It’s going to be the jazz party of the year – with edibles, local wine, your best friends and of course an exciting jazz quartet. Set in a lovely secret atrium just a long block from the Plaza, it’s an exclusive gathering in celebration of Healdsburg’s favorite music – and you could be there!

In fact, you should be there. It’s a free, Members Only event for the Healdsburg Jazz Festival to thank new members, standing members and those who donated to last year’s drive to save the Festival. Featuring the Michael Aragon Quartet, the celebration will be held in the atrium of the E&M Electric at 126 Mill St. (corner of East St., sharing the ivy covered building with 132 Mill St.) on Sunday afternoon, November 13, from 3 – 6 p.m.

The Michael Aragon Quartet has been called “The Best Jazz in Marin,” holding down the coveted Friday night gig at Sausalito’s No Name Bar. Their fun, high-energy music features Aragon on drums and the melodic KC Filson on piano, Cliff Hugo on stand-up bass and the commanding Rob Roth on sax. See them swing at the Appreciation Party!

If you are already a member of the Healdsburg Jazz Festival, you’re automatically invited. If you’d like to join us, it’s easy – just become a member and we’ll put your name on the list!

Please let us know if plan on attending the Members Only Party – RSVP to 433-4644 or by email.

We listen to the radio: We know that this time of year there are many worthwhile organizations asking for your support so they can continue bringing you news, or local coverage, or even music. But we hope you can find a few dollars to keep real jazz in Healdsburg and music education in Healdsburg schools and community as a member of the Healdsburg Jazz Festival, a 501-c(3) non-profit organization.

Annual memberships start at just $35 (Jazz Fan), or $50 (Jazz Friend). At the $100 (Jazz Supporter) level you’ll be entered to win tickets to “My Coma Dreams” but don’t stop there! Visit this page for additional Membership Levels and more information.

Summer’s coming to an end – with a heat wave, of course, after a cooler-than-usual year. It’s been an unusual season in a number of ways, especially at the Healdsburg Jazz Festival. Normally, this is a quiet time of year for us, before the planning for the education programs and the annual summer Healdsburg Jazz Festival really gets going.

But this is not a normal year.

When people ask, How can I help the Festival get back on its feet? I tell them there are three simple steps you can take to get us moving again.

• Step up (donate)
• Sign up (volunteer)
• Show up (buy tickets)

Step Up to Donate: They say journey begins with a single step, and all it takes is the decision to help. Please help insure we have a 2011 Festival, and are able to continue building the reputation of Healdsburg as a jazz destination.

• New Options: Our Donate page can now accept recurring transactions. Which means if your enthusiasm exceeds your cash flow, you can set your own schedule in making tax deductible contributions to our non-profit organization.

Sign Up to Volunteer for HJF, and help solve our struggles actively. Join a devoted network of your fellow enthusiasts to keep the music alive in your home town. The meetings will focus on creating ways to bring in income for the Festival by doing fundraisers, working with wineries, and other new ideas.

Committees will be forming to work on different projects. We need lots of help and hope everyone is charged up and ready to pitch in! Please join us at the upcoming Volunteer Meetings:

• Wednesday October 6, 6:30 – 8 PM. Meeting will be held in our usual spot, upstairs at the Alliance Medical Center, 1341 University St. tucked in behind the Healdsburg Hospital. (The best entrance for parking is off Prentice Street.)
• Wednesday November 10, 6:30 – 8 PM. Same location, at the Alliance Medical Center. If you go to the first meeting you can share your ideas and progress here. But newcomers are always welcome – there’s always something to do!

Show Up! One of the most popular ideas for the Healdsburg Jazz Festival – in fact the reason we exist – is to bring the living, breathing creative energy of jazz alive in performance. And it deserves your support.

We are arranging to have several fundraising events featuring some of the musicians who lent their names to our efforts to Save the Healdsburg Jazz Festival. These performances are the most enjoyable way to show your support, so buy your tickets to Healdsburg Jazz Festival events.

Just don’t forget to Step Up and Sign Up before you Show Up!

Jessica Felix