A jazz revival in North Omaha
November 4th, 2010
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[audio:https://kvnonews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/111-jazz-concert1.wav]Omaha, NE – Back in the 1920’s through the 1960’s the “Deuce Four,†better known today as 24th street, was lined with night clubs and lounges for jazz, blues and big band music fans. The Dreamland Ballroom hosted many of these musical performances by such artists, just to name a few, as Preston Love, Count Basie, and Anna Mae Winburn. The North Omaha Foundation will revive this colorful past with the eleventh annual Omaha Blues, Jazz and Gospel Concert, in North Omaha.
Saxophonist, Kim Waters is the headlining act for the upcoming concert. Known for his smooth jazz style, Waters is a composer and producer from Maryland. He started playing the saxophone in the third grade. Other artists at the concert will include a New York native, violinist Miles Jaye along with keyboardist Marcus Johnson from Washington D. C. Fred Conley is the coordinator of the concert, and he said it’s important to keep this event in North Omaha.
“If you know the history of North Omaha, the Dreamland Ballroom… a lot of the greats in the early years came through Omaha, and they performed in the roughly 24th and Lake Street area. And I thought it would be appropriate to honor some of that by putting on the Jazz, Blues and Gospel festival in the general North Omaha area.”
Conley also said the focus for this year’s concert is jazz, and next year they’ll place more emphasis on blues and gospel. The concert takes place Nov. 5 at Metropolitan Community College’s Fort Omaha Campus. Doors open at 7pm.
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