Sleeping Bear Dunes Brings the NPS Centennial Band to Northern Michigan

Date: August 4, 2016

In celebration of the National Park Service’s (NPS) 100th anniversary, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Lakeshore) is proud to announce the NPS Centennial Band will perform six shows here in Northern Michigan on their “Find Your Park” tour. On August 18, 19, and 20, the band will play two shows per day, at a variety of venues. The Centennial Band is made up of rangers from New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, and children’s musician, Park Ranger Jeff Wolin. The NPS has been called America's Greatest Idea, and to help celebrate 100 years of providing art-inspiring places all over America, the Centennial Band will bring a little bit of the Big Easy here to the Great Lakes State. National Lakeshore Superintendent Scott Tucker is enthusiastic about attending the shows himself, saying “My family and I are very excited for the chance to see these outstanding musicians play the music of America!”

The NPS Centennial Band features Park Rangers Matt Hampsey on guitar and banjo, Jon Beebe on keyboards and trumpet, and James Barry on saxophone from New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, along with guest musicians Jazmarae Beebe on vocals, Alex Dyring on bass, and Aaron Lawson on drums. They perform traditional New Orleans jazz, and rhythm and blues, and selections from the “great American songbook.” For the Michigan shows, they will be joined by Park Ranger Jeff Wolin and feature some of his original compositions that highlight NPS sites, nature, culture, and history. The original songs can be found on the albums Songs for Junior Rangers, Volume 1 and Songs for Junior Rangers, Volume 2.

The six shows are family-friendly, free, and open to the public, except as noted on Saturday:

Thursday, August 18
2:00-3:00 p.m. at the Traverse Area District Library on Woodmere Street in Traverse City
7:30-9:30 p.m. at Fountain Point Resort on County Road 641 in Lake Leelanau

Friday, August 19
1:00-2:00 p.m. at the Platte River Campground Amphitheater in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (rain site - park visitor center)
5:30-9:00 p.m. at Friday Night Live on Front Street in Traverse City

Saturday, August 20
3:00-4:10 p.m. at the Festival by the Bay on Bayfront Drive in Petoskey (ticketed event) 
9:00 p.m. at the Inside Out Gallery on Garland Street in Traverse City (adult show)

The New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park’s mission is to serve the nation as a global leader in spreading awareness of New Orleans jazz by enhancing public appreciation and understanding of the origins, early history, and progression of this uniquely American music art form. They tell the story of the people and places that helped shape the birth and development of jazz music in New Orleans.