MUSIC IS ALIVE IN VAN WERT! USAF BAND FREE PERFORMANCE AT NPAC
Music feeds our soul and is a grand celebration of life. When that life giving opportunity is free, we rejoice! Shouts of joy are in order as the unique opportunity to experience The United States Air Force Shades Of Blue Jazz Ensemble will be available to 1200 individuals in the region on Monday, September 9 at 7:30 P at the Niswonger Performing Arts Center. This Big Band Concert featuring the music of Glenn Miller and other favorites from the big band era is a FREE ticketed event to our revered people of Van Wert County and beyond. Free tickets will be available beginning Monday, August 5th from the Niswonger Box Office. Simply call 419-238-6722 to reserve your seats or visit the Box Office between Noon - 4P, Monday through Friday.
The Shades of Blue Jazz Ensemble is a group of 18 professionally enlisted musicians from the USAF Band of Flight (Wright-Patterson AFB, OH) and the USAF Band of Mid-America (Scott AFB, IL) whose repertoire ranges from traditional big band jazz, to bebop and swing, to modern jazz. Several of the band's members are also gifted composers and arrangers, and their compositions are often featured in concert.The band has backed many jazz greats such as Tex Benecke, Denis DiBlasio, Jamey Aebersold, Mike Smith, Bobby Shew, Allen Vizzutti, Jeff Jarvis, Mike Vax, Vaughn Nark, Bill Porter, Carmen Bradford, Shelley Berg, Joe Morello, Steve Houghton and Walt Levinsky. Furthermore, the ensemble is often requested for featured performances at jazz clinics and festivals throughout the country. Occasionally, the Shades of Blue marches onto home plate to perform national anthems for Chicago White Sox Major League Baseball games, or onto center court to perform for Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks National Basketball Association games.
Whether performing for a head of state, before a capacity crowd in northern Wisconsin or for our troops at home and abroad, the Shades of Blue reflects the heritage and pride of our great nation and the United States Air Force. It will be a grand celebration of music as we share in the gratitude of freedom - the freedom of musical expression - and the ability to enjoy it for FREE, together in the splendor of the Niswonger Performing Arts Center.