Storey Square series to end season with Harold Betters, Quiet Storm
Harold Betters and Quiet Storm will play from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday during the finale for this year’s Storey Square Summer Concert series in Uniontown. The Titlow Tavern and Grill will provide a light dinner at a cost. Betters, who is known as “Mr. Trombone” has enjoyed a music career spanning more than four decades. He is admired and respected by fellow musicians, friends and fans nationwide, according to information provided on his Web site www.haroldbetters.com.
A native of Connellsville, Betters credits his success to his parents who owned and operated one of the area’s hottest jazz spots.
He performed at The Encore in Shadyside for so many years that it became known as “The House that Betters Built.”
His appearances at renowned nightspots are too numerous to mention, but a few include Pittsburgh’s Holiday House, Shaker Heights Virginian, Cleveland’s Theatrical Grill and the Cabana Club’s Nero’s Nook in Palo Alto, Calif.
With more than a dozen albums and CDs to his credit, Betters can be heard on jazz radio stations and many area clubs. He continues to be a favorite of sports fans by playing regularly at Pittsburgh Steeler games.
Betters has performed with musicians Louis Armstrong, Al Hirt, Slide Hampton and Ramsey Lewis. The Harold Betters Quartet toured with Ray Charles.
He has appeared on several television shows, including “The Tonight Show,” “Merv Griffin” and “Michael Douglas,” as well as on local TV programs in Pittsburgh, Cleveland and San Francisco.
His formal musical training was received at Ithaca College and Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. Betters contributes mastery to his craft to the future by conducting jazz clinics, seminars and workshops on the campuses of Indiana, Penn State, Pitt and West Virginia University.
Joining together based on their love of jazz music, Quiet Storm was formed in August 2005. The group includes 30 years of combined musical experience, talent and abilities.
The group includes Stan Ramsey on drums, Tony Jefferson on trumpet, Ted Martin on saxophone, Cyndie King on Violin and keyboards and Daniel Wilson on bass guitar. Along with the instrument sounds, the group also offers a variety of vocal sounds.