CHESTER - The Harv will be filled with sounds saluting the brave men and women who have kept America free on Thursday evening.
The Jazz Ambassadors of the United States Army Field Band will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort's amphitheater for "The Freedom Concert: A Salute to Veterans."
The approximately one-hour, 15-minute show will recognize the brave men and women who have served America.
The performance is sponsored by the Herald-Star, The Weirton Daily Times, The (East Liverpool) Review, the (Lisbon) Morning Journal and Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack and Resort.
It will be the only indoor concert of the summer for the Jazz Ambassadors. An area color guard will help open the show, and three students from area high schools - Francesca Torini of Steubenville High School and Austin Wade and Nicholas Harris, both of East Liverpool High School - will have the opportunity to join the band in a musical selection.
A big draw of the event is the band's "Armed Forces Salute," which specifically honors the veterans, recognizing those who fought bravely for freedom and liberty - a sacrifice that is often forgotten or taken for granted.
Alex Marshall, publisher of the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times, said the patriotic sounds of the band always make for an incredible show.
"We're happy to be teaming with the folks at Mountaineer, The Morning Journal and The Review to bring their Big Band sound to a large portion of Eastern Ohio and the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia," said Marshall.
The Jazz Ambassadors is comprised of 19 members and was formed in 1969.
Their performances include custom compositions and arrangements that showcase the musical talents of its members. Musical styles include: Big Band swing, bebop, Latin, contemporary jazz, Dixieland and a number of patriotic selections and more.
In addition to touring the states, the band has appeared in Canada, Mexico, Japan, India and throughout Europe. It has played at international jazz festivals in Montreux, Switzerland; Newport, R.I.; Brussels, Belgium; and the North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands. In addition, in 1995 it performed in England, Wales, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Czech Republic to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The cost is free and all seating is general admission and will be first-come, first-served on the floor as well as the bleachers. In addition, there will be a free commemorative program handed out to attendees at the event.
For tickets and additional information, call Cindy Kotsch, special events and marketing coordinator for the Herald-Star and The Weirton Daily Times, at (740) 283-4711, extension 215. Information on the United States Army Field Band can be found at www.armyfieldband.com.
(Kins can be contacted at jkins@heraldstaronline and followed via his @jkinsHS Twitter account.)
