The Champaign County Arts Council once again will present a Concerts in the Park series, with entertainment dates starting in Urbana and ending in St. Paris. All concerts are free. Music lovers may wish to bring outdoor chairs or blankets. The schedule is:
*7 p.m. June 25: Pam Noah Swing Band at Melvin Miller Park, Urbana
*7 p.m. July 4: Phil Dirt & the Dozers at Grimes Field, Urbana
*7 p.m. July 10: The Coteries at Melvin Miller Park, Urbana
*3 p.m. July 16: Daniel Dye and the Miller Road Band at Art Affair on the Square, downtown Urbana
*6 p.m. Aug. 14: The Average Wright Band at Harmon Park, St. Paris
*6 p.m. Aug. 28: Trombones Plus at At Harmon Park, St. Paris
Sponsors
The sponsors of the concert series are:
*Champaign County Memorial Foundation
*The Charles F. Johnson Family
*Fonda Lou Eaton
*Brett Gilbert
*The Grimes Foundation
*Johnson Welded Products
*The Medicine Shoppe
*The Peoples Savings Bank
In addition, The Peoples Savings Bank and the Champaign County Memorial Foundation are the featured sponsors of the appearance of Phil Dirt & the Dozers.
Biographies
The Arts Council provided the following bios of the groups:
Pam Noah and Her Swing Band
Pam Noah and Her Swing Band began in 1994 as an off-shoot of the Queen City Big Band in Cincinnati. Pam began signing professionally in 1986 and has performed in many U.S. venues as well as on USO tours. Don Littman, a major supporter of this smaller band effort, enlisted the help of noted arranger Dale Burke to write arrangements for the band, roughly half of which feature Pam as a vocalist. The band consists of one trumpet, one trombone, three saxes, piano, bass, and drums.
The band features some of the best musicians in the Cincinnati area. At some point in their careers, the musicians have performed in traveling bands. Some of their past credits include Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, Ruth Lyons, Rosemary Clooney, and the Bob Braun Show. For more, visit www.pamnoah.com
Phil Dirt & the Dozers
We all need a throwback to remind us of where we came from and why our future rests on the foundation of the past. A Phil Dirt and the Dozers show will take you right back to classic Rock n’ Roll’s golden age, a spiritual place often revisited by modern day superstars for inspiration and direction.
For years, Phil Dirt and the Dozers have been praised, honored and downright loved by people everywhere. From their rise in Columbus in 1981, the Dozers have kept their eyes keenly focused on musical perfection, quality, and entertaining their audiences. Standing ovations, encores, fun, laughter and repeat performances are the “norm” for the Dozers. Their seasoned wit, extraordinary talent, musical excellence and artful versatility have granted them a place among the best nostalgic Rock n’ Roll bands in their genre. For more info, visit www.phildirt.com
The Coteries
If the road can teach you anything, it is the difference between what you need and what you don’t. Born out of the midst of an 11,000-mile North American road trip, The Coteries bring you Folk Rock music steeped in their travels and the back roads of the American countryside. Just two summers ago the female-fronted trio found their footing behind the wheel of their old VW Bus, Trusty Rusty. Aside for some freezing August nights in the mountains of Wyoming and Montana, it was the best decision of their lives.
With over 150 shows in their inaugural year, they’re continuing their momentum into 2016. Donning acoustic guitars, a mandolin, harmonicas and a stomp box, The Coteries are eagerly anticipating the release of their first full-length album this Summer. For more info, visit www.thecoteries.com
Daniel Dye and the Miller Road Band
Daniel Dye, raised in Champaign County, spent a good part of the last decade writing songs as he backpacked his way around the world, living in China, Germany and Poland. After returning to the United States, he began jamming with his nephews and niece, the musical Miller siblings, bringing their sensibilities as young musicians to his own tunes. Over time, sing-a-longs at family get-togethers and weekly gigs at Mechanicsburg’s farm market began growing into something more serious. The Millers, classically trained in the cello, viola and violin, added a more sophisticated sound to Dye’s guitar and harmonica. The banjo, mandolin, accordion and cajon were soon mixed in and the Miller Road Band was officially formed.
Dye’s songs have been influenced by folk, bluegrass, rock, blues, jazz, classical, country and gospel and his tunes combine these genres.
The band’s first album, “Daniel Dye featuring the Miller Road Band,” has gained momentum in central/southwest Ohio with radio airplay on NPR affiliates 91.3 WYSO (Yellow Springs) and 90.5 WCBE (Columbus). The MRB is featured on about half of the 14-song album, while the other half is Dye alone with the banjo or guitar, as he also tours as a solo artist.
Dye and his family created the annual Madden Road Music Festival in Mutual.
The Average Wright Band
Tom Downs (lead guitar and Vocals), Jim Browning (Bass and Vocals) and John C. Wright (Drums and Vocals) comprise a really cool rock-n-roll boogie woogie and blues band.
Trombones Plus
Trombones Plus is an easy listening jazz ensemble featuring five trombones plus piano, bass and drums. The group performs a wide variety of popular, patriotic and jazz standards. From Gershwin to Jobim to Ellington, all arrangements feature that warm, vibrant, mellow, smooth and soulful Trombone sound.
Trombones Plus was formed in the mid-’70s by a group of former OSU Marching Band members. The current group includes one of the founding members, Joe Riedel, as well as three additional former OSU band members, Bob Grossman, Wayne Rickert and John Amerman.
Trombones Plus has performed more than 400 concerts and events in and around Central Ohio over the past 30 years. While the leaders and the personnel have changed, the group continues to entertain audiences with the jazz/big band sound. With a repertoire of popular songs that appeals to all ages, always presented with good humor, Trombones Plus has become a crowd favorite.
