By GRAHAM BROOKS / Staff Writer

HELENA–The week of Independence Day came to an end in style in Helena on Sunday, July 8, as hundreds of locals and visitors made their way to the Helena Amphitheater for the annual Jazz in the Park event.

The relaxing summer tradition is a free concert featuring smooth jazz artists, and for the fourth consecutive year, concertgoers pulled up a chair in the Helena Amphitheater to enjoy a few hours of entertainment.

This year’s event was highlighted by musicians North “Zunes” Woodall and Lin Rountree as both artists put on a show for those in attendance.

Helena Mayor Mark Hall and Jazz in the Park Founder Bernard Lockhart teamed up several years ago to help bring Jazz in the Park to Helena and it has been a success ever since.

“We teamed up about five years ago when we said we have a need to expose more of our city to jazz and the arts that we don’t normally experience here,” Hall said. “This is the perfect venue and I want to thank you so much Bernard for bringing this to Helena every year. We’re also thankful that JR Adams and Newcastle Homes supports this event and we’re really appreciative of them.”

Magic City Smooth Jazz and the Jazz in the Park program’s purpose is to enhance cultural arts in communities, support area jazz musicians and educate youth and adults through music workshops.

Since its inception in 2008, Magic City Smooth Jazz has presented more than 50 free concerts for the public while supporting more than 250 Alabama jazz artists and impacting the lives of more than 20,000 adults and children, according to the organization.
Magic City Smooth Jazz is an IRS registered 501 (c)(3) charitable organization with the mission being to expose and engage audiences in culturally underserved communities in the state of Alabama to various styles of jazz at no cost to the public.

For more information on Magic City Smooth and to view a full schedule for Jazz in the Park events, visit Magiccitysmoothjazz.com.