Sep 25, 2006 5 min read

It was like a dream. It was a beautiful summer night. The sun was going down every so slowly, and there was a slight breeze in the air, just enough to take the sting out of the hot air which had enveloped the city earlier in the day.

And there was magical music playing. Sweet and swinging melodic jazz filled the air of the wondrous square, which was filled with feet tapping and heads nodding to the glorious beat of the music.

It was an outdoor concert at its best. On the stand was a band for the ages. There was Sean Jones playing his heart out on the trumpet, backed by the finest jazz musicians in the Pittsburgh area, including the always scintillating Dwayne Dolphin on bass guitar.

Keep in mind that Jones, a jazz professor at Duquesne University, is one of the best trumpet players in the world of jazz. A prot?g? of the legendary Wynton Marsalis, Jones is a lead trumpet player for the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra in New York City.

Brought to Duquesne University by the head of the school’s jazz department, Mike Tomaro of Connellsville, Jones has also several very popular jazz CDs to his credit.

I pinched myself. It was real. But where was this happening. New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Pittsburgh? No, it was happening right here in Uniontown’s Storey Square.

Thanks to the amazing efforts of the city’s Downtown Business District Authority and its acting Director Judy Vrabel, such concerts were a weekly event this past summer.

Held for the past several years, the concert series picked up steam this year with its move to the renovated Storey Square and the addition of nighttime shows, which attracted an estimated 700 to 800 people, doubling the attendance of concerts previously held at noon.

Admission was free and various local vendors sold food. There was some seating but many people brought their own chairs.

Among the performers this year were such local stalwarts as Sammy Bill Orchestra, the VFW Post 47 Band, Snap, the Area 51 Band, Uniontown Chorale & Scottdale Band, and the Harold Betters Trio and Quiet Storm, which each performed twice, including a sensational twin bill to close out the series.

In addition, there were also concerts by Mountain View Bluegrass, the Joe Negri Trio, and Jones.

“We like to try and have all types of music, and we like to have the local bands. There are so many good local musicians, and we don’t want to exclude them,’ said Vrabel.

“But we also like to get some bigger names here and there like Joe Negri and Sean Jones.’

And while Vrabel is looking to have bigger and better concerts next year, the only problem is that the authority has to rely on sponsors and donations to pay the bills.

The city does pay Vrabel’s part-time salary, but the authority is on its own after that.

“I don’t think that people know it, but we start from scratch every year,’ said Vrabel. “We realize that the city has more important things to fund, so we rely on the sponsors to help us pay for the concerts. Without the sponsors, we wouldn’t be able to have the concerts.’

In addition to increasing the number of sponsors, Vrabel said the authority is looking into the possibility of soliciting contributions from individual donors in lieu of perks such as free parking.

“We are thinking of forming some type of Friends of Storey Square group to offset our costs,’ said Vrabel. “We also might have Boy Scouts pass a hat around for donations. We’re looking at different options.’

Anyone wanting more information on sponsoring a concert can call Vrabel at 724-430-2909. In addition, Vrabel is also in need of volunteers to help out with the concerts.

“We can always use an extra hand to help out with things,’ said Vrabel. “And we’re always open to all new ideas and suggestions for different types of concerts.’

All in all, Vrabel said things are definitely on the upswing for the city’s downtown area. She notes that the authority’s Arts in the City festival, scheduled for today from 11 a.m. til 6:30 p.m., has grown from 40 stands a couple of years ago to 65 this year, featuring a number of top-notch artists and craftspeople.

In addition, the festival will have more food booths and musicians than before. The entertainment will start at 11:30 with Snap followed by Zen with the Harold Betters Trio closing out the festival from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Also during the day, Joel Adams, a local bagpiper, will stroll the streets.

“It’s a lot of work, but it’s a lot of fun. I enjoy what I’m doing,’ said Vrabel. “A lot of businesses are contributing and even if it’s a small amount, it all adds up. It’s good to see everyone coming together to support things like this. I think everyone’s getting more involved with what’s going on downtown, and that’s good to see.’

Mark O’Keefe is the executive editor of the Herald-Standard. He can be reached at mo’keefe@heraldstandard.com or by phone at 724-439-7569.