Every now and then we should thank our lucky stars for the many area musicians who keep us all swingin’ on a star.
Liverpool is blessed with a virtual orchestra of talented singers and instrumentalists who regularly bless us with their performances.
Dozens of them will be showcased at the 33rd annual Liverpool is The Place Summer Concert Series this year at Johnson Park.
For instance, Liverpool’s own Chuck Schiele brings his band the Salt City Chill to the park on Wednesday, June 6. The Chill also features local rock’n’roll legend Todd Hobin, who operates a recording studio a few miles north of here in B’ville.
On July 25, the classic rock band Mid-Life Crisis will include former Liverpool Police Sgt. Mike Manns on bass guitar.
Two local community combos also get the spotlight. On Monday, June 13, the Liverpool Community Chorus will vocalize show tunes and standards. And on Monday, July 2, the Liverpool Community Concert Band will perform a concert of patriotic tunes in honor of Independence Day.
School bands lineup
The free concerts presented by the Liverpool is The Place Committee begin at 7 p.m. Monday, June 4, with music by student jazz ensembles from the Liverpool Central School District.
The scholastic jazz fest invariably draws one of the biggest crowds of the summer series, but inclement weather has interfered with the outdoor show in recent years. This time around, the student jazzers will be protected by a new canopy roof installed last summer. The new roof should also many concerts to continue despite a few drizzly showers.
Anyhow, on June 4, the band lineup kicks off with the Chestnut Hill Middle School Jazz Band under the direction of Brian Tulowiecki, followed by the Liverpool Middle School Jazz Band conducted by Mary DeMauro, the Soule Road Middle School Jazz Band led by Anna Salem, the Liverpool High School Stage Band conducted by Steve Salem. And the concert will climax with the LHS Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Jim Dumas.
Big bands & Beatles
If you enjoy the sound of big bands, Utica’s Easy Money Big Band returns to Liverpool on June 20, and the Stock Market Swing Orchestra appears on Aug. 6.
Liverpool’s biggest Beatle maniac, Paul Davie, will return to Johnson Park with his BeatleCuse All-Stars on Aug. 13. The Johnson Park Beatles’ tribute will be staged more than a month after Davie presents BeatleCuse 2018 headlined by Denny Laine and Eliot Lurie on July 7, at Colloca Estate Winery, 14678 West Bay Road, in Fair Haven; beatlecause.com.
For the past 33 summers, villagers and visitors gather twice weekly at Johnson Park to listen and dance at free outdoor concerts.
The concert series concludes on Aug. 22 with the folk duo Two Feet Short.
Sponsors sought
Since 1985 when the park’s amphitheater was constructed, the Liverpool is The Place Committee has staged more than 740 concerts there. The committee, now chaired by village resident Yvette Hewitt, sells popcorn, soda and coffee at the concerts which routinely draw more than 400 music lovers.
Businesses interested in sponsoring a concert this year should contact LITP Secretary Colleen Gunnip at [email protected] or (315) 652-5029. The LITP Committee is a sub-committee of the Greater Liverpool Chamber of Commerce.
The 2018 concert series is generously supported by a grant administered by CNY Arts and funded by the New York State Council on the Arts to foster the continuing development of local cultural programs.
Last word
“Without the financial support of the local businesses in our community this concert series would not be possible.” — Liverpool Is The Place Secretary Colleen Gunnip
Contact the columnist at [email protected].
