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An evening of jazz at the Lithia Park bandshell By Peggy Dover Jun 12, 2022 12:15 AM A A Denise Fleming had invited Lane and me to join her and Jerry Summers (she told me to be sure to use their names and not just say “some friends”) for an evening of jazz in Lithia Park, preceded by a light supper at Louie’s. What could be a more pleasant way to open summer concerts in the park than with the SOU Salsa and Jazz Bands? Plus, I haven’t shown Ashland love for a while, and I do love Ashland with all its eccentricities. I’m going there again tomorrow for Lynn Leissler’s birthday. I harbor genuine soft spots for all the communities that make up our special valley. Kiss, hug. Tuesday was cool and threatening rain. That sentence bears repeating. Tuesday was cool and threatening rain. I love reporting that about an evening in June. Jerry and Denise, our friends, met us early so we could enjoy a relaxing meal and visit alongside Ashland Creek on Louie’s patio bordering Calle Guanajuato. Several other smart people had the same idea. There’s a nice lineup of restaurants along that stretch, all enhanced by the music of the stream to aid digestion. It was a pleasant walk to the bandshell, where we joined smatterings of other folks who’d claimed their spots on the grassy hillside. The Butler Memorial Bandshell, named for Gwin Samuel Butler, a prominent Ashland citizen during the early formation of the town, replaced the former bandstand in 1949. It has been hosting graduation ceremonies and community music and dance programs ever since, always free of charge. Each Thursday evening finds the much-beloved Ashland City Band playing there (a mainstay of live outdoor music for about 100 years), with a variety of pre-concert entertainment beginning around 6 p.m. History note: Gwin Butler and Domingo Perozzi also gifted the Butler-Perozzi Fountain near the bandshell and the former statue of Abraham Lincoln, which has been vandalized multiple times and is now in retirement. The fountain is in need of restoration in order to renew its former glory. Butler and Perozzi procured the gifts for the city on a trip to the Panama-Pacific Columbia Exposition in San Francisco in 1915. With plenty of room to spread out — and Lithia Park bearing early summer togs — the atmosphere crooned “picnic” in lush green overtones. Food stands and trucks were available. Denise, who is always well-prepared and may be reliably called upon in a pinch, was kind enough to loan us her chic blanky-on-the-go-with-handles because we forgot our infamous and obnoxious, but oh so comfy, cow blanket. Our show was sponsored by the Oregon Arts Commission at Southern Oregon University. Established in 1967, the OAC advocates for a wide variety of arts programs all across Oregon, promoting workshops, job opportunities, grants and much more. They firmly believe that arts and culture investment boosts economic recovery. The OAC helps support individual arts organizations, who in turn create exhibitions, festivals, educational opportunities and public art to enhance and beautify our communities. With tourism becoming an ever more vital part of our local economy, the arts are something we can all support while enjoying ourselves and restoring some peace of mind. What’s not to love? There’s something for all tastes. The stage full of musicians opened with a spicy salsa number. I am ever the sucker for a Latin beat and did my best to contain overt movement so as not to draw too much attention our way. Later, real salsa dancers from the audience took to the areas at the side of the bandshell, which added fun and made me want to sign up for lessons again. Keep your eyes open for future free summer offerings in Lithia Park and the bandshell. It’s cooler under the canopy, and Denise and Jerry say hello. Peggy Dover is a freelance writer/author with gadabout friends in the know. Reach her at [email protected].