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   from the issue of May 5, 2005

     
 
Jazz in June concerts, market start June 7

The annual free Jazz in June concert series opens with the Nebraska Jazz Orchestra with guest Joe Locke on June 7.


Joe Locke and the Nebraska Jazz Orchestra will be the featured performers at the first Jazz in June  concert of...
 
Joe Locke and the Nebraska Jazz Orchestra will be the featured performers at the first Jazz in June concert of the 2005 season. The annual concert series begins June 7 and runs every Tuesday of the month.

 
Organized by the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery, Nebraska Art Association, Downtown Lincoln Association and UNL, the festivities - which include music, an open-air market and guided tours - are held in the Sheldon's Sculpture Garden beginning at 7 p.m., every Tuesday. Those dates are June 7, 14, 21 and 28. Concertgoers are encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs.

In conjunction with the performances, the Jazz in June Market will open at 5 p.m. on 12th and R streets. Organized by the Downtown Lincoln Association, the City of Lincoln and UNL, the market includes dinner items, fresh produce, baked goods, UNL Dairy Store ice cream and other items for purchase.

Tours of the Sheldon and guided tours of the UNL gardens are also available. All events are free and open to the public.

This year's performers are:

• June 7 - The Nebraska Jazz Orchestra with guest Joe Locke. Founded in 1975, the orchestra is one of the Midwest's premier big bands. The ensemble's concerts feature a variety of traditional big band compositions by jazz masters such as Woody Herman, Duke Ellington and Count Basie, reflecting the rich legacies of the Mississippi Basin territory bands. Featured with the orchestra will be New York vibraphonist Joe Locke. His dynamic role as in-demand sideman for some of New York's finest jazz artists, is sure to offer yet another fresh ingredient to this year's performance. For more information on these artists, go online to artsincorporated.org/NJO/ and www.joelocke.com.

• June 14 - John Jorgenson Quintet. Jorgenson is a multi-faceted talent whose accomplishments range from touring Europe as a bassoonist with a chamber orchestra, guitarist with the Grammy nominated "Desert Rose Band," and a 10-year stint with the pyrotechnical guitar band, "The Hellecasters." After an 18-month world tour with Elton John on guitar and mandolin, he pursued a solo career of original music. One of his most recent performances was on the big screen in the role of legendary Gypsy-jazz guitarist, Django Reinhardt. Having contributed soundtracks and co-starring as the great innovator in the recent movie, "Head in the Clouds," Jorgenson is currently touring with a "Hot Club" style acoustic jazz string band in which he plays both guitar and clarinet. His stop in Lincoln is prior to his appearance in Europe at the international "Samois sur Siene" Django Festival. For more information, go online to johnjorgenson.com.
 
John Jorgenson
 John Jorgenson


• June 21 - Kathy Kosins Quartet. Critically acclaimed voice, eclectic musical palette, recipient of the 2001 Michigan Council of the Arts/Art Serve Michigan Jazz Composers Award, six time ASCAP Award-winning songwriter, and jazz educator, define Kosins the artist. A torch singer with an uncanny gift of infusing a personal, romantic edge to her delivery, she brings audiences to her door and invites them into familiar standards and fresh original material. Kosins just recently signed with Warner Bros. Music and more information is available online at kathykosins.com.

• June 28 - Alaadeen and Group 21. "Legendary" would be no exaggeration to describe the award-winning traditional Kansas City Jazz Musician, Ahmad Shahid Alaadeen and Group 21, whose pedigree includes stints with Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, and Count Basie, right up through his days with Motown, scoring Billboard songwriting competitions. For more information, go online to www.alaadeen.com.

During the concerts, the Sheldon will be open and docents will be available to provide tours. Also, children can partake in the Sheldon Super Sleuth Challenge.

Along with Jazz in June t-shirts, hats and CDs by the performers, items for sale will include Pepsi products, bottled water, iced tea and Cookie Company treats.

Garden tours begin at 6 p.m. on the east side of the Sheldon and last approximately 30 minutes.

In case of rain, concerts will be held in the Sheldon's auditorium. More artist information and event details are available online at www.jazzinjune.com.

Organized by the Nebraska Art Association, KFOR is the presenting sponsor for Jazz in June. Additional sponsorship is provided by Digital IMS, Lincoln Journal Star, Jupiter Band Instruments & Ross Percussion, Takemine Guitar, Eyecare Specialities, Union Bank, the University Program Council, Dietze Music, Heartland Arts Fund, Williamson's Honda, Whitehead Oil, Embassy Suites, Yia-Yia's Pizza, That Tuning Guy, Bradley Bodywords and Subway.


Enright Garden explored in first tour of season

The first Jazz in June garden tour of the season will explore Enright Garden, near Mueller Tower.

Eileen Bergt, campus landscape architect and director of landscape services at UNL, will lead the June 7 tour. Bergt will also discuss plantings in the Arts and Science Garden, located in the courtyard surrounded by Oldfather, Burnett and Bessey halls.

All Jazz in June garden tours begin at 6 p.m. on the east side of the Sheldon Memorial Art Gallery.

The other Jazz in June garden tours are:

• June 14 - Love Library Gardens, led by Mark Canney, UNL Garden Friend board member and park planner for the City of Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department. This tour will include the perennials, trees and shrubs in the area.

• June 21 - Campus Sculptures, led by Karen Janovy, education coordinator for the Sheldon. This tour will feature sculptures located on campus, including the outdoor sculpture collection around Sheldon.

• June 28 - Donaldson Garden, led by Emily Casper, landscape architect with UNL Landscape Services. This tour will highlight the unusual and introduced (not native) plants of Donaldson Garden, located east of Love Library, between Andrews Hall and the Canfield Administration building.

A map of all university gardens - including those featured in the Jazz in June tours - is available online at http://bga.unl.edu/Tours/index.cfm#citymapMap.



GO TO: ISSUE OF MAY 5

ARTS HEADLINES FOR MAY 5

Jazz in June concerts, market start June 7
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