played in our area. I think they are bringing a 5-or-6 piece with a horns section, which should be cool," Dempsey said.

"Dirty Bird & the Flu from Valdosta will bring the party and funk it all up, and the Johnnie Marshall Band and Rachel Hillman are the only acts that also played the first year. It was hard not to have Johnnie play again -- he blew the roof of the house in the first year!"

Dempsey also said "don't sleep on" the Ben Flournoy Trio.

"Ben is only 16 and from Quincy, and their group is stunning," he said. "I tell people he's like the love child of Jimmy Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn and John Mayer. I have regulars that can't believe their eyes when he's played at the brewery before. They say, "Heck, my 16-year-old is playing video games right now and this kid is lighting the place on fire with his guitar!"

The event will take place rain or shine, so if you're looking for something fun — and free — to do Saturday, take the short trip up Highway 27 into South Georgia and check it out!

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: 2nd Annual Bainbridge Jazz & Blues Fest set for Saturday