to hear of Jazz Quest '99.

Sponsored by the National Educational Council, the event on Saturday will feature a jam session with the National Youth Jazz Ensemble directed by Wendell (Shine) Hayward and the Island's top musicians.

Jazz Quest '99 will be held at the Sandys Middle School Amphitheatre from 7.30 p.m. to midnight.

The event is a fund raiser to take the ten to 15 members of the Ensemble to a music camp at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville between July 5 and 10.

Featured artist will be American saxophonist Reggie Harmon and local artists include Gandhi Burgess, Gita Blakeney and Robert Edwards, and Ron Lightbourne.

The Youth Jazz Ensemble is made up of students from both public and private schools and the Bermuda College and others out of school.

Chairman of the NEC, Melvin Bassett said the organisation wanted to encourage young people's interests in the arts and wanted to reform the National Youth Orchestra.

"The Jazz Ensemble is almost an entity in itself, but it was formed to be a part of the Orchestra,'' Mr. Bassett said.

Jazz Quest '99 is also part of activities between June 19 and August 1, sponsored by The Season of Remembrance organised by the Fort William Development Foundation.

The Season of Remembrance will also feature a ceremony to honour victims and survivors of the middle passage of the slave trade on July 3 and emancipation on August 1.

Spokesman Corin Smith said the Season of Remembrance is an action group for young people to encourage them to study history.