A Jazz Party for the Ages — and for Dunedin’s Future
by Avery Anderson
If you think jazz and the 1980s don’t mix, you haven’t heard La Lucha make a synth anthem swing.
This Thursday, Oct. 23, the Tampa Bay trio will bring their joyful, genre-bending sound to The Fenway Hotel for an ’80s Jazz Party — joined by powerhouse vocalist Allison Nash and fueled by a purpose beyond the music. Proceeds from the night support Dunedin Public Theater’s campaign to build a permanent home for the arts — a space where theater, music, dance, and film can thrive together in one creative hub.
For Dunedin, it’s more than a venue. It’s a statement: that local art deserves roots as deep as its community’s passion. The organization has been presenting plays and concerts in borrowed spaces for years, relying on pop-ups and partnerships to keep the lights on. This fundraiser marks a crucial step toward turning that nomadic spirit into something lasting.
“These are songs that we grew up listening to,” La Lucha says. “It’s a blast to play them in a way that ties into our vocation as jazz musicians.”
Expect a dance floor full of nostalgia — and reinvention. Known for their improvisational flair and sense of play, the group says even familiar tunes find new life each time they perform. “We’ve played these songs many times before, but they continue to evolve and go in new and exciting directions,” they add. “Adding Allison to this mix will most definitely bring them to new heights.”
For La Lucha, this show is as much about connection as it is about celebration. “Unfortunately, we are living in a time when arts are terribly undervalued,” they say. “It’s incredibly important for artists and patrons to support each other. We wouldn’t be able to do this without the support of the community.”
So, yes — come for the piano, guitar, or drum solos and shoulder pads. But stay for something bigger: the chance to help build Dunedin’s cultural future, one jazz riff at a time.
If You Go:
🎷 80’s Jazz Party featuring La Lucha with special guest Allison Nash
📍 The Fenway Hotel, Dunedin
🗓 Thursday, Oct. 23, 6:30–9:00 p.m.
🍸 Welcome drink, flatbread display, and cash bar
🎟 Tickets: dunedinpublictheater.org