Apparently, Mother Nature loves the N’Awlins sound.
On July 27, her dark clouds threatened but held off while KSUT-FM’s “Party in the Park’ concert with The New Orleans Suspects rocked, jazzed and rhythm and blue’d out Buckley Park. The band is a conglomeration of musicians with major pedigrees. Members have played with the Radiators, the Neville Brothers, the James Brown Band, the Meters and the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
The Suspects played a variety of Crescent City covers, selections from their own two albums and honored the late J.J. Cale, who died the day before the concert, with a moving rendition of his “Cajun Moon.” This wasn’t a song that was in their repertoire – they learned it during the sound check. That’s professional musicians for you.
Yellow Jacket, the award-winning drumming group from Ignacio, opened the concert.
Once an event is under way, it all seems to just go along smoothly. But it took 50 volunteers and staff members, the city of Durango, the Telluride Jazz Festival, Animas Trading Co., Ska Brewing Co., Montanya Distillery, Zia Taqueria and the Purple Ice Cream Truck to pull this one off.
All those folks helped KSUT clear about $10,000, but as new KSUT membership manager Chris Aaland said, the more important takeaway was 600 people having a blast while supporting their favorite public radio station.
HHH
Celebrating their birthdays under monsoon skies are Susan Johnson, Sonya Fleming, Susan Plvan, Brad Stamets, Shirley Newby, Anna McBrayer, Emily Robertson, Jim White, Sherri Gaugh, Cherie Hughes, Devyn Wells, Cameron Barnhardt, Jordan Helms, Sandy Hoel and Charlie Murphy.
And to our Irish songbird, Gemma Kavanagh, here’s wishing the top o’ the day to you!
HHH
It’s fun watching how Durango children grow up and go out into the world. In Tori Duhaime’s case, we watched her grow up on stage as a very talented dancer at Dance in the Rockies. She’s now going into her junior year at the University of Alabama, and it looks as if she has a bright future in choreography.
Duhaime is one of 11 young choreographers whose dance has been chosen – out of 250 entries – to be shown at The Dance Gallery Festival. The festival screens submissions from young choreographers around the world, and Duhaime has been invited to bring her dancers to perform at the Ailey Citigroup Theater in New York City.
They have arranged lodging in the Big Apple, but Duhaime needs to raise the money to get there and feed the dancers. She has opened a Kickstarter account to raise the $3,500 needed, and has to have it all pledged by Aug. 23 to get any of it.
To donate, visit www.kickstarter.com and search “Duhaime.”
If you want to see her work, visit www.facebook.com/ToriDuhaimeChoreography.
Building a résumé is an important part of a young artist’s career, and this is the kind of thing that can open doors. It’s also a way to help a young person from a small town make it in the big city.
She is the daughter of Walt and Shari Duhaime.
HHH
Dr. Vaughn and Karen Johnson are the proud grandparents of another promising artist, in this case, a pianist. Their grandson Douglas Rowan is one of five American students invited to participate in this summer’s Casalmaggiore International Music Festival in Italy.
Douglas, 17, will be taught by an international faculty, perform with chamber groups and twice in festival recitals as well as learn from master classes. He will also get a chance to learn some Italian and get to know the country.
The son of Molly Johnson Rowan and Dr. Matt Rowan, Douglas will be a senior this fall at Golden Valley High School in Merced, Calif. His mother graduated from Durango High School in 1982.
Won’t he have a great “What I did on my summer vacation” when he goes back to school?
HHH
This is the time of year when locals are burning up the road to attend the Santa Fe Opera. If you take my favorite route down through Chama, N.M., and Georgia O’Keeffe territory, plan to stop at the Abiquiu Inn for lunch and a look in its Galleria Arriba.
Durango artist Leonard Davies’ work is on exhibit there through Aug. 30.
Davies and his wife, Susan, were down there for the opening reception during the weekend, but the show, which features landscapes across the Four Corners, is just beginning.
I only know him as longtime attorney and music lover, but he has been painting in an expressionist style since 2000.
To learn more, visit www.abiquiuinn.com and www.LeonardDavies.com.
HHH
Congratulations to members of the Leadership La Plata Class of 2013-14. I was a member of the Class of 1991-92 (yes, I know, a dinosaur), and it was one of the great learning experiences of my adult life.
With a drum roll, the members are Amber Beye, a community organizer with San Juan Basin Health Department; Chester Brandt, a systems analyst with StoneAge Waterblast Tools; Ron Dunavant, the president of the Bayfield branch of First National Bank of Durango; Jeff Dupont, the director of recreational services at Fort Lewis College; Kelsea Ferrato, marketing manager at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory; Jordan Golson, a freelance technical writer and former Durango City Council candidate; Kim Hardesty, the owner and physical therapist of Horse Empower LLC; Petra Hinke; Dick Imig, a certified public accountant and manager of Gervais & Associates; Kirk Komick, the owner and manager of Leland House and the Rochester Hotel; Lesley Lacht, the executive director of Durango Early Learning Center; Pam Moore, the deputy director of the Regional Housing Alliance; Vaughn Morris, the chief professional officer of the Boys and Girls Club of La Plata County; Shanna Sasser; Arianna Smith, program manager for the Volunteers of America Southwest Safehouse; Louis Vito, a captain with Durango Fire & Rescue Authority; Terri Will, a broker with the Associates Group of Insurance Companies; and Briggen Wrinkle, executive director of Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado.
As the 26th class, these folks will be joining an alumni group of about 400 leaders, movers, shakers, neighbors and friends. And every single one will graduate with an understanding of how to be more effective leaders.
Congratulations to all of you.
HHH
Riding bicycles built for two for their anniversaries are Craig and Charlotte Wright, Don and Bertie Brown, Ted and Nancy Carr, Steve and Patti Dedrick, David and Terry Clark, Shawn and Leslie Slater and Richard and Diane Pratt.
HHH
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