“New Directions” Concert Series at the Mainstay Kicks Off on Aug. 3

Dick Durham

The Mainstay in Rock Hall, MD debuts its new concert series, “New Directions” with Tom McHugh on chromatic harmonica and Dick Durham on piano in a free concert of jazz standards on Sunday August 3 at 4:00 pm.

“New Directions” is a new Mainstay series that encourages established musicians to explore new areas and journeymen to take it to the next level. For the first concert in the series, Mainstay founder and executive director Tom McHugh joins forces with veteran jazz pianist Dick Durham for a concert of jazz standards on piano and chromatic harmonica.

Dick Durham is a brilliant pianist, arranger and composer who has appeared regularly at the Mainstay as the leader of his own jazz ensembles and as a member of Max’s Mainstay All-Stars. He has rarely, if ever, played with someone on chromatic harmonica.

Tom McHugh

Mainstay founder Tom McHugh is best known for his folksy banjo, driving blues harp, compositions like “The Chester River Song” and his entertaining introductions to Mainstay concerts. Chromatic harmonica is a relatively new instrument for Tom. Of the two instruments he says “diatonic (blues) harp and a Chromatic harmonica are as different as a trombone and a trumpet.”

For this concert Dick and Tom have been working together on jazz interpretations of standards from the 20th Century Great American Songbook. This free concert of standards for chromatic harmonica and piano promises a lively afternoon of jazz and commentary.

The Mainstay (Home of Musical Magic) is the friendly informal storefront performing arts center on Rock Hall’s old time Main Street. For information and reservations call the Mainstay at 410-639-9133. More information is also available at the Mainstay’s website https://www.mainstayrockhall.org.