Tuesday, July 15, 2008 • Summer Nights on the Green highlights local jazz artists
Publisher’s note: This story originally appeared in the Tuesday, July 15, 2008, edition of the Lassen County Times.
Rows of lawn chairs and blankets spread across the lawn outside of the Lassen Community College cafeteria on July 9 for Jazz Night, presented by the LCC Summer Nights on the Green performance series.
The night included an impressive lineup of local artists performing varying types of jazz, from Dixieland to progressive.
Despite the somewhat smoky skies, the substantial crowd seemed to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of the night, rhythmically clapping and tapping their feet along with the music.
Local band Dutch Treat opens the night performing old jazz standards with a modern twist.The night’s performances kicked off at 6:30 p.m. with the Susanville duo Dutch Treat, who were joined by lead singer Julianne Pepetone’s husband Michael on guitar. Julianne’s thick, sultry voice backed by bassist Thomas Braun created the perfect entrance to the evening, with modern, slinky covers of jazz favorites, as well as a few original tunes thrown in.
Following Dutch Treat’s performance was local Dixieland jazz ensemble, The Blue Garter Gang.
The Blue Garter Gang puts on an entertaining performance of traditional Dixieland-style favorites.Comprised of several members of the Susanville Symphony Orchestra, Blue Garter never disappoints, serving up sets of up-beat New Orleans and Chicago-style jazz favorites.
Saxophonist Susie Blackwood, decked out in a sparkle-covered top-hat, engaged the audience by cracking jokes between songs, most notably about the band’s seemingly-elusive blue garter.
“I don’t know, I think I lost it in the parking lot,” joked Blackwood, “if anyone finds it, give it to me, and I will put it on.”
Headlining the evening was the six-piece progressive jazz band, Eight O’clock Jazz.
Progressive jazz group Eight O’clock Jazz closes out the evening with a mix of original and cover tunes.Locals Doug Sheehy, Greg Dood, Fred Walter, Eric Toews, Bob Souter and Todd Murrary make up the set of local musicians in Eight O’clock, who took the stage, appropriately, at 8 p.m.
The band performed a mix of smooth, contemporary-style jazz, perfectly complimenting the slowly setting sun. The clarinet, played by Toews, added a beautifully crisp quality to a cover of the tune “Meditation” by famed Brazilian composer, Antonio Carlos Jobim.
In addition to other covers of popular and traditional favorites, Eight o’clock closed out the evening with a few original tunes as well.
The next free concert on the green, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 30, will feature the local Beatles tribute band, Penny Lane.
