Vocalist Jacque Tara Washington to headline Fayetteville Jazz in the Park

By Hayleigh Gowans

Staff Writer

The 16th annual Fayetteville Jazz in the Park event will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, July 14 at Beard Park in Fayetteville. The event features headlining vocalist Jacque Tara Washington, performing with Ronnie Leigh and the Fayetteville Jazz All-Stars.

Jacque Tara Washington is a professional jazz vocalist and actress who has performed jazz and one-woman acting performances in various cities throughout the world, including Japan, China, London and Martinique, as well as all across America.

All are invited to attend this free event and encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy a night of family fun. Parking is available along Route 257 and on the village streets surrounding Beard Park. Food trucks will be on hand to purchase food and refreshments, but attendees are able to bring their own picnic food.

“The concert is a community event, a traditional part of Fayetteville’s quality of life,” said Fayetteville Jazz in the Park committee volunteer Cindy Chermak. “It is an opportunity for families to gather together, enjoy a picnic in beautiful Beard Park and listen to our local musicians play some great music.”

Featured headliner Washington is a professional jazz vocalist and actress who has performed jazz and one-woman acting performances in various cities throughout the world, including Japan, China, London and Martinique, as well as all across America. She works as a licensed clinical social worker and a mental health and certified trauma therapist at the mental health clinic in Tompkins County and has her own psychotherapy practice, Renewing Your Mind Counseling and Psychological Services.

Leigh is the co-founder of Jazz in the City and also serves as artistic director for Fayetteville Jazz. He is a native of Albany and a six-time SAMMY (Syracuse Area Music Award) winner who has also been inducted into the SAMMY Hall of Fame. He has been recorded with Cabo Frio on Zebra/MCA records; with Larry Arlotta on Spirit Jazz; Prime Time Funk on Eiffle Records; live with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra and on his solo release Ronnie Leigh Live at Apple Jazz on AppleJazz Record.

For more information, email [email protected].