The First Annual Grand Bahama Island Jazz, Rhythm & Blues Festival will be held September 23-26, 2004, and will feature Lou Rawls, The Stylistics, Roy Ayers, The Impressions, the Edwin "Apple" Elliott Quartet, and Ambasah Jazz and Caribbean Band.

Discovery Cruise Line sails daily from Ft. Lauderdale to Grand Bahama Island and is offering special packages for festival-goers. Prices per person, double occupancy, for a four-day, three-night stay at the Crowne Plaza are from $279.99 at the Country Club and from $299.99 at the Tower. The same package at the Sheraton is from $359.99 and at the Westin from $419.99.

All packages include admission tickets to all scheduled concerts, and there will be jazz entertainment on board Discovery during the cruise to and from Grand Bahama. The entertainment will include the "Apple" Elliott Quartet on certain cruises.

Prices do not include the Bahamas Departure Fee and fuel surcharge ($18), or the Security and U.S. Immigration User Fee ($10).

According to Hanns J. Hahn, General Manager of Discovery, "There are literally dozens of flights every day to Ft. Lauderdale from the northeast, and Discovery sails every day to Grand Bahama, so the trip for northern jazz enthusiasts is almost as easy as it is for those of us who live in South Florida."

Discovery sails daily from Ft. Lauderdale to Grand Bahama Island and offers Fun Day Cruises and Cruise 'N Stay Vacation Packages to most resorts on Grand Bahama, including Westin, Sheraton, Wyndham, Best Western and Crowne Plaza.

Discovery passengers enjoy lavish breakfast and lunch buffet meals on the cruise to the island and all the amenities of a traditional cruise. They depart early morning and arrive in the afternoon to enjoy the rest of the day in the Bahamas. On the day of return they can enjoy a full morning and early afternoon on island before boarding for the return cruise, where they will be treated to a lavish buffet dinner, a Las-Vegas style casino, entertainment, shows, and more.