It's June! June with its berries, bugs, brides and moons and, in Minot, jazz in our parks.
When our early-day residents planted trees in Oak and Roosevelt parks, little would they have envisioned how their cultural efforts would thrive and become venues for family summertime entertainment.
With the birth of the Minot Area Council of the Arts and with the desire and imagination of Terri Aldrich as executive director, everyone in Minot and for miles around enjoy an unbelievable variety of musical and visual talents, much of it for free.
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Arlene Saugstad is a freelance writer who lives in Minot.
Billed as the Integrity Jazz Festival for several years, this year, the featured jazz group will be the internationally acclaimed The Four Freshmen.
Founded back in 1945 in Indianapolis in a musical conservatory, the makeup has changed through the years but they manage to draw enthusiastic audiences wherever they perform. Vocalists, accompanied by instruments, these four gentlemen bring a sweet "open harmony" that puts them right up at the top as jazz musicians. These four will be in concert on June 18 in Roosevelt Park.
Also, that day, from noon until 6 p.m. the park will be alive with jazz. Jazzing it up will be bands like Dakota Dixie, Dakota Summit Band, Swing Band of Minot, Gentle Winds Orchestra, a student spotlight with Micah Holmen, Zane Markel, and Chris Basden, and the Doug Talley Quartet of Kansas City. Earlier in the day there will be a 5K run.
The Integrity Jazz Festival actually begins June 17 at the Vegas Motel with dance instructions from 7 to 8 p.m. and dancing from 7 to 10 p.m. There's a charge of $10 for Friday events. Saturday events are $20 for adults, $10 for 5- to 18-year-olds or free for those 4 years old and younger. If you go both days, the cost is $25 for both Friday and Saturday according to MACA's program director, Steve Veikley.
Arts in the Parks
Oak Park will virtually come alive this summer with music, artistic talents and food, Terri Aldrich predicts. All you need to do is arrive on Thursdays at 7 p.m. or Sundays at 4 or 7 p.m. and bring your cushions, chairs, blankets and buns. Terri hopes that, even though the entertainment is free, you might just like to leave coins, folding stuff, or checks in the well-placed receptacles waiting for your contributions. Your contributions help to insure continuing summer entertainment in our beautiful parks.
For years, our City Band has been a popular part of entertainment with perennial popular director, Jerry Spitzer. He has established a reputation as one who can put together a variety of whole band numbers plus spotlighting several sections like clarinet, trombone, piccolo, and trumpet.
The well-known and admired bass voice of the ebullient Hardy Leiberg has been stilled but his reputation as the popular emcee each summer will live forever in the hearts of all who knew him. Adding to your enjoyment of the music of the band comes now the showcasing of a number of local and area artists.
When the City Band plays June 12, you can have tea authentic English tea as prepared and served by Sylvia Rau. She just might have brought along some authentic English goodies too. In addition, the photographic artistry of Shaun Cunningham will be on display. On June 26, when the City Band is again in concert mode, Rita Doering's talents will be showcased.
On June 19, a Jazz Band, Dakota Summit, from Bismarck, will entertain you. On June 16 Minot's talented women, Voices of Note, promises some harmony. Avis Veikley, well-known talented artist, will display her artistry. On June 23, the International Brass Quintet will fill the parks with jazz. Judith Hovde and Kathleen Cunningham promise you visual artistry. On June 30, Minot's ever-popular Nodakords assure you they will tickle your funny bones as they clown their way vocally in concert. Proof that chronological age is utterly irrelevant, Minot's "Grandpa Moses," Richard Muhlbradt is scheduled to demonstrate his artistic talents.
Celebrating 100 years of Minot Parks it can be recorded that, since the year 2000, more than 57,000 individuals have enjoyed wonderful cultural entertainment in the parks planted long ago to add to culture in Minot. If hats could be tossed into the air at this point, the Minot Area Council of the Arts should be the "catchers" of this applause.
Theater
What would our summers be if the Minot State University's Drama Department decided not to offer us a dramatic fare out in the Summer Theatre? We can be happy that in June, there will be two productions, each starting at 8:30 p.m.
On June 14-19, Ali Davidson Smith will put on stage a cast for "The Drowsy Chaperone." Ali guarantees that the cast will figure out a way to jazz up the situation. And June 25-29, director Chad Gifford's cast for "The Pirates of Penzance" will be jazzy enough for any pirate lover. Information concerning these summer shows can be obtained by calling 858-3228.
Libraries always offer a wide selection of materials for filling some of your quiet time reading as well as exhibits and displays of local and area artists. Minot's Gordon B Olson Library and Hartnett Hall are excellent spots for viewing artistic works. The Minot Public Library, during June, is showcasing the talents of the Minot Camera Club.
Nancy Walter, executive director of the Taube Museum of Art at 2 North Main in downtown Minot, claims the museum is a busy place maybe even jazzy. In the main gallery, through June 18, Ohio photographer Herbert Ascherman has captured people and places around New Town. His exhibit is called "Native Americans-New Town Portraits." In the lower gallery, Central Campus art instructor Joan Hansen, has ceramics and paintings on exhibit.
During the summer, 2-year-olds to golden-agers will be doing their artistic thing in Taube classes. Nancy is still taking registrations so, if spending time learning and having fun appeals to you, just call her at 838-4445. You can have your cake and eat it too in one of the fun summer classes. Nancy says using things edible, you'll create something artistic, and then eat it unless of course you want to take it home, freeze it, and sometime later amaze and entertain your friends with your edible art.
Here's to a jazzy June!