CENTRALPOINT, OREGON (September 18, 2008) — Some of the finest musical talent the Rogue Valley hasto offer is gathering for two days of great jazz, blues, country and rock androll at the 2008 Jackson County Harvest Fair, Saturday and Sunday, September 27and 28, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Jackson County Fairgrounds & ExpoPark in Central Point.
The“Harvest Fair Music Celebration” will feature David Pinsky &The Rhythm Kings, Rogue Suspects, Leslie Kendall & Friends, Jason Johnston,Royal Blues Band, Dan Daniella & Oregon Rain, Modern Prometheus Jazz Trio,and Billy Rock. All performances arefree with paid $6 Harvest Fair admission (kids 12 and under free).
David Pinsky, who’s also the emcee and musicalcoordinator of the Harvest Fair Music Celebration, has been a Northwest bluesperformer for over three decades. He’s shared the stage with BB King, Bo Diddley, Elvin Bishop, JuniorWalker, Otis Clay, Leon Russell, Tower of Power and many othernotables. Pinsky's band, The Rhythm Kings,features Robbie DaCosta on guitar, Mark Cunningham on bass, Tom Stamper ondrums, and Mark Thomas on keyboards. The Rhythm Kings have four albums to theircredit.
JasonJohnston has performed with country music notables such as Trisha Yearwood, JoeDiffie, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, ChrisLeDoux, Jamie O’Neal, David Lee Murphy, Terri Clark, Trick Pony and more.He has multiple top ten hits on the Indie charts including the #1 hit“Everything to Me,” performed by Canadian-produced Rebel Hearts.Jason co-wrote the theme song appearing in the documentary movie, The Perfect Ride, and wrote “TheLast Cowboy” for Lorraine Rawls, the 1998 Academy of Western Artists Female Vocalist of the Year.
Members of the Royal Blues Band have performed withsome of the greatest blues artists in the country and have been regulars atAlex’s Restaurant in Ashlandfor more than a year.
RogueSuspects are one of Southern Oregon’shottest and most entertaining local bands and are known for energeticperformances with a mix of blues, rock and jazz. They’ve opened for JamesBrown at Britt Festival, and play regularly at the Ashland Springs Hotel, BellaUnion, Habaneros, and Standing Stone Brewery. The four-member band is led byGreg Frederick on bass/vocals; he’s a 35-year veteran of Blues and JazzFestivals nationwide.
Criticallyacclaimed by The Detroit News as "female vocalist of the year,”Leslie Kendall has appeared in nightclubs and concert venues nationwide,including Caesar's Palace. She has recorded for Warner Brothers, M.C.A. andColumbia Records where she was the featured soloist with the Percy FaithOrchestra. She has been a commercial actress in L.A. and performed for AIDS fundraisers withactress Meredith Baxter. Since moving to Ashland,Kendall has appeared in "A BroadwayHoliday" at Town Hall, several appearances at The Old Siskiyou Barn, the"Martin Luther King Celebration" at the Britt Ballroom, "Follies- Concert Version" and "Killer Cabaret" with Rogue MusicTheatre, and the Gala Opening of the Ginger Rogers Craterian Theater.
Dan Daniella, who performs a blend of country andSouthern rock, has been writing and playing country music since he was a child.The group's influences include Hank Williams Jr., Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cashand similar outlaw country and Southern rock artists.
TheModern Prometheus Jazz Trio, which formed in 1987, features an ever-changinglineup that’s held together by founder Tom Stamper. The current lineupfeatures Adam Harris on saxophone, Jeff Addicott on bass guitar, and Stamper ondrums. The group is experimental in nature, playing jazz standards in a fresh,improvisational way, while drawing inspiration from jazz legends like MilesDavis, John Coltrane and Thelonius Monk.
Billy Rock is a Rogue Valley favorite playingboth originals and rockabilly standards from the 1950’s. The trio’sstyle hearkens to Bill Haley andGene Vincent and features Billy RockSmith on drums and lead vocals, Jeff Addicott on bass, and Joe Diehl on guitar.
Other highlights of the Harvest Festival include:draft horse pull competition; Southern Oregon Brewfest; Chili Cook-Off;Australian Shepherd-sanctioned stock dog trials (doesn’t have to be anAustralian Shepherd to enter); dog eye and ear clinics (please keep your dog ona leash); Dave Nourie BMXperformances; the Jackson County Stockmen’s Club Calf Sale and HeiferFuturity; Cargill Fitting Clinic by Frank Ward; Grape Stomp; Dancing Morganstrick horses; Wild Rogue Pro Rodeo Drill Team; free paintball competition;growers market with fruits and vegetables; Dutch oven cooking; Annie the Clown;4H Scavenger Hunt; pumpkin carving and painting; hot rod and custom car show;and over 500 arts and crafts open entries. Fairgoers can also enjoy a varietyof wine and food, including international food favorites, Cajun, Mexican,Asian, Italian, American and bakery favorites.
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General Information: www.jcfairgrounds.com
Chris Borovansky, Jackson County Fairgrounds CEO, (541) 774-8270
Melissa Damon, Jackson CountyFairgrounds Event Coordinator, (541) 774-8270
HarvestFair Music Celebration information: David Pinsky, 840-9314.
