The 14th annual city-sponsored Summer Music Festival of Thursday night concerts in front of City Hall — perhaps City Hall’s most popular ongoing promotion— unfurls one month from tomorrow.
Cuban vocalist Iliana Rose will open the eight-week schedule that is liberally peppered with new attractions.
Entrepreneur/musician Gary Mandell of Boulevard Music, credited with turning the concert series into a walloping success, returns as the mastermind.
Changing Locations?
With 700 to 800 aficionados of various genres of music turning out for each concert, the Music Festival has passed through several configurations in recent years — generally related to downsizing.
For economic reasons, the present smaller format was adopted last year.
The City Council last week rejected a proposition to re-grow the concert schedule to 11 dates, compromising by adding one date for next summer.
With the greatly enlarged and enhanced Towne Plaza due to be completed by late next year, Councilman Andy Weissman suggested that City Hall consider transferring concert dates to the Plaza for the summer ’10 season.
Here is the full schedule for this summer for the two-hour concerts that start at 7 o’clock:
Thursday, July 10
Iliana Rose, Cuban singer, and her ensemble features horns and percussion.
Thursday, July 17
Dean Mora and His Orchestra — The 17-member group, a classic Big Band, specializes in sounds from the 1930s and
‘40s.
Thursday, July 24
Leroy Thomas and the Zydeco Roadrunners — Contemporary Cajun, Creole and Zydeco by this Texas group.
Thursday, July 31
Venice — ‘70s Classic Rock with Lennon Sisters Clan vocals and surprises, Mr. Mandell promises.
Thursday, Aug. 7
The Iguanas — A New Orleans group with bolero/cumbia grooves, featuring bajo sexto.
Thursday, Aug. 14
Barbara Morrison — Popular jazz and blues artist, accompanied by her band.
Thursday, Aug. 21
The Infamous Stringdusters — Progressive bluegrass with virtuosic playing and entertaining harmonies.
Thursday, Aug. 28
The only doubleheader attraction:
Soul/rhythm and blues vocalist Ruthie Foster and her band, plus Batdorf & Stanley, playing classic acoustic/pop featuring harmonies by two old pros.
