<p>A previous band plays at the Seaside Jazz Festival. This is the 31st year jazz has been brought to Seaside.</p>

For 31 years, the Seaside Jazz Festival has drawn a crowd to the North Coast.  

We do a survey sheet every year and ask where they stayed, where theyve eaten, what three bands they liked … and many of the comments are, We just love coming to Seaside, said Judy Shook, co-director of the festival.

Many of these people follow the jazz circuit everywhere, Shook said. A lot of them just love the music and want to get their jazz fix.

Since its inception in 1981, the Seaside Jazz Festival has widened its focus to include more styles of jazz, said Ruth Johnson, co-director of the festival and president of the Lighthouse Jazz Society.

When the festival started, it was all Dixieland or traditional jazz the kind of jazz youd hear in New Orleans, Johnson said. Over the last three years its changed a bit. We still have the traditional jazz, but were bringing in some music that you wouldnt necessarily call traditional, though its all derived from jazz in one way or another.

One new band, in particular Dave Bennett and the Memphis Boys will bring a different spin to the traditional jazz that has long been the staple of the Seaside Jazz Festival, they said.

The rockabilly, Memphis blues-inspired band spans eras and genres: Bennett recently performed as Benny Goodman at Portlands Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and has also taught himself how to play the piano, and now hes doing Jerry Lee Lewis the way Jerry Lee Lewis did, Johnson said.

It was Bennetts Jerry Lee Lewis bit that caught Johnsons attention.

Though Lewis might not be jazz, it makes for an exciting set, Johnson said. Theyre an exciting group.

Bands like Dave Bennett and the Memphis Boys will attract a variety of music fans regardless of genre, Johnson and Shook said.

Some of the traditional jazz fans are not going to care for that particular band, but we have such a nice array of different types of music that I think anyone could find a favorite band, Johnson said.

The Seaside Jazz Festival also will feature the Titan Hot Seven, Ivory and Gold, Blue Street, Tom Rigney and Flambeau, High Sierra and guest artist Bob Draga.

Seaside High Schools jazz band will play on Sunday afternoon; Johnson wants to get musicians of all ages involved.

We want to promote the music to the youth, she said. We have been inviting the Seaside High School jazz band to come and play for probably 15 years. They get better every year. I just get goosebumps when I hear them start to play.

The Pacific Northwest has numerous jazz festivals, from Olympia to Medford to Coos Bay, but Johnson believes that Seaside stands apart.

Its just the perfect place, and its worked so well, she said. When we go to other festivals and say, Were from Seaside, other people will say, Thats my favorite.

The jazz festival kicks off at 7 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Seaside Elks Lodge with the band We Three, and the opening ceremony is at 3 p.m. Feb. 21 at the Seaside Civic and Convention Center.

The jazz festival will be held in three venues: the Elks Lodge, the convention center and the Shilo Inn Oceanfront; a free shuttle service will be available between all of the locations.

Ticket prices vary, from $95 three-day badges to $25 single-day rates and $15 for students.