OXFORD, Miss. – The 10th season of the Lafayette-Oxford-University Summer Sunset Series kicks off June 6 with the Mississippians Jazz Combo in the Grove at the University of Mississippi.
“The Summer Sunset Series is truly for the community,” said Kate Meacham, assistant director of marketing for the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts. “It’s really just an event that’s put on to entertain the people of Oxford and Lafayette County. It’s something pleasant to do on a summer Sunday evening.”
The series, produced by the L-O-U Cultural Events Committee, includes four live concerts in the Grove, each set for 7 p.m. Sundays in June. The programs are free and open to the public. Families are encouraged to bring chairs, food and drinks. In case of rain, concerts will be moved to Fulton Chapel.
Sponsored by the Ford Center, the Mississippians Jazz Combo is a septet composed of student members of the university’s premier jazz ensemble, including Jonathan Whitmire, Charlie Young, Will Lowery, Joseph Habib, Tyler Kuntz and faculty members Michael Worthy and David Carlisle. The group will perform jazz standards and original compositions in a variety of styles.
Sponsored by the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council, the “Oxford Songwriters Showcase” will feature several local musicians on June 13. These musicians will perform original songs that they have perfected in a monthly workshop at the Powerhouse Community Arts Center.
“You’re going to hear some bluegrass, country, blues and rock,” said Wayne Andrews, director of the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council. “Their styles tend to cover a little bit of everything.”
Andrews encourages families to come out and see the concerts.
“You might hear something you’ve never heard before or something a little bit different,” he said. “It’s a lot of fun. Plus, it’s family-friendly. You get to bring your blankets, bring your coolers, bring your chairs and hear great local music out in the Grove – one of the prettiest spots in the country.”
On June 20, the University Museum will sponsor a concert featuring The Blackbird Hour, a local band led by Dave Woolworth.
“The University of Mississippi Museum is thrilled to sponsor a concert by the band The Blackbird Hour,” said William Andrews, director of the museum. “It’s an opportunity to reach beyond the museum walls to support a cultural event that many people can participate in. The series is fun, it’s free, you can bring your whole family and bring a picnic dinner.”
The series closes June 27 with a performance by the Germantown Symphony Orchestra. The symphony has closed the concert series for several years, Meacham said.
For more information about the Summer Sunset Series or for assistance related to a disability, call 662-915-2787.