No Rain, All Applause at Sharon Concert

Jumpin' Juba performed at Beech Tree Park on Sunday, one year after rain postponed the 'blues and rootsy rock 'n' roll' duo's 2011 concert here for a week.

For the second straight year, rain was forecast for Jumpin' Juba's scheduled concert at Sharon's Beech Tree Park. Sunday, the "blues and rootsy rock 'n' roll" duo of guitarist Steve Hurl and pianist Bruce Ward performed the latest in the summer 2012 Concerts in the Park series with Mother Nature watching silently with dark clouds overhead. In contrast, rain delayed last year's show for one week. Sunday, at the park's gazebo, Hurl and Ward treated about 20 people to such songs as "Ice Cream Man"; the New Orleans-flavored "I Hear You Knocking"; "Suffering Blues" and "Black Bag." The rest of this summer's Beech Tree Park concert schedule is: All shows start at 3 p.m. Resident Mim Gopen organizes the series at Beach and Pond streets with her …

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Sharon Concert Sunday Part of Band's 'Record'

Jumpin' Juba has had a very active summer.

Jumpin' Juba's Sharon concert this Sunday is part of a record -- the numerical kind. "This summer, I think we've set a record, doing well over two dozen shows, close to 30," says guitarist Steve Hurl, who formed the band with pianist Bruce Ward. The "blues and rootsy rock 'n' roll" duo will perform the latest in Beech Tree Park's summer 2012 Concerts in the Park at 3 p.m. It's the band's fifth year playing at Beech Tree, Hurl notes. "The Sharon location is a pretty intimate one," he says. "Everyone sits in front of you." Sunday's concert will include an instrumental version of the spiritual "Wade in the Water," as well as some classic tunes, Hurl says. Jumpin' Juba also will perform some new songs that it hasn't recorded yet, he says. The …

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(VIDEO) Sharon Concert Brings 'Gazebo' to Beech Tree Park

Jazz Echo performed here today, the latest of this summer's concerts at that locale.

One of Jazz Echo's first songs at Sharon's Beech Tree Park today may have reminded the audience of that park. "Gazebo," written by Sharon resident Bryan Cetlin, the band's pianist, was inspired by the site at the corner of Beach and Pond streets, trumpet Randy Kravette of Sharon told the crowd. The third in the park's summer 2012 Concerts in the Park series featured the band playing a variety of selections, many written by Cetlin and on "Conversation," the group's new CD, which was available for sale. Jazz Echo also performed such tunes as Charlie Parker's "Moose the Mooche." Jazz Echo features Cetlin, Kravette and drummer Dave Kantor, all of Sharon; tenor sax Corey Lareau of Somerville and bassist Bob Abruzese of Medford. Today was the …

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Jazz Quintet Won't Sound the Same After Sharon Concert

Jazz Echo's tenor sax is moving to Germany shortly.

After Sunday at Sharon's Beech Tree Park, Jazz Echo might never sound the same live. Tenor sax Corey Lareau is moving to Germany shortly, drummer and Sharon resident Dave Kantor said Wednesday. "This will probably be our last public performance with him," Kantor said. "We're really going to miss him. He's a fantastic musician, and a great guy to have in the band." Jazz Echo performs the latest in Beech Tree Park's summer 2012 Concerts in the Park series at 3 p.m. Admission is free. The quintet has performed annually at the park starting in 2009, Kantor said. "Gazebo," on Jazz Echo's "Conversation" album, has a connection to the park. "One of the inspirations for that song was our gigs at Beech Tree Park, and we've played some other gigs at…

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(VIDEO) Sharon Concert is Mighty Good Time

The Mighty Silverbacks performed a mix of classic rock, honky-tonk and original music at Beech Tree Park on Sunday.

Given the smiles and the applause, the audience in front of Sharon's Beech Tree Park gazebo on Sunday were mighty impressed with the band performing there, given the smiles The Mighty Silverbacks brought a mix of classic rock, honky-tonk and original music for the second in the 2012 Concerts in the Park series. Resident Mim Gopen organizes the series at Beach and Pond streets with her husband, Joe. The band opened Sunday's show with The Band's "Across the Great Divide." The rest of the Beech Tree Park concert schedule is: All shows start at 3 p.m.

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Patch Facts

Here are Five Things You Need to Know Today in Sharon, July 15

The Mighty Silverbacks perform at Sharon's Beech Tree Park.

"Five Things You Need To Know Today" is a Patch column that provides readers with essential, daily information at a glance. Is there something missing from the list? Add it in the comment section. 1. A reminder: the Sharon Softball Association's three-day tourney at the Ames Street playground ends today. The games aren't open to the public, but spectators are welcomed. A full snack shack will have breakfast and lunch available for purchase and softball apparel for sale. 2. The Mighty Silverbacks come to Sharon at 3 p.m. for the second in Beech Tree Park's 2012 Concerts in the Park series. Admission is free. Last Sunday's opener drew about 75 people. 3. AccuWeather says another heat wave starts here Monday. Temperatures will be in the 90s …

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Swinging Start for Sharon Summer Concert Season

About 70 people attend Sunday's Beech Tree Park concert series opener.

Sharon's first summer concert of 2012 left the crowd smilin'. And the Dixie Diehards were smilin' with it. The band performed at the Beech Tree Park gazebo on Sunday, opening the park's Concerts in the Park series. About 70 people watched, and sometimes sung along, from lawn chairs, picnic tables and beach towels. Over the 75-minute show, the band, sometimes joined by vocalist Dolly Fruzzetti, performed such tunes as "When You're Smilin'", "Way Down Yonder in New Orleans", "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter" and "Jambalaya." The rest of the series' schedule is: All shows start at 3 p.m.

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Sharon Welcomes Diehards to Beech Tree Park

The Dixie Diehards perform at 3 p.m. Sunday. It's Sharon's first concert of the summer.

Sharon's first 2012 summer concert will both feature and teach traditional jazz. The Dixie Diehards' latest class, if you will, is at 3 p.m. Sunday on the gazebo at Beech Tree Park, at the corner of Beach and Pond Streets. Band members will share anecdotes about the early jazz greats during the show, which kicks off the park's summer Concerts in the Park series, cornet and trumpet player Rick Foster says. "Most of us, even older folks, weren't around during this era. They remember hearing the music from their parents or on records," he says. "We've kind of lost contact with this music, this history. And it's a lot of fun." The Diehards play "a variety of music, probably from the first four decades of the 20th century," Foster notes. "…

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Patch Facts

Five Things You Need to Know Today, June 30

Get ready for Sharon Patch's Sharon summer concert previews.

"Five Things You Need To Know Today" is a Patch column that provides readers with essential, daily information at a glance. Is there something missing from the list? Add it in the comment section. 1. Sharon Boy Scout Greg Molica needs help with his Eagle Scout project today, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Learn more here. 2. Sharon Patch's previews of Sharon's summer concerts start Monday with a look at the season's first Beech Tree Park concert, which is next Sunday. The Dixie Diehards' Rick Foster sat down with Patch on Friday. 3. What are readers' first impressions of the Pond Street construction?  4. Sharon Patch saw a few Sharon residents at "The Avengers" a few weeks ago at the Sharon Cinemas. Word came out Friday that a "Guardians of …

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Dixieland Band Opens Sharon's Beech Tree Summer Series

The concert series starts on July 8.

The opener of Sharon's Beech Tree Park summer Concerts in the Park series will resonate with fans of traditional jazz. The Dixie Diehards will open the six-part series on July 8, says resident Mim Gopen, who organizes the series at Beach and Pond streets with her husband, Joe. Sharon resident Alan Shapiro is the Dixie Diehards' music director, and plays trumpet, according to the band's website. The rest of the schedule is: Jazz Echo and Jumpin' Juba performed during last summer's series.

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