Al Downing Honors Celebrating The Life & Legacy of Al Downing 7/21/2024

Presented by the Al Downing Tampa Bay Jazz Association at The Palladium in downtown St. Petersburg, the Al Downing Honors celebrated the life and legacy of Alvin Joseph Downing. The performance will be aired on RadioStPete.com August 4, 2024 starting at 2:30.  Diedre Downing-Jackson emceed the program which featured a performance by the Al Downing All Stars (Dwayne White, Ben Winkler, Vincent Sims, Erik Hempel, Ron Gregg, Emani Baines and Greg Porter). Jazz Educator of the Year was Frank T. Williams III (Clearwater Jazz Holiday education director for their music program). Jazz Supporter of theYear was Michael Cornette, known for his leadership on 89.7 WUSF NPR All Night Jazz.  Jazz Musician of the Year was Dwayne White (Monday night Hangar jazz jams lead) and the Al Downing Legacy Award went to Evelyn Downing Hamilton, a professional jazz volaclist and top performer in Atlanta's jazz mecca whose album Angel Eyes with her dad as well as their two singles "Blue Groove" and "Cold Kisses" are a perpetual tribute to her dad's spirit and talent as well as her own. The Al Downing Youth Band and ADTBJA Scholarship recipients also performed in this star-studded evening. 

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