Posted 8:23 p.m. Wednesday, June 6, 2012
The Gertrude Salzer Gordon Jazz in the Park Concert Series with the La Crosse Jazz Orchestra swings into its 38th season this summer.
Four concerts set for downtown La Crosse
The Gertrude Salzer Gordon Jazz in the Park Concert Series with the La Crosse Jazz Orchestra swings into its 38th season this summer.
The annual series kicks off at 7 p.m. Sunday, June 10, in La Crosse’s Riverside Park. Admission is free. The rain site is The Freight House.
The first of four concerts features several outstanding vocal and instrumental selections. Eau Claire actress and vocalist Cathy Reitz will be featured on several selections including Irving Berlin’s “Cheek to Cheek” and “Gold Finger,” Shirley Bassey’s hit from the James Bond series. Tom Brown will recreate trumpet virtuoso Sunny Dunham’s performance of “Memories of You.”
The concert will also feature the Wisconsin premier of Bennie Carter’s “Central City Sketches.” The multi movement work was created by Bennie Carter and premiered by the American Jazz Orchestra in 1987.
The La Crosse Jazz Orchestra is Western Wisconsin's only jazz repertory orchestra. The ensemble was formed in 1972 to perform "Jazz On A Sunday Afternoon" for the Great River Festival of the Arts Summer Concert Series. The orchestra is directed by UW-La Crosse Music Department Chair Greg Balfany.
Other concerts in the series include:
- Sunday, June 17 — 7:30 p.m., Riverside Park (rain site is The Freight House)
- Friday, July 13 — 7:30 p.m. Crazy Daze Dance Party by the Pump House, King Street (Rain Site is Grand River Station)
- Sunday, July 22 — 3 p.m. Riverside Jazz Party, featuring a special guest artist. (Rain site is Valhalla, UW-L Cartwright Center-Gunning Addition.)