Because of the pandemic, the Bix Jazz Festival will be virtual this weekend, with just one concert each, on Friday and Saturday night. Three bands will be featured each night.
Bix Jazz Society President Steve Trainor says by Friday a link will be posted on their website that will take you to the Bix YouTube channel.
"I hope people will use this free taste test to give Bix jazz - the era of the 20's, 30's, and even into the 40's - to give it a shot. And then if they like it, I hope they'll turn out for what we hope will be our 50th in-person next year."
This is the biggest fund-raiser of the year for the society so he hopes people will be willing to contribute, even what they would have spent on tickets, to keep the group going and able to plan a festval for next year.
Even though they'd prefer to play live, Trainor says the bands were happy to send videos instead.
"The bands want to play, they want to be seen, they want to be heard. Let's face it, most of them are not working now. So they lowered their fees, they get a chance to be part of the Bix Jazz Festival,they get exposure and they might pick up some new fans."
The six bands performing for the festival include two from the Quad Cities - the Josh Duffee Quartet and the Bix Youth Band.
The concerts run from 6 to 9 pm each night, and will be available to watch on the society's website after the weekend festival is over.
