The Uptown Lowdown jazz band of Bellevue, Wash., is among the groups that will be highlighted during the inaugural Mesquite Jazz Festival July 15-17 at the CasaBlanca resort.

Bert and Rose Marie Barr travel around the world playing in a jazz band called Uptown Lowdown. Their thousands of miles of travel have included engagements on cruise ships with stops all over the world. The Barr’s band will be among those featured July 15-17 when the inaugural Mesquite Jazz Festival is presented at the CasaBlanca Resort.

If it is true that music keeps a person young, the 67 year-old Bert Barr seems 20 years younger probably because of his never-ending schedule.

“It definitely keeps your mind active,” he said.

Barr’s interest in traditional jazz actually began in grammar school where he started playing the trumpet. At the University of Oregon in 1966, he started the Emerald City Jazz Band while also earning a degree in music before moving in 1971 to Seattle where he started the Lowdown Jazz Band.

Rose Marie plays the piano. She is at home performing solo anywhere while also playing an important role with the Uptown bands which concentrate on Ragtime, Dixieland and swing music.

Other band members include Paul Woltz, a former Southern Californian now living in Lynnwood, Wash., who plays the soprano and bass sax; Art Horgen, another Lynnwood resident who plays the tuba; Al La Tourette, a banjo player from Belleview, Wash., and Tom Jacobus of Kent, Wash., who plays the trombone.

The schedule at the CasaBlanca will include 40-minute sets starting at 1:30 p.m. July 15 in the CasaBlanca Showroom with four different celebrated jazz bands including the LowDown.Forty-five minute sets begin again at 7 p.m.

On Saturday, July 16, the festival begins at 10 a.m. with music almost non-stop until about 11 p.m.

The Grand Finale July 17 will include a Gospel Hour starting at 9 a.m. to be followed by more sets from the featured bands.

Further information can be found by visiting www.mesquitejazz.com or by calling the CasaBlanca at 877-438-2829. One, two and three-day festival passes are available starting at $25.