Pavilion to host jazz festival
The Woodland Zoo’s Herald-Standard Pavilion is mostly known for hosting country musicians, but that will change on Saturday, Sept. 24, when the Fayette County Jazz Festival will be held there. “We’ve had several country music shows, and they did OK,’ said Sonny Herring, owner of the Route 40, Wharton Township facility. “But we felt like we should reach out and try some other types of music too.
“We want to be a place with all different types of music. We want to try and have something for everyone,’ added Herring. “We had an oldies concert during the summer, and we did great with that so we’re excited about trying this and seeing how it goes.’
The concert is being sponsored by the Herald-Standard, and Publisher Val Laub noted that a portion of the proceeds will benefit the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The Herald-Standard has been partnering with Bartolotta’s Giant Eagle in Uniontown and Blaney Farms to help those suffering in the aftermath of the hurricane.
Giant Eagle patrons have been donating various items purchased at the store for the victims. Blaney Farms will then pack the items in a 43-foot long trailer and drive to the area hit by the hurricane for those in need. The Herald-Standard is helping to pay for the transportation costs and money raised by the concert will be used for that purpose.
“We’re glad to be part of the jazz festival. We hope we can make it an annual event,’ said Laub. “And we’re pleased that we’re going to be helping the people who have suffered so much from the hurricane.’
The festival will feature six bands, including Connellsville’s own Harold Betters. Still going strong at the age of 77, the legendary trombone player has played with such jazz greats over the years as Louis Armstrong, Al Hirt, Slide Hampton, Ramsey Lewis and Urbie Green.
Other local performers playing at the festival will be keyboard player Bobby Reed and singer Susan Lee. The pair were a popular act years ago and they were recently reunited. They performed earlier this summer in Uniontown as part of the Storey Square Summer Lunch Series.
Here’s a tentative schedule for the festival:
– 1 p.m., Five Guys Named Moe.
– 2:20 p.m., Kenny Blake.
– 4 p.m., Bobby Reed Jazz Quartet.
– 5:20 p.m., Roger Humphries.
– 6:40 p.m., Salsamba.
– 8 p.m., Harold Betters.
Tickets are $12 and will go on sale Wednesday at the Herald-Standard, Woodland Zoo and various other outlets. In the event of bad weather, the festival will be held at the newly renovated State Theatre Center for the Arts in Uniontown.
For more information, call the Herald-Standard at 724-439-7500 or the Woodland Zoo at 724-329-8664.