USCG Dixieland Jazz Band to Perform at Avon Library

The Friends of the Avon Library are pleased to welcome the USCG Dixieland Jazz Band to the library’s community room on February 18 as part of their popular Sundays at Three series. The hour-long program promises to be a rousing session of classic jazz, blues, and musical rags, all served up with a decidedly New Orleans flavor by a sextet of musicians of the highest order. The members of the group, graduates of some of the country’s finest music schools, are drawn from the 55-member United States Coast Guard Band stationed at the Coast Guard Academy in New London.

Bassist Mark McCormick, a member of the band since 1996, leads the Dixieland ensemble. He is joined by: Thomas Brown, trumpet and flugelhorn; Robert Langslet, piano; Nathan Lassell, drums; Cedric Mayfield, clarinet; and Sean Nelson, trombone. All are gifted players with impressive musical backgrounds ranging from performances with symphony orchestras, appearances at prestigious jazz festivals, and playing in venues ranging from Carnegie Hall and Tanglewood to cruise ships at sea. Audio engineer Robert Holtorff provides technical support for the group.

The United States Coast Guard Dixieland Jazz Band, organized in 1970, has entertained audiences across America, in the former Soviet Union, England, Japan, and Taiwan. Notable venues include Preservation Hall in New Orleans, Times Square in New York City, the Blue Note Club in Taipei (Taiwan), the Embarcadero in San Francisco, the John F. Kennedy Center Millennium Stage in Washington, DC, and Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The Band has appeared at prestigious Traditional Jazz Festivals in Sacramento, California; Sun Valley, Idaho; and Washington, DC. The six-member group has also performed on numerous radio and television broadcasts.

All are welcome to this special program in the Community Room of the Avon Free Public Library, 281 Country Club Road, Avon. Free tickets will be available at 2:15 P.M. on the day of the performance with seating starting at 2:30 P.M. The one-hour program begins at 3:00 P.M. Light refreshments baked by The Friends of the Library will be served and there will be an opportunity to meet the musicians following their performance.

Contact:

Patrice Celli

Avon Free Public Library pcelli@avonctlibrary.info

860-673-9712