USAF Band Airmen Of Note To Visit Newtown This Month

As part of the ongoing celebration of Newtown’s Tercentennial, the Lions Club will sponsor a few concert by The United States Air Force Band Airmen of Note on Thursday, July 14. The 7:30 pm concert will be performed at Newtown High School.

“We’re lucky to have them. They usually play much larger venues, but I think once they learned it was part of our Tercentennial summer they agreed to come here,” said Jason Hsu, who is coordinating the tickets for the concert. Mr Hsu mentioned that the Lions Club has been bringing USAF bands to Newtown for four years.

Another exciting addition to this year’s concert is that its current manager is Joseph Grasso, Jr. Mr Grasso is a native of Newtown, who went through the public schools system.

“He went through Newtown’s music program, and it makes it even more special for us to see what he’s doing now,” said Michelle Hiscavich, the music director for Newtown public schools.

The Airmen of Note is the premier jazz ensemble of the United States Air Force. Originally created in 1950 to carry on the tradition of Glenn Miller’s Army Air Corps dance band, the Airmen of Note is one of today’s few touring big bands. Its members are 18 of the finest musicians in the country, and the band has earned an international reputation as one of the finest and most versatile big bands of its kind in the world.

Throughout the history of The Airmen of Note, the Glenn Miller sound has remained a strong ingredient in the band’s musical heritage. In the early 1950s, the Note continued the innovative course set by Miller and adopted a more contemporary style under the direction of the legendary Sammy Nestico.

Beginning in the 1970s, Senior Master Sergeant Mike Crotty, the Note’s chief arranger for more than 25 years, helped elevate the band to the forefront of modern big band jazz.

Today Master Sergeant Alan Baylock, the Note’s current chief arranger, maintains the band’s commitment to tradition and cutting edge innovation.

Twice yearly, the Note ventures across the country, spreading its big band sound to communities from coast to coast. The Airmen of Note also has an extensive record of international performing, with appearances in five South American countries, eight European countries, and Japan.

The band also appears regularly at the world’s most famous jazz festivals, including feature performances at the Detroit/Montreaux Jazz Festival, Notre Dame Jazz Festival, Jacksonville Jazz Festival, Wichita Jazz Festival, Elkhart Jazz Festival and Pensacola Jazz Festival.

Tickets for the July 14 concert are free, but should be reserved in advance. There is a four ticket limit per family.

Tickets can be obtained by sending an SASE to Jason Hsu, c/o Newtown Lions Club, 17 Old Castle Drive, Newtown CT 06470. Requests for tickets should be sent right away so that there is enough time for tickets to be sent out.

Ticket-holders must be at the high school by 7:15 in order to receive a seat.

In the past, the Lions Club-sponsored concerts with USAF bands have filled the auditorium at the high school. In the event that all tickets are not reserved for July 14, the doors will open for non-ticket-holders at 7:15, at which point any remaining seats will be open for anyone.