KASU Launches “Jazz Thursday” Jan. 24 with “Caprice”
JONESBORO, Ark. — KASU Radio of Arkansas State University, in cooperation with The Arts @311 and Gregg-Langford-Bookout Funeral Home, will launch a new year of expanded jazz concerts free to the public beginning Jan. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at 311 South Church St. in Jonesboro.
“Jazz Thursday” concerts, to be presented each fourth Thursday evening January through October, will feature jazz musicians from Jonesboro and northeast Arkansas, Memphis, Nashville and other locations.
The series will begin with Caprice, a five-member local ensemble of young musicians who have studied in the ASU Music Department’s Jazz Studies program. Caprice’s sound is built around Tim Moore on piano; Tim’s brother Brandon Moore on tenor saxophone; Alex Ditto, guitar; Addison Boling, drums; and Matt Bounds, bass. Caprice performs jazz standards, such as tunes by Charlie Parker, Chick Corea and Horace Silver, along with some original tunes by Tim Moore.
Caprice will perform two sets between 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. followed with a jam session led by The Swing Band Project ending about 9 p.m.
KASU radio has brought live monthly music events to communities in northeast Arkansas for over 15 years. Beginning with its original Blue Monday series in Jonesboro, the station expanded to Bluegrass Monday, now held in Paragould, and Bluesday Tuesday, an ongoing series in Newport.
Station manager Mike Doyle noted, “KASU first brought regular live blues concerts to downtown Jonesboro beginning at the old Potlikker’s Restaurant, and the concerts were always free. As downtown Jonesboro blossomed into a live entertainment district with new restaurants offering blues, rock and pop, we took a hiatus from downtown and began to offer music in some other communities. While continuing our involvement with Newport and Paragould, we’re glad to be back home again, presenting something a little different in downtown Jonesboro – regular live jazz, with no cover charge.”
Doyle said that sponsors, by underwriting a guaranteed performance fee for each month’s featured group, make it possible to present the concerts free of admission charge. In keeping with KASU tradition, the station will pass the hat through the audience so concertgoers may show their appreciation for the band with tips if desired.
“We’re able to do this by partnering with Greg-Langford-Bookout Funeral Home, which is very community minded, and with Dr. Carl Abraham’s wonderful arts collective, the Arts @311 (South Church) which is an ideal location for the intimacy of live jazz,” concluded Doyle.
For additional information, contact Doyle at (870) 972-3486 or through e-mail at mdoyle@astate.edu.
