Jazz In The Park Happens This Friday

Downtown Christiansted will come alive with the sound of music this Friday when Community Music Inc. puts on its monthly Jazz in the Park concert.

The concert will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, August 30, inside the Bandstand on the lawn of Fort Christiansvaern. This event is free and open to the entire community, and parking will be available in the National Park Service parking lot, which will remain open until 8 p.m.

The musical lineup includes:
• Shane Laurence on the Trumpet! Shane Laurence is a former student of Mario Thomas and a current student of the University of the Virgin Islands! Shane Laurence is the second performer in the Jazz in the Park Youth Showcase!
• The Community Music Band, featuring renowned trumpet virtuoso Eddie Russell. Joining the Community Music Band will be Stanley Jacobs on the Flute and/or Bronco Hendricks on the Saxophone, both artists join us from the world renowned Ten Sleepless Knights! The Community Music Band will perform its usual crowd-pleasing fusion of Jazz, Salsa and Quelbe.

The Jazz in the Park monthly concert series is held on the last Friday of each month and produced by Community Music Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation that promotes social harmony and educational enrichment through music.

Since its inception in 2013, Jazz in the Park concerts have evolved into “must-see” and “be-seen” events — drawing well over 300 attendees to the Historic Christiansted Downtown. On concert nights, the lawn on the waterfront becomes a sea of blankets, chairs, coolers and families enjoying a carefree night of music and fun. The National Park Service has also been more than cooperative in helping these events happen by keeping their parking lot and facilities open for concert goers to use.

The free community concerts are funded solely by donations. Businesses wishing to make a tax-deductible contribution or residents seeking to volunteer should visit www.communitymusicinc.org or email [email protected] or contact Edwin “Eddie” Russell at 340-227-3914.