June 14, 2013. The Town of Boone is proud to continue this summer’s Concerts at the Jones House on Friday, June 14, with a performance of both Major Sevens and Swing Guitars, starting at 5:00 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.
Major Sevens is a trio, featuring Boone native, Brooks Forsyth, Drayton Aldridge, and Robert Hunt. The three started playing in local barbeque restaurants developing a sound, and before long they were playing parties, then stages. The band recorded an album in 2008 and has been playing locally and regionally over the past several years, including performances at Music on the Mountaintop and the Music Fest in Sugar Grove. “These guys bring great energy and a clear passion for a variety of acoustic music styles,” says Cultural Resources Coordinator, Mark Freed. “They very much have the approach and philosophy of the great Doc Watson, who called it ‘traditional-plus.'” Watson’s idea of “traditional-plus” included old-time, bluegrass, folk, blues, jazz, and whatever else he enjoyed and wanted to play.
Swing Guitars will follow Major Sevens, bringing to life the gypsy jazz music and era made famous by Django Reinhardt. “This style of music is fueled by swinging guitar playing that requires a mix of technical excellence combined with imagination and creativity to improvise, and these guys do it very well,” Freed says. “Every one of these guys can play the pants off his respective instrument, and they have a lot of fun doing it.” The band includes guitar players Andy Page, Jim Schaller, and Jay Brown, in addition to bassist Ben McPherron. Though the members of the band are seen frequently around Boone playing with other projects and groups, Swing Guitars plays only a select few concerts a year. This will be Swing Guitars’ fifth consecutive performance at the summer Concerts at the Jones House.
The Concerts at the Jones House are produced by the Town of Boone and sponsored by the Downtown Boone Development Association, Mast General Store, Footsloggers, MPrints, Stick Boy Bread Co., Melanie’s, and Farmer’s Rentals. The FREE concerts take place every Friday, starting at 5:00 p.m., rain or shine. People are encouraged to bring their own chair or blanket. For more information, including a complete schedule, visit www.joneshousecommunitycenter.org or call (828) 262-4576.
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