LUMBERTON — The Jazz Ambassadors, an internationally acclaimed band of military musicians, will perform Oct. 15 at Lumberton High School — and it is free to attend.
The concert, which is being sponsored by The Robesonian, starts at 7 p.m. Tickets can be picked up at the newspaper’s office at 2175 Roberts Ave. Readers can also request up to four tickets by mail using the form found on page 7A of this newspaper.
The 19-piece ensemble plays a mix of swing, Latin, big band, contemporary jazz, Dixieland and patriotic music. Its members are stationed at Fort Meade, Maryland.
Billed as “musical ambassadors of the army,” the troops have toured all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Japan, India and parts of Europe.
Founded in 1969, the ensemble is one of four branches of the U.S. Army Field Band. Other groups include The Concert Band, The Soldiers’ Chorus and The Volunteers.
The groups of the Army Field Band join forces every four years to ring in the Presidential Inaugural Parade.
The Jazz Ambassadors’ current lineup consists of saxophonists Master Sgt. Andrew Layton, Sgt. 1st Class Patrick Shook, Sgt. 1st Class Bradford J. Danho, Sgt. 1st Class Joshua Fox and Staff Sgt. Dustin Mollick.
Trumpet players are Sgt. Maj. Kevin Watt, Master Sgt. John Altman, Master Sgt. Michael Johnston, Sgt. 1st Class Liesl Whitaker and Staff Sgt. Thomas C. Davis. Trombone players are Sgt. Maj. Michael Buckley, Sgt. 1st Class Jeff Adams and Staff Sgt. Luke Brimhall.
Staff Sgt. Jonathan Epley plays guitar; Staff Sgt. Hamilton Price plays bass guitar; Sgt. 1st Class Todd Harrison plays drums; and Master Sgt. Timothy Young plays piano. Master Sgt. Marva Lewis is the group’s vocalist; Sgt. 1st Class Howie Smith is its audio engineer.
For information on The Jazz Ambassadors, visit armyfieldband.com.