Sundays in the Park Concert Series

Sundays in the Park is a concert series presented by the Cultural Arts Division of the Department of Leisure Services and the Cookeville Arts Council each Sunday in June at 2:00 p.m. at the Dogwood Performance Pavilion in shady Dogwood Park. Sundays in the Park concerts are FREE.

2009 Series

June 7
Patti Cossentino
Nashville based saxophonist/vocalist/multi-instrumentalist, Pattie Cossentino is a native of Baltimore, Maryland. Pattie earned her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Maryland at College Park. She also completed graduate studies at the University of North Texas. Pattie competed in several regional and national competitions winning First Place in Baltimore Music Club Competition, First Place in the University of Maryland Undergraduate Solo Competition and was a finalist in the Baltimore Symphony Young Soloists Competition as an alto saxophonist. Also, and accomplished pianist/organist, she had also served as Minister of Music and organist/choir director at many churches. Additionally, Pattie was saxophone instructor at Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania. In 2007 Pattie released her first CD as a solo artist. Invitation spent 8 weeks on the National Jazz Top 40 chart and peaked at 22 in the nation. The CD was also featured on National Public Radio’s nationally syndicated show “Jazz with Bob Parlocha” Top 40 CD list this year. “Invitation: A marvelous debut disk, revealing a seasoned singer and multi-instrumentalist…here’s your invitation to discover a worthy artist you’ll want to hear more from,” Greg Lee Jazz-89 WMOT Nashville. Jazz Review said of Invitation, “Pattie Cossentino delivers a refreshing dish of originals, standards, and straight ahead jazz in Latin and swing styles on her debut CD. The versitale Nashville-based Cossentino is blessed with a warm and inviting singing voice that she compliments with her flute, and her soprano, alto, tenor, and bari saxophones. But it’s Cossentino’s instrumental work that makes these tunes come alive.” She was just featured in March as part of “Women in Jazz” on “The Jazz Life” in New York/New Jersey. In demand as a studio musician, her jazz quartet is a mainstay on the local jazz scene in Nashville and is regularly at many jazz festivals and concerts throughout the Southeast. Visit www.pattiecossentino.com, CD Baby, Amazon or I-tunes to purchase a CD.

June 14
The Howling Brothers
The Howling Brothers are a hard working, energetic string band based in Nashville, TN. Last year alone they played more than 250 shows. From local farmers markets, festivals, to the Station Inn, they deliver enthusiastic performances wherever they are playing. Getting their start in Ithaca, NY, brothers Ian and Jared moved to Nashville in the fall of 2005. Fortunately they found a young, aggressive upright bass player by the name of JT Huskey. The unique sound of the trio has been described to carry “…a bluesy lope that creeps into their string-fueled backwoods swing. A ramshackle racket so kinetic it sounds liable to fly apart at any moment.” -Nashville Scene. Since their time in Tennessee, the brothers have recorded a full length studio album entitled Tragic Mountain Songs. It features seven original tracks such as Till I Find You, and Last Train, as well as eight traditional tunes such as Worried Man Blues, and Billy in the Low Ground. The brothers have also compiled a live CD from various appearances on East Tennessee's own WDVX Blue Plate Special. Their third album which features an equal mix of blues and bluegrass should be available by July 2009. Learning new instruments and old songs has been a big part in the growth of this string band. The Howling Brothers bridge the gap between ole-time, bluegrass, and country blues, turning non-bluegrass lovers into fans on a daily basis.

June 21
Jeff & Vida
   Over the years of touring in the Rocky Mountain West, Jeff & Vida encountered a wellspring of stringband musicians living in Colorado. These chance encounters, jam sessions, and impromptu collaborations became the new Jeff & Vida Band, and the result is Selma Chalk featuring 13 new and original songs played by Jeff & Vida and some of their favorite musicians.
   Inspired by the 50’s bluegrass and rockabilly sound the music is both old and new. The members of The Jeff & Vida Band have incredible fluency on their instruments, and their exciting approach to stringband music helped achieve Jeff & Vida's vision for this project. With original timeless ballads, raucous bluegrass barn-burners, and driving acoustic honky-tonk, the material is striking, the arrangements are electrifying, and the result is music that is real, true, and unforgettable.
June 28
Jamey Simmons Sextet
West Bend, Wisconsin native, Jamey Simmons, earned his bachelor of music and teaching certification at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire under the guidance of Robery Baca. In May of 2002 he earned his Master of Music in Jazz and Contemporary Media at the Eastman School of Music where he studied under jazz composer and arranger Fred Sturm. Mr. Simmons is an Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at Middle Tennessee State University.
     As a jazz trumpet player, Simmons has toured with the Glenn Miller Orchestra across the United States, South America, and Japan. Simmons has made appearances with artists as diversified as the Hornheads, the Temptations, Dave Weckl, Buddy DeFranco, Macy Gray, Jason Alexander, New York Voices, and the JazzMn Big Band out of Minneapolis.
     He has been twice awarded the Best Arranger Award by Downbeat Magazine for the years 2001 and 2002. In September of 2003 Mr. Simmons won first price at the Brussels Jazz Orchestra International Composition Contest in Brussels, Belgium for his composition Lock Box. Simmons has written arrangements and compositions that have been performed by the Rochester Chamer Orchestra, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the Cedar Avenue Big Band and the Bekchae Wind Band of Daejon Korea. Currently he is the top selling writer/arranger for Increase Music PublishersSt. Paul, MN. His composition Young Person’s Guide to the Jazz Ensemble was the Editor’s Choice in the Pepper Music catalog in 2002 and is available through Heritage Jazz Works/Lorenz Music. Jamey enjoys spending time with his wife P.J. and three children at his house on a farm near Wartrace, Tennessee.

Directions to Dogwood Park:

From Interstate 40, take exit #286 and travel North on Willow Avenue.
At the fourth set of traffic lights turn right on Highway 70/Spring Street.
At the second set of traffic lights turn left on Walnut Avenue.
After one and one-half blocks, Dogwood Performance Pavilion will be on your right.
Park behind Dogwood Performance Pavilion, or in the parking lot across Walnut Avenue.

Sundays in the Park archives