Mondays in the Park Concerts Begin July 8

Mondays in the Park Concerts Begin July 8

Summer concert series in Liberty Park features music, crafts

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Arts & Museums is pleased to announce the performance schedule for the 2013 Mondays in the Park summer concert series. Featuring Utah artists and presented by Excellence in the Community and Utah Arts & Museums, these events feature music and dance performances rooted in the traditions of Utah’s ethnic communities.

“Mondays in the Park concerts are a wonderful summer tradition,” said Utah Arts & Museums Director Lynnette Hiskey. “We have an excellent lineup of performing artists this year, featuring blues, flamenco, Polynesian, East Indian, Vietnamese, Latino, American Indian and Brazilian music and dance. We encourage everyone to bring lawn chairs, friends and family to join us for outdoor evenings celebrating Utah’s rich cultural heritage. This year we’ve also invited a selection of local craft artists to participate and display their work.”

Mondays in the Park concerts are held selected Mondays in July and August at 7:00 p.m. on the front porch of the Chase Home Museum of Utah Folk Arts, located in the center of Salt Lake City’s Liberty Park. Attendees can enter the park from 900 South or 1300 South at about 600 East. The series begins July 8 and runs through August 19, 2013.

July 8 - Harry Lee and the Back Alley Blues Band

Harry Lee and his band formed 18 years ago under the moniker “The Part Timers” to host a Sunday blues jam at The Old Bottling House. The Back Alley Blues Band was born when Harry struck out from the jam to entertain under his own flag. Harry has been entertaining in Utah and all over the West his entire adult life and recently finished a European tour.

July 15 - Tablado Flamenco Dance Troupe

Tablado was founded in 2001 by Solange Gomes and Jim Moreno. The company combines the vigor and passion of traditional flamenco with the vitality of the modern style through unique arrangements made by this authentic cuadro flamenco. Tablado’s concerts blend aesthetics, meld genres and connect with audiences.

July 22 - Island Time II

Island Time II plays songs from a wide variety of musical traditions, but always adds an authentic Polynesian vibe. Combining music and dance, Island Time II brings the sense of aloha to every performance. The band started in Gardena and Carson, California, and has performed throughout the United States and Canada, including regular involvement in Hawaii with the Polynesian Cultural Center, International Market Place, Duke Kahanamoku’s and Don the Beachcomber’s.

July 29 – Sudha’s Indian Classical Dance Group and Lac Viet Band

Bharatha Natyam is one of the oldest dances from the southern part of India. This 2,000-year-old art form has been an effective means of connecting people and has survived centuries of social and political upheaval. Sudha received a fellowship award in 2006 and was a master teacher for the Idaho Commission on the Arts. The Lac Viet Band was formed by Lan Nguyen, formerly a principal dan tranh player for the Saigon Opera. She was the first Vietnamese dan tranh player to learn Western music notation and apply it to the transcription of Vietnamese folk songs. She studied both in Vietnam's National Music School and in Japan, and then taught other young Vietnamese immigrants to play the instruments she had learned.

August 5 – Mariachi Sol de Jalisco and Ballet Folklorico de las Americas

Mariachi Sol de Jalisco plays traditional tunes and songs made popular by famous Mexican singers; Ballet Folklorico de las Americas is one of Utah’s oldest Latin American folk dancing groups. Mariachi Sol de Jalisco began more than 20 years ago in Jalisco when Jose Orozco Martinez taught his six small children to play the violin, guitar, vihuela and other instruments. Ballet Folklorico was formed in 1979 and represents the cultural heritage of Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.

August 12 – Nino Reyos and the Twoshields Dance Troupe

Nino Reyos is a member of the Northern Ute and Laguna Pueblo Indian Nations. He has performed throughout the United States, including at the Indian summer gathering in Milwaukee, WI. Nino was one of five flute players selected to be part of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games Opening Ceremonies. His third CD was released in the spring of 2004 and won an International Telly award and received a Native American Music Award nomination.

August 19 – Evening in Brazil

Join musicians Mike Christiansen, Eric Nelson, Christopher Neale, Linda Linford, Lars Yorgason, Don Keipp and Jason Nicholson for Brazilian music from the Bossa Nova movement. This show includes the classics of Antonio Carlos Jobim (1927-1994), a Grammy Award-winning Brazilian songwriter, composer, arranger, singer and guitarist. Music from other contemporary Brazilian composers will showcase the diverse regional rhythms of Brazil.

About Utah Arts & Museums

Utah Arts & Museums is a division of the Utah Department of Heritage and Arts with a goal to promote innovation in and the growth of Utah’s arts and culture community. The division provides funding, education, and technical services to individuals and organizations statewide so that all Utahns, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or economic status, can access, understand, and receive the benefits of arts and culture. Additional information on the programs and services can be found at artsandmuseums.utah.gov or by calling 801.236.7555.