Quad Cities - In the Roaring 20's, Davenport, Iowa, produced a legendary jazz cornetist, pianist and composer whose worldwide fame continues to grow. His name was Leon "Bix" Beiderbecke, and his music continues to astound music lovers with the clarity of its tone, the musical imagination, and the complex piano compositions. He played with the great bands of the era—the Wolverines, Jean Goldkette, and Paul Whiteman.

Since 1972, the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival has been held annually in July to honor this unassuming young genius whose career was cut short by his death in 1931 at the age of 28. It has been named Iowa's No. 1 tourist attraction by the Iowa Department of Tourism. This year's festival will take place Thursday-Sunday, July 26-29, 2007.

Sponsored by the non-profit Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Society, and operated by volunteers, the Festival attracts the cream of dixieland, swing and other jazz-style bands from all over the U.S. and the world.

The bands to perform in 2007 are Randy Sandke's New York All Stars from New York, Bill Allred's Classic Jazz Band from Florida, Cornet Chop Suey from St. Louis, New Wolverine Orchestra from Australia, Titan Hot 7 from Florida, Uptown Lowdown Jazz from Washington, West End Jazz Band from Chicago, the Josh Duffee Orchestra from the Quad Cities, and the Creole Seranaders with Don Vappie and the New Orleans All-Stars with Duke Heitger from New Orleans.

Dick Hyman

Another highlight of the Bix Bash is performances by the Bix Youth Band. This talented group of teenagers is selected by teacher recommendations and auditions, from all Quad Cities area middle and high schools. Scholarships are awarded out of this group annually.

The Festival, held at venues throughout the Davenport area, including LeClaire Park on the banks of the Mississippi River, the Col Ballroom, the Clarion Hotel, and the Danceland Ballroom is a four-day event offering hours and hours of toe-tappin' music and fun. Fans attend from all over the world, not only to enjoy the music, but also to visit some of the places where Bix played, his boyhood home, his church and his burial place in Oakdale Memorial Gardens. Take a narrated trolley ride to these sites that is scheduled throughout the weekend.

The Bix Jazz Festival offers family entertainment and tunes of a time and era that will never die. Bix has been the subject of two movies, three major books, a Lalo Schifrin symphony, Carnegie Hall performances, selection to the International Jazz Hall of Fame, and more.

For more information and to order tickets, contact the Bix Society at 563- 324-7170 or visit their website at www.bixsociety.org .