Wildcat Jazz to perform

The Cassville Jazz Bands are tuning up for Blues and BBQ, inviting the community to bring their lawn chairs and blankets to the high school for this open-air concert and barbecue on Friday at 6:30 pm.

Last year, Kelly Tolbert and some of his friends rode their motorcycles to the fundraiser. The bikes were a huge hit with the crowd, so this year, there will be a People’s Choice Award for the crowd’s favorite bike. Motorcyclists are encouraged to bring their bikes and join the fun.

The Band Boosters are smoking pork loin for pulled pork nachos and grilling hot dogs. The cost of admission is only $10, which includes a barbecue meal, live music and the bike show. There will also be a bake sale so the audience can enjoy a little something sweet while listening to great music performed by the Cassville School District jazz bands, under the direction of Micah Boise and Kelli Pavlu.

At Blues and BBQ, concertgoers will enjoy jazz music interlaced with popular tunes everyone will recognize and enjoy.

‘The students have been practicing a couple of new songs for the event and are excited to showcase just how much they have learned this year,’ a press release said. ‘The students put a lot of hard work and effort into their music. Jazz Band is an audition only group, which requires students to practice outside of school hours in addition to the time spent in the classroom.’

This will be the jazz bands’ final performance- based fundraiser for the school year. In March, Zone 4 Mini Golf and More hosted a Wildcats Jazz concert.

‘It was a great location, beautiful weather and fantastic music,’ the release said. ‘The audience and band enjoyed a fun evening at Zone 4.’

The high school jazz band has had an amazing competitive season this year, receiving numerous Excellent ratings.

‘Despite their success, the students enjoy performing for their community the most,’ the release said. “When a student hears from someone that their music was enjoyed, it makes their hard work and dedication worth it,’ Boise said. ‘Every time a compliment is passed on to a student, it doubles their motivation to stick with it and succeed.”

The community is invited to come out to support the band program and help the students progress even more next year.