The East Green Summer Concert Series has selected “The Soul of Ohio” as its 2023 theme.
Six concerts presented every other Saturday evening at the Frost Kalnow Amphitheater in downtown Tiffin are featuring exclusively Ohio artists who are making an impact locally, regionally and nationally. The free concerts begin at 8 p.m.
The East Green Summer Concert Series full season is sponsored by Reineke Family Dealerships. The series was organized as a nonprofit organization to promote fine arts, the performing arts and music education while engaging the community as determined by the board of directors. The East Green park is managed in conjunction with Tiffin Parks and Recreation Department. For more information, visit www.eastgreenconcerts.com.
Liquid Crystal Project w/Dre Peace
June 17 ▪ 8 PM
The season kicks off June 17 with the East Green’s first-ever celebration of Juneteenth, the U.S. federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Following a ceremony involving community leaders, the concert will feature the Columbus soul-jazz band Liquid Crystal Project, along with vocalist Dre Peace. Dre Peace is a Dayton native who has toured in 48 states, appeared on Broadway as young Simba in “The Lion King,” and performed for two presidents, according to a news release from the East Green Summer Concert Series. From central Ohio, Liquid Crystal Project is known for a soulful sound that fuses jazz and hip hop, having released four albums and developed a loyal international following during their tours of Europe. Together LCP and Dre Peace will perform a variety of music ranging from classics from the 1970s to modern neo-soul hits.
Honey & Blue
July 1 ▪ 8 PM
Taking the East Green stage July 1 will be the Columbus band Honey and Blue. The duo performs a blend of pop and soul. Fronted by the singer/songwriter duo of Adam Darling and Stephanie Amber, Honey and Blue has a 10-year history of credits that include Good Morning Columbus, NPR radio, Columbus Jazz and Ribs Festival, Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival, Ann Arbor Summer Festival: Top Of The Park, Stonewall Pride Festival and Columbus Arts Festival. They’ve opened for Postmodern Jukebox, Bettye Lavette, Aloe Blacc and Charlie Hunter, who also served as producer of their most recent album entitled, “Bloom.”
Regina Sayles Band
July 15 ▪ 8 PM
The series continues on July 15 with Tiffin native Regina Sayles heading an allstar band in a tribute concert to local musician and Sayles’ first bandmate and co-writer Kyle Beidelschies, who passed away in November at the age of 42. The band will play classic rock, country and modern popular songs, and will feature musicians from around the region along with friends of Beidelscheis.
Sayles is based in eastern Pennsylvania, where she has built a career as a dynamic singer/songwriter and most recently, studio producer. Her sound blends pop, jazz, rock and country, and she performs more than 100 shows each year around the Northeast and Midwest. Sayles has opened for female folk pioneer Tret Fure and folk icon Ani DiFranco, and she played as a featured artist on the 2019 Melissa Etheridge Cruise. Her two recent singles “Better With Your Love” and “Rollin’ in the Hay” have earned her national attention, and she has released two full albums and anticipates an EP release in the coming year.
Emmaline
July 29 ▪ 8 PM
Jazz singer and songwriter Emmaline is to be on stage July 29. The release said she is one of the fastest-rising stars in the music industry. At 24 years old, she has grown from a social media star while a student at Cincinnati College and Conservatory of Music to starring in the 2023 Hollywood feature film “Sweetwater,” in which she plays 1950s nightclub singer Jeanne Staples and performs alongside legendary artists Gary Clark Jr., Keb’ Mo, Terri Lyne Carrington and Dianne Reeves.
Now based in Nashville, Emmaline is “a throwback in the best of all possible ways,” having been called the modern-day equivalent to Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Blossom Dearie. As a solo musician and leader of her own jazz band, Emmaline has opened on tour for Chaka Khan, collaborated with funk icon Bootsy Collins and headlined clubs nationwide. She was featured in Rolling Stone and American Songwriter and has accumulated more than a half-million followers on social media for her videos and EPs of original music.
Jared Mahone
August 12 ▪ 8 PM
Columbus-based singer-songwriter Jared Mahone and his band visit the East Green stage on Aug. 12. Known as the forerunner of the Midwest “garage soul” movement, Mahone transformed hometown open mic night into a career as a nationally touring independent musician. His songs and storytelling create a sense of intimacy and meaning. His upbringing in a touring family band fed his musical appetite with the writing of Bill Withers, Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon and Sting, and resulted in his own brand of original pop art. Mahone was recognized in 2013 as the Verizon Indie Icon, appeared as a featured musical guest on Katie Couric’s ABC talk show and was named Best Male Artist in the 2014 International Acoustic Music Awards. In spite of his national notoriety, the release said he dismisses fame-chasing in favor of a troubadour-style career meeting new supporters one handshake at a time.
Da Land Brass Band
August 26 ▪ 8 PM
The season closes on Aug. 26 with Da Land Brass Band, Cleveland’s modern brass band collective known for their energy and ability to “get the party started.” Formed in 2016, Da Land features a modern take on New Orleans street bands with a high-energy funk sound, and the band is bridging the gap between musical tradition and and a vision for the future. Boasting original tunes, funky adaptations of classic songs and true roots New Orleans music, Da Land members dedicate much of their time to educational outreach programs that teach children the joy of performance and showmanship through practical improvisation and live music master classes. The band is made up of some of Cleveland’s best jazz musicians, including alumni of Heidelberg University.
