Queen City Jazz Band will perform in Colby

WPAA

Back to Western Plains Arts Association is Queen City Jazz Band. The traditional jazz band was founded in Denver over 60 years ago and is recognized nationwide for playing outstanding traditional, Dixieland, gospel and spiritual music. The band also toured extensively across Europe.

Colby High School will host the Queen City Jazz Band at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 14. Admission is by season pass or adults $20, students $10 at the door.

In addition to corporate and individual donors in Northwest Kansas, Queen City Jazz Band is made possible by special funding from the Dane Hansen Memorial Foundation, Lenora; the Greater Northwest Kansas Community Foundation, Bird City; and the Thomas County Community Foundation.

Bill Clark, tuba player and bandleader, joined the QCJB in 1976 and became its conductor in 1985. A retired music teacher from the University of Colorado, Clark set a goal as he was a high school student in the 1960s, to one day play in the already popular band. The band members come from a strong background and/or music background and all played with a number of local bands before joining QCJB. Instrumentalists include Kevin Bollinger, trumpet; John Bredenberg, clarinet and saxophone; Eric Staffelt, trombone; Hank Troy, piano; Rory Thomas, banjo; and Tony Pantelis, drums. Their gospel, blues and jazz vocalist, Wende Harston, has been singing with the band since 1992.

The group has released numerous recordings over the years. Visit QueenCityJazzBand.com for more musician and music information, photos and video clips.

Ball in the House, and the R&B group originally scheduled for this date, have canceled their Spring 2021 season due to the ongoing pandemic. The WPAA Board thanks QCJB for agreeing to perform at the same time on March 14. Colby High School is an alternative location to the one originally planned.