MURDOCK — There may be some up‑and-coming Louis Armstrongs, Dizzy Gillespies or John Coltranes playing sweet jazz notes in area schools. Whether they’re destined for fame or just enjoy playing in their school’s jazz band, the Charlotte County Jazz Society wants to help them achieve their goals and potential.

The organization will hold a Music Fest for local middle and high school jazz bands to play and receive critiques in preparation for their upcoming state competitions. Bands from Charlotte, Port Charlotte and Lemon Bay high schools; along with L.A. Ainger and Murdock middle schools, will play at the Music Fest, which will be held Saturday at Murdock Baptist Church, 18375 Cochran Blvd.

The public is invited to come and hear the music and the critiques given by a panel of four professional musicians. There is no charge for admission.

“The bands come and spend the whole day, not just playing but also listening to the other bands and the critiques they are given, which could have advice that applies to them too,” said Ennis Bisbano, scholarship and education chairman for the CCJS.

Each band will play three songs at its appointed time:

• L.A. Ainger Middle, 10 a.m.

• Murdock Middle, 10:45 a.m.

• Charlotte High, 11:30 a.m.

• Port Charlotte High, 12:30 p.m.

• Lemon Bay High, 1:15 p.m.

The jazz society is actively involved in music education. It has sponsored the Music Fest for the past three years, as part of its education mission. Last year, the society celebrated its 20th anniversary and awarded nine scholarships to area high school seniors.

“It gets more difficult to choose the scholarship winners every year, because the quality of the applicants is always improving,” Bisbano said. “Applicants don’t have to be jazz performers necessarily, just planning to major or minor in music.”

Every few years the society takes a nine-piece jazz band into the middle schools as part of its unit on the history of jazz.

The CCJS has about 400 members. Some are musicians, while others are just interested in promoting jazz music or attending the concerts. For more information about becoming a member, visit www.ccjazz.org, or call the Jazz Hotline at 941-766-9422.

For more information about Music Fest, contact Bisbano at 941-623-0619.