“Concerts in the Park” to feature The Assortment/Kirk James Blues Band

Community Concert Hall and Alpine Bank continue free Buckley Park concert series on Aug. 2

Durango, CO – Durango bands The Assortment and the Kirk James Blues Band will take the stage for the final Alpine Bank-Community Concert Hall “Concerts in the Park” show of the season, Thursday, Aug. 2, 2012, 5 to 7:30 p.m., at Durango’s Buckley Park.

The Assortment, opening the show at 5 p.m., performs an eclectic mix of folk/rock/country/blues – both originals and covers. Launched in 2004 when songwriter Jason Thies (guitar, vocals) joined up with Jeff Haspel (guitar, bass, vocals) and Kim Heikens (percussion, vocals). The Assortment has expanded in recent years to include Kevin Blaum (harmonica, vocals) and Mike Mixter (mandolin, percussion, vocals).

Well known at music venues around town, The Assortment served as the house band for the Durango Independent Film Festival events and was recently selected to play the 2012 “Crestfest” in Crestone, Colo. on Aug. 5 (at noon on the main stage).

Added Thies, “We also were just invited by John Lee Hooker Jr. to open for him in September. He’s had a couple of Grammy nominations, so we are quite psyched to have him invite us.”

The Kirk James Blues Band will begin on the Buckley Park stage at approximately 6:15 p.m. and features songwriter Kirk James (guitar, vocals), Hal Lott (bass) and Steve Dejka (drums).

Solidly grounded in the Texas Blues tradition, Kirk James is known for his ragtime, Texas shuffles and funky grooves. Raised in Dallas, Tex., James has been playing music since age five, and counts as his early influences greats such as Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and Reverend Gary Davis. James’ unmistakable phrasing mixed with a signature bottleneck slide conjures images of T-Bone Walker, Elmore James and Lightning Hopkins during his performances.

As KDUR’s Bryant Liggett wrote of James in his Durango Herald column, “The guy knows his way around a guitar…”
Alpine Bank of Durango and the Community Concert Hall at Fort Lewis College teamed up for this free summer concert series to make live music more accessible to a broader community audience. It was an experiment, as Charles Leslie, Concert Hall director noted, but one that proved successful.

“The crowds have steadily grown each week,” said Leslie, noting that folks seem to appreciate the casual and free-flowing nature of the events. “This is the third year we’ve brought music off the hill to Downtown, each time with a different twist. I believe we’ve now found the perfect formula, so our community members can look forward to ‘Alpine Bank and Your Community Concert Hall Presents Concerts in the Park’ next summer.”

“I’ve had so many people say to me that this is exactly what Durango needed,” said Beth Drum, vice president, Alpine Bank. “A place to enjoy music where it’s easy (and free) to congregate with your friends, and does not involve a festival or bar. I am already looking forward to next year.”

No tickets are required, and no established seating is provided at Buckley Park. Patrons are asked to bring their own chairs or blankets. Picnics are encouraged as no concessions are available. Portable restrooms are on site.
Buckley Park is located in the 1200 block of Main Ave. (between 12th and 13th Streets) on the north end of Durango’s historic downtown.

The Community Concert Hall is a not-for-profit, multi-use performance venue located on the campus of Fort Lewis College. Its ability to bring a diverse spectrum of shows to Southwest Colorado is made possible through a partnership with the college, a state-supported, independent institution of higher education, and financial and in-kind contributions from generous members of the community.

Employee-owned and operated, Alpine Bank has been a part of the Western Slope of Colorado for 39 years. With 37 convenient locations, they serve over 130,000 customers with retail, business, trust, asset management, mortgage, and electronic banking services. Many of the employees and managers have been with Alpine Bank for 10 years or longer. This dedication allows Alpine Bank to build long-term customer relationships. In fact, much of the original Board of Directors is still with the Bank, including Chairman Bob Young.