Solvang is literally rolling out the red carpet for the first ever Solvang Jazz Festival. The kickoff event, Swingin’ the Groove, is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, at the Solvang Veterans Memorial Hall. Arriving guests will walk the red carpet to enter a world that is reminiscent of the big band ballrooms.

“It will be a theme party, with people dressed up in their finest duds, seated at elegantly decorated tables, with wonderful food, complimentary wine, dancing, even cigarette girls, only instead of cigarettes, they will offer corsages and boutonnieres for sale,” said Ron Colone, speaking on behalf of the Universal Guild for Jazz & Progressive Music the producer and promoter of the event. Colone added: “the party will feature Frank Capp & Juggernaut with Ernie Andrews, an incredible 17-piece band which includes some of the best jazz musicians around, people who have played with and been in the Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Count Basie Orchestra, Dizzy Gillespie’s band, and more.” Capp has performed with everyone from Stan Kenton to Stan Getz, Ella Fitzgerald to Art Pepper, Harry James to Benny Goodman, while Andrews is best known for his work with Cannonball Adderly and Benny Carter.

“Swingin’ the Groove,” will be the first of four concerts to be held at four different venues over a two day period, Sept. 28 to 29.

Immediately after the festivities at the Vets Hall the festival moves down the street to the Royal Scandinavian Inn, the site of A Hip Improvisational Evening of Jazz, featuring the Taylor Eigsti Trio with vocalist Barbara Morrison. This sublime evening of nightclub jazz will begin at 9 p.m. and wrap up around midnight.

The Solvang Jazz Festival is the brainchild of internationally renowned jazz artist and producer Stix Hooper, and is being presented through his nonprofit educational foundation, UGJPM, whose mission is to preserve, honor and acknowledge America’s indigenous musical art form — jazz.

Gourmet food for “Swingin’ the Groove” will be provided by New West Catering, with fine wines donated by many Santa Ynez Valley wineries. There will also be a host bar and historical information related to jazz icons.

Tickets and information for Swingin’ the Groove and A Hip Improvisational Evening of Jazz and other Solvang Jazz Festival events are available at The Book Loft in Solvang, Corner House Coffee in Los Olivos, or at www.solvangjazz .com.

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The first ever Solvang Jazz Festival is sponsored in part by Comcast Cable, Chumash Casino and Resort and Michael Stars.

For more information, call Ron Colone at 688-0383, e-mail rcworld@silcom.com or call Brenda Vanderloop at 1-425-481-3274; e-mail jazzinfo@solvang jazz.com.