Independent Bank donation supports Ionia High School’s Jazz Cabaret event
April 24, 2008
Independent Bank donated $1,000 to the Ionia High School Jazz Ensemble to support the Jazz Cabaret event. The Jazz Cabaret will be held at the Royal Heritage Center on May 2. Each year the jazz program invites guest artists to perform with the Ionia Jazz Ensemble.
This year, Independent Bank’s donation will help bring featured performers Nathan Montgomery and Marcus Belgrave to Ionia. Montgomery is an acoustic guitar player and performer known for fusing styles such as blues, funk, jazz, rock and fingerstyle to create an original sound. Belgrave is an internationally recognized jazz trumpet player who established himself as Detroit’s foremost jazz musician after joining Motown Records as staff trumpeter in the mid-1960s. His performances now encompass jazz musical styles ranging from early New Orleans, to Swing and Bebop through the latest contemporary sounds.
In addition to the performances of Montgomery and Belgrave, Ionia High School’s award-winning Jazz Band will perform. The Ionia Jazz Band recently received honors at the Central Michigan University Jazz Weekend with the trumpet section winning the Class B Outstanding Section Award and the Jazz Ensemble receiving the Class B First Runner-up Outstanding Band Award.
“With over 280 students in Ionia’s Band Program, we are excited to help bring such a spectacular event to a large number of students and their families as well as the overall Ionia community,” said Lisa Brown, assistant vice president and branch manager for Independent Bank in Ionia and Lyons. This is the third year the bank has given a donation to the event.
The performance will held at the Royal Heritage Center, 2001 East Bluewater Highway (M-21) in Ionia on Friday, May 2. Tickets are $25 for a single and $45 for a couple. The ticket cost includes a catered meal and dessert. Social hour begins at 6 pm with the performance beginning at 6:30 pm. Dinner will be served at 7:00 pm. There will be an open bar for adults. To purchase tickets contact Scott Beyer sabeyer@ionia.k12.mi.us or call 989.944.1266. Tickets may also be purchased at any of the Ionia offices of Independent Bank.
