Local musician Matt Callaway headlines this week’s Gazebo Concert

The Matt Callaway Jazz Quartet will feature a variety of music, including several originals by saxophonist Bobby Streng.

Gazebo concerts are back!

After a two-week hiatus for the Fair and Chicken Broil, Manchester’s Thursday night free concert staples have returned to the Gazebo. This week’s offering will feature a local musician, Matt Callaway, who grew up in Manchester and graduated from Manchester High School in 2004.

Matt headlines the “Matt Callaway Jazz Quartet,” which will perform a variety of instrumental music. Their repertoire will include arrangements of contemporary music such as the Beatles and Bob Dylan, while also highlighting original compositions by saxophonist Bobby Streng.

According to the website DIME Detroit, hosted by the Detroit Institute of Music Education, “Callaway has earned a name for himself as both a session musician and a permanent member of house jazz bands. But the bar doesn’t stop there: Callaway has jammed in dozens of genres, including with R&B singer Theo Gridiron Spight, country singer Paulina Jayne, and the world music band Alafrique—just to name a few. Callaway’s own band has even opened for a number of nationally acclaimed acts like Collective Soul, Wale, and Dessa.”

A teacher whose versatility and mastery of his instrument have made him sought after at DIME and elsewhere, Matt Callaway earned a B.M. in Jazz Studies from Wayne State University. In addition to playing, touring, and teaching, Callaway has also released three albums of his own.

Come out and enjoy an evening of jazz at the Gazebo, following the St. Mary’s Ice Cream Social which begins at 5 pm on Thursday. And don’t forget the Manchester Farmer’s Market, from 4:30-7 pm, at Chi-Bro Park.

Want to help support the Manchester Gazebo Concert series, now in its 30th summer of bringing great music to the Village Green at Wurster Park? You can donate at the intermission when we pass the basket, or donate online from the comfort of your home by visiting the website at www.riverfolkarts.org.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.