Spy Desk

Historical Society Awards First Roger D. Brown History Scholarship

June 15, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

The Historical Society of Kent County marked the occasion of its 85th annual meeting on Sunday by presenting Jonathan Conner, of Rock Hall, with the first Roger D. Brown History Scholarship.

Gibson Anthony, outgoing Society president, presented Conner with a $500 check. Conner, who just graduated from Kent County High School, was selected as the outstanding history graduate of his 2021 class. Conner is joining the U.S. Navy and plans to attend college when he completes his service.

The Roger D. Brown Scholarship was established by the Society in 2020 in recognition of the 30+ years of service by Roger D. Brown as he retired as Society treasurer.

At its meeting, the Society also elected four directors, two for the first time and two who have previously served as directors. The new directors are Gordon Wallace and Darius Johnson. The returning directors are former Society president Steve Frohock and director Jennifer Moore, a local preservationist who has been on the Society board for three years.

Johnson is a Kent County native and a 2015 Washington College graduate. After working in the greater Baltimore area, Mr. Johnson returned to the Eastern Shore when he joined the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy as Communications Manager. He has recently relocated professionally to Kent County as the Executive Director of the non-profit Kent Housing Alliance. He is a member of the board of directors for the Stories of Chesapeake Heritage Area and a member of the Washington College Alumni Board.

Wallace is a Kent County native and a 2019 graduate of Stevenson University with a degree in digital marketing. A talented artist and videographer, Mr. Wallace was co-curator of the “Amazing People” oral history series produced by RiverArts. He is also the curator for the two guest exhibits at the Bordley Building by Sumner Hall, including the current exhibit featuring the James Taylor Justice Coalition. He is a member of the Chestertown Public Arts Committee and the Arts & Entertainment District Advisory Board, as well as being communications and media coordinator for Sumner Hall. He is the founder of Pick6Digital.

The Society also elected officers: Barbara Jorgenson of Chestertown as president; Gibson Anthony of Still Pond as vice president, Bridget Mahoney of Chestertown as treasurer, and Erik Gulbrandsen of Fairlee as secretary.

“We are particularly proud of our new board,” said incoming president Barbara Jorgenson. “For the past several years, we have tried to expand the reach of our board into every corner of the county, as well as across generations. This year’s board members hail from the Bay to the Sassafras to the Chester—and range in age from 80 to 20’s. It is our goal to ensure that our local history is accessible and relevant to all ages. I believe this board will help achieve that goal.”

The 85th annual meeting was held at the home of members Susan and Bronson Percival. It was well attended with more than 40 members and guests present, including board member Robert Bryan of Kennedyville, whose grandfather was among the founders of the Society 85 years ago.

The Historical Society of Kent County is a non-profit organization dedicated to the collection, preservation, interpretation, and sharing of all aspects of Kent County’s history. Its headquarters is at The Bordley History Center, in the heart of downtown Chestertown at the corners of High and Cross Streets. Its museum and gift shop are open every Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., but its window exhibits on High Street are always open. Its research library is open by appointment only. Please contact director@kentcountyhistory.org.

Summer’s Here – Is It Safe To Swim In Eastern Shore Rivers? By Annie Richards

June 12, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

“Is it safe to swim in the river?” is one of the most common questions ShoreRivers hears from community members. Fecal bacteria and toxic algae in waterways pose threats to both water quality and public health. People and pets who come in contact with bacteria- or toxin-laden water can contract eye, ear, and respiratory diseases; skin rashes; gastrointestinal issues; or brain or liver damage. To assess the health of our rivers and potential risks to human health, ShoreRivers’ Riverkeepers, with help from a dedicated team of volunteers, regularly monitor bacteria pollution at 34 sites throughout the middle and upper Eastern Shore.

The SwimmableShoreRivers program tests all the rivers in the ShoreRivers region for bacteria, primarily at public access locations, as well as at some marinas, yacht clubs, and town fishing piers. ShoreRivers conducts tests on a weekly basis from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and results are posted each Friday. Community members are encouraged to view the results at theswimguide.org and get updates during swim season by following the ShoreRivers and Riverkeeper pages on Facebook and Instagram. The program follows Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s standard protocols for collecting and analyzing samples and uses a pass/fail system to determine if bacteria levels are safe or unsafe for swimming.

ShoreRivers relies on dedicated volunteers to support their water quality testing programs. These “SwimTesters” are assigned sites and, after completing a training session, collect and deliver water samples to the ShoreRivers offices in Galena, Chestertown, and Easton. Additionally, ShoreRivers is grateful to its test site sponsors: Sailwinds Park Inc., On-site Septic Services, Caroline County Recreation and Parks, Chesapeake Designs, City of Cambridge, Town of Oxford, Corsica River Yacht Club, Kentmore Park Community, the McGunigle family, the Ruhl/Carski family, and Noa Stein, for her Bat Mitzvah project. At $600 per site, per season, contact your local Riverkeeper to learn more about sites in need of a sponsor.

The results from ShoreRivers’ monitoring in 2020 show that bacterial and algal conditions vary based on location, weather, and other factors, making systematic, scientific analysis vital. The good news is the majority of the bacteria monitoring sites passed more than 60% of the time. A few sites, however, passed less than 60% of the time, failing to meet EPA’s threshold for safe water contact. Specifically, these sites are located at Hambrooks Bay Beach, Crouse Park, Denton, Broad Cove Claiborne, and Morgan Creek Landing.

Now that the program has baseline data showing which sites frequently have elevated levels of bacteria, ShoreRivers will focus on the next most frequently asked question from the public: “Where does bacteria pollution come from at each site?” ShoreRivers is exploring partnerships and innovative technologies to help identify specific sources of bacteria pollution at specific testing locations.

“Once we know where the bacteria is coming from—whether it’s leaking sewer lines, failing septic systems, over-application of fertilizer, or people not picking up after their pets—we can start implementing real solutions,” says Choptank Riverkeeper Matt Pluta. “Monitoring techniques such as eDNA sampling and bacteria source tracking are improving and becoming more reliable. It’s another tool in our Riverkeeper toolbelt to help improve water quality conditions so Eastern Shore waterways are always safe and swimmable.”

The SwimmableShoreRivers program also works with government health agencies at local and state levels to monitor toxic algal blooms and inform the public of serious potential health risks to humans and pets. Algal blooms occur naturally, but increased levels of nutrient pollution in our waterways from fertilizers, septic systems, and wastewater plants fuel larger, more toxic, and longer-lasting blooms.

In our region, toxic blooms occur most frequently on the Sassafras River, due to its lower salinity levels. Last summer, a toxic algal bloom on the Sassafras lasted for almost three months. This was the largest, longest lasting, and most toxic bloom ever recorded on the river, causing the Maryland Department of the Environment to issue a water contact advisory for the whole river.

Already in 2021, small blooms have been identified in tributaries of the Sassafras. Sassafras Riverkeeper Zack Kelleher has responded to and tested these blooms with the help of Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources, and will continue to monitor the water weekly as the summer progresses. For more info on Sassafras algal blooms this summer, contact zkelleher@shorerivers.org.

Annie Richards is the Chester Riverkeeper for ShoreRivers

Maryland Humanities Tour of Smithsonian Exhibition in Centreville

June 11, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Maryland Humanities and Queen Anne’s County Historical Society present Voices and Votes: Democracy in America, a traveling Smithsonian Institution exhibition, at Kennard African American Cultural Heritage Center in Centreville beginning June 12. The Kennard Center serves as the second venue of a five-stop tour of the state, presented through Maryland Humanities’ Museum on Main Street program. The June 12 opening coincides with the Kennard Center’s Juneteenth Festival, 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m., which will feature craft displays, Black artists, local speakers, and more.

Each Voices and Votes host creates a local exhibit to complement the Smithsonian Institution exhibition. Queen Anne’s County Historical Society presents Action, Reaction, Vision, which showcases 15 local advocacy organizations, each with a different set of causes and initiatives. The local exhibit—which includes displays from the League of Women Voters, Centreville Middle School, and Kent Island Heritage Group—aims to demonstrate the impact of voices individually and collectively taking a position on critical issues. “Our mission with the exhibit is to encourage residents to get involved with organizations that connect with their interests and discover what resources are here to meet their needs,” says Jennifer Moore, President of the Queen Anne’s County Historical Society. The exhibit highlights opportunities for civic action and results of that action.

“Through Museum on Main Street, Maryland Humanities and the Smithsonian Institution created learning experiences, increased our exposure, and fostered conversations that will forever change the way we interact with our community and deliver our mission,” says Moore. “I have learned over the years that coming out of a crisis creates opportunities for change in organizations and neighborhoods that may not have otherwise been possible. Hosting the Voices and Votes Museum on Main Street exhibit in the year after 2020 has generated partnerships and collaborations that will be instrumental in the future of our organizations. We are grateful to have been a 2021 host and to have their staff and consulting experts in our corner.”

After Voices and Votes leaves Centreville, Queen Anne’s County Historical Society will reconfigure the companion exhibit for travel to schools, local community centers, and public spaces. The organization will work with youth groups so the exhibit reflects the voices of their peers.

Voices and Votes is the seventh Museum on Main Street project brought to small communities throughout the state by Maryland Humanities. Each venue hosts the exhibition for six weeks and develops a complementary exhibit highlighting their community’s heritage and histories.

“In addition to learning more about our country’s voting history, we’re looking forward to exploring the voting rights history of five diverse Maryland regions where our host sites are located,” said Lindsey Baker, executive director of Maryland Humanities. “We see the impact the lack of voting access has on many Americans today and can better understand current civil rights movements by looking at our history.”

Voices and Votes programming is supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the State of Maryland, and Maryland Public Television is the tour’s Media Sponsor. Queen Anne’s County Historical Society’s partners include Centreville Middle School; Chesapeake Republican Women; Eastern Shore Land Conservancy; Historical Society of Kent County; Kent Island Heritage Society; Kennard African American Cultural Heritage Center; Minary’s Dream Alliance; New United Methodist Church/Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc; Queen Anne’s County Board of Elections; Queen Anne’s County Democratic Club; Queen Anne’s County Centre for the Arts; Queen Anne’s County Chapter of NAACP; Queen Anne’s County Character Counts; Queen Anne’s County Drug Free Coalition; Queen Anne’s County Garden Club; Queen Anne’s County League of Women Voters; Queen Anne’s County Office of the Sheriff; Queen Anne’s Railroad Society; Sassafras, MD; Sumner Hall; and Worthmore Equestrian Center. Queen Anne County’s Historical Society sponsors include Earle’s Cove Trading Company, Queenstown Bank, Shore United Bank, Queen Anne’s County League of Women Voters, Preservation Hall PRS, Purple Cat PR, and Shirley Middleton Tax Service.

Queen Anne’s County Historical Society hosts Voices and Votes at Kennard African American Cultural Heritage Center June 12–July 24, 2021. The center is located at 410 Little Kidwell Avenue in Centreville. The exhibition will be on view Wednesdays and Fridays, 3:00–7:00 p.m.; and Saturdays and Sundays, 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. Special arrangements for other viewing opportunities can be requested by calling (410) 708-0151. Queen Anne’s Historical Society and Kennard African American Cultural Heritage Center will follow specific COVID safety protocols. Learn more at www.QACHistoricalSociety.org or call 410.708.0151.

June 12, 2021 – July 24, 2021
Queen Anne’s County Historical Society
at Kennard African American Cultural Heritage Center,
Centreville, Queen Anne’s County

Congressman Harris Announces Military Service Academy June 15 Virtual Webinar

June 5, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Congressman Andy Harris, M.D., announced his annual military service academy information event for high school students interested in pursuing a Congressional nomination to attend one of the nation’s military service academies. The virtual forum will be held on Tuesday, June 15th at 5:30PM, and will run approximately 90 minutes. Congressman Harris will kick off the meeting, followed by a very informative briefing by experts in the selection process and a first-hand look at academy life through the eyes of recent graduates. It will conclude with a question and answer session for students and parents.

Additionally, a member of the University of Maryland ROTC detachment will be on hand to answer questions specific to ROTC scholarships. Interested students must RSVP for the June 15 virtual event with their name, address, phone number, and reliable email address to MD01Academy@mail.house.gov. Individuals who have RSVP’d will receive a confirmation email with a link to join the virtual meeting on Friday June 11th in the afternoon. Additional questions can be addressed to Congressman Harris’s office at MD01Academy@mail.house.gov.

Congressman Harris issued the following statement:

“I look forward to again hosting this panel discussion to inform my young constituents about life at the academies and the process for interviewing and selecting candidates. Every year this forum is well attended, and I’m consistently encouraged by the level of interest by our young people who wish to serve in our nation’s armed services.”

Special Message from Create Founders

June 4, 2021 by Spy Desk 1 Comment

For the past 5 years, Create art.craft.design has been a showcase for artists from the crème de la crème of American Craft. Patti and Dave Hegland, Carla Massoni, Faith Wilson, Marilee Schumann, Bob Ortiz and Rob Glebe formed a partnership and built one of the most beautiful gallery/retail spaces in Chestertown, if not the whole East Coast. Though Bob Ortiz and Rob Glebe left the partnership they continued to contribute to the success of our endeavor.

We are grateful to our loyal artists and clients who made it possible for our shop to survive the pandemic. The last year of isolation and introspection has made all of us think about the future and what we want to accomplish.

It is with regret and with a measure of optimism that we are closing our doors at the end of June. Though our partnership is ending we will continue our own artistic pursuits and invite you to stay in touch as we grow and explore each in our own way.

The doors of Create art.craft.design will be closing on Sunday, June 27. Starting June 3rd everything in the gallery is 30% off. Please come and find the things you always wanted at Create. And tell your friends! Don’t wait until the last week! If you have a gift card, please be sure to come in and use it before then. Create art.craft.design is located at 113 South Cross Street in Chestertown.

On June 5 add Create to your Saturday morning downtown Chestertown stroll! We will be celebrating our partnership with cake and champagne from 10am to noon. Please join all of us – Carla, Patti and Dave, Faith, Marilee, and original partners Rob Glebe and Bob Ortiz as we toast our partnership.

Patti & Dave Hegland – https://heglandglass.com/
Carla Massoni – https://massoniart.com/
Faith Wilson – https://faithwilsonart.com/
Marilee Schumann – https://marileeschumannart.com/
Bob Ortiz – http://ortizstudios.com/
Rob Glebe – https://www.robglebedesign.com/

Chestertown Mobile Stage Debut: “Best Kept Soul” Rescheduled for June 5

June 2, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

The street party to debut the Town’s new Mobile Stage, canceled by last weekend’s cold rainy weather, has been rescheduled for this Saturday evening, June 5, from 7 to 9 p.m. The party will take place in the 200 block of High Street between Court and Cross Streets. Wilmington-based band Best Kept Soul will bring its popular mix of Soul, Motown, and R&B hits.

Entrance to the event is free. Main Street volunteers will sell beer and wine.

Nearby, in the lower section of the block, between Queen and Court Street, The Kitchen at the Imperial will kick off a new season of street dining with the first seatings at 5:00. Call 410-778-5000 for reservations.

Main Street Chestertown purchased the Stageline SL75 mobile stage last year so the Town could provide a safe, professional stage for civic and nonprofit events. Deployed by trained members of the Town Street Department, the stage unfolds from a trailer and boasts a hydraulically raised roof. It’s first use will be Friday morning during the outdoor graduation ceremony for Kent County High School seniors.

The Maryland Heritage Area Authority/Stories of the Chesapeake provided a $54,300 matching grant toward the purchase of the stage, and the Robert F. Schumann Foundation provided $35,000. The Town contributed $5,000 and Main Street contributed the final $10,000 to reach the total purchase price, which included a number of key accessories such as safety railings, side panels, expansion wings, and hydraulic stabilizers.

HOPE Moves CASA of the Mid-Shore Forward

May 24, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

With National Volunteer Appreciation Month and National Child Abuse Prevention Month as a backdrop, in April CASA of the Mid-Shore celebrated 31 years of service to maltreated children. To creatively and safely thank the many Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteers from Talbot, Dorchester, Queen Anne’s, and Kent Counties who stand against child abuse and take action by advocating for children, CASA’s staff followed CDC protocols while greeting CASA volunteers at outside locations to provide ‘to-go’ gourmet lunches.

Each CASA volunteer embraced CASA of the Mid-Shore’s 2021 theme, HOPE MOVES US FORWARD, by writing a message of hope on a poster and posing for a photograph. Some of the photos are included, along with comments from CASA’s stakeholder in this video.

Reminding the community that CASA of the Mid-Shore provides an opportunity to celebrate the power of the individual to spark change and improve the world, CASA’s Executive Director Robin Davenport states, “COVID-19 has changed so much for so many. One thing that has not changed is our consistent advocacy for vulnerable children.

For the second year in a row the pandemic prevents us from holding an in-person event to raise essential funds. Nonetheless, our work goes on, and we need financial support.” She encourages community members to support CASA of the Mid-Shore through tax-deductible donations before this fiscal year ends on June 30th.

CASA of the Mid-Shore’s mission is to provide Court Appointed Special Advocates to children who are under court protection due to abuse, neglect, abandonment, or their parents’ inability to safely care for them. To support this nonprofit organization, please visit www.casamidshore.org.

Rock Hall Launches “Yarn Bomb” 2021

May 24, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

The public is invited to join Rock Hall Elementary School and Main Street Rock Hall (MSRH) in creating a one-of-a-kind piece of public art.

This year we plan to create a swashbuckling, pirate-themed display. Using acrylic yarn (knitting, crocheting, counted cross stitch, etc.) participants are asked to create a one dimensional (flat) pirate-related object of at least 1 foot in length. (The bigger the better)!. Examples are: pirates, swords, skull and cross bones, treasure chests, anchors, etc. Your creation does not need to be realistic, and feel free to use bright colors and your imagination. The area of the completed project will be 6 feet high and over 60 feet long.

Please drop off all yarn creations at The Hickory Stick (21326 Sharp St., Rock Hall) by Saturday, July 3rd. Tag with the artist’s name and email if possible. Please do not place creations in plastic bags. We hope to hang the mural during the 3rd week of July. It will remain in place for approximately a month, or until the elements have taken their toll.

Please contact Laurie Walters (mainstreetrockhall@gmail.com) for more information or to donate acrylic yarn, needles, or crochet hooks.

Minary’s Dream Alliance Invites You to Join Us in Celebrating Our One Year Anniversary

May 21, 2021 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

The Minary’s Dream Alliance (MDA) board and partners are celebrating our first year of programming serving Queen Anne’s, Talbot, Caroline, Kent and Dorchester Counties youth and families. All are invited to attend our Open House on Saturday, May 22.

MDA partners including Small Town Big Artist, Li’l Saints of NCCOL UMC, LiveGr8r Mentoring Program, GLOW (Girls Learning Our Worth), Rising Sons, Shore’s Elite Track & Field, Chesapeake Heartland Project: Humanities Truck, Shore Rivers, Chestertown RiverArts/KidSpot will be on-site to introduce their programs and share their experiences with our organization. A silent auction will be held featuring donations from local shops and galleries including renowned artist Greg Mort (also a Capital Campaign donor), Friendship Farm an Pottery, and many more local organizations and individuals. MDA board members and volunteers will be available to help families interested in registering for programs or becoming a member.

Minary’s Dream Alliance is proud to offer youth programs including the recently formed Club F.E.A.R. Club F.E.A.R. supports youth ages 12-17 impacted by, affected by, or diagnosed with Opioid Use Disorder and their families. MDA is also home to the Social Action Committee for Racial Justice’s Feed the Elderly Initiative. Paul Tue, III hosts a weekly Mindful Mornings motivational call for young men ages 6-17.

“Having the opportunity to start an Adolescent Youth Clubhouse is awesome. We are trailblazers on the Eastern Shore as this is the first one. The team is excited to get started.” says Paul L.A. Tue III, Co-Founder, Minary’s Dream Alliance

MDA is also celebrating reaching the half-way mark of our Capital Campaign. Due to the generosity of an anonymous Angel Donor who has offered a staged matching grant up to $500,000 toward the purchase of the Frank M. Jarman American Legion, Post 36 and building endowment we are close to being able to purchase the property. Reaching out to the underserved and disenfranchised in our community, we hope to provide a safe space and create a sense of ownership among the individuals we serve as well as their families and the
community at large. Donations to the Capital Campaign can be made online at minarysdreamalliance.org.

“This is the first Adolescent Clubhouse to be implemented on the Eastern Shore. The American Legion property will become a home-away-from-home for youth and families and the opportunities and programs we will bring to them. Families will have access to the waterways to fish and kayak, they will be able to garden, cook and camp together, all in a safe and peaceful environment,” says Doncella Wilson, Co-Founder, Minary’s Dream Alliance

The Minary’s Dream Alliance One Year Anniversary Open House will be held on Saturday, May 22 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM at the Frank M. Jarman American Legion, Post 36 at 9155 American Legion Road in Chestertown, Maryland. For more about Minary’s Dream Alliance, go here. To register for the event go here.

Christian McBride’s New Jawn will Headline the 25th Chestertown Jazz Festival

May 19, 2021 by Spy Desk 1 Comment

Jazz doesn’t get any better than the groove Christian McBride’s New Jawn delivers, and fresh from winning his J1h Grammy, McBride has accepted Dr. Mel Rapelyea’s invitation to headline the 25th Anniversary Chestertown Jazz Festival in September.

In a word, “Wow!”

When Christian McBride’s New Jawn takes the stage under the bigger-than-ever Festival tent in Wilmer Park, on the banks of the Chester River, McBride’s premier musicians will continue the Chestertown Jazz Festival tradition of bringing astonishingly important jazz artists to town. In 1996, Rapelyea topped off his first Festival by wooing the Count Basie Orchestra’s Frank Foster to Chestertown, and Foster didn’t disappoint. He thrilled the first-Festival audience with his quartet of Basie veterans, and this year’s headliner is proof that “Doctor Mel” can still shag big stars.

“Oh my goodness!” laughed Rapelyea. “I am thrilled that Christian McBride’s New Jawn is our headliner-this is going to be quite a celebration. We’ll have new young talent that people will love, great local and Mid-Atlantic artists excited to be back to play the Festival again, and lots more. The 25th anniversary Festival is going to have it all.”

Tap “Christian McBride’s New Jawn” into YouTube and you’ll get a whiff of the level of musicianship that will bring jazz lovers from Philly, DC, Baltimore and South Jersey to the three-day Festival, from Thursday to Saturday, September 9 to 11.

Chuck Redd on vibraphone and drums will amaze, as always, when he kicks off the festival with his combo in Rock Hall on Thursday, in The Mainstay’s new outdoor venue. Talk about legends! Redd was 21 when he joined the Charlie Byrd Trio and took off on a career that included 25 European tours and six tours in Japan with Barney Kessel. In recent years, Redd has played countless packed-house gigs at the Mainstay as well as the 2016 Jazz Festival. Rapelyea says Redd is dedicating his 2021 Festival concert to the memory of Charlie Byrd.

Dr. Mel Rapelyea

Doctor Mel is delighted with the music he and Sue Matthews have lined up for Friday night’s “Cocktails and Jazz” show in the Festival’s biggest-ever tent in Wilmer Park, where the pandemic-era audience will be able to spread out while they enjoy heavy hors d’oeuvres and drink in the sound of Festival favorites. Millington’s Vaughn Bratcher Project will welcome the audience with smooth modern jazz spiced with a bit of R&B before they hand over the stage to The Sholbertshire Swingtet.

The four Sholbertshires are pros who’ve travelled the world and performed with the best of the best: Amy Shook on acoustic bass (she played at the White House twice!); Joe Holt at the piano (he’s on more than 30 album recordings and has been hosting “Mainstay Mondays” with local talent since 2016); Scott Silbert on tenor sax (he’s the U.S. Navy Band’s chief arranger and plays with the Smithsonian’s Jazz Masterworks Orchestra); and Steve Abshire on guitar (he appeared twice with the “Great Guitars,” once with Herb Ellis and Charlie Byrd when he filled in for Barney Kessel).

“The Sholbertshires are four of the mid-Atlantic’s favorite voices in jazz,” Rapelyea said.

“They’ve joined forces to celebrate the music of the Great American Songbook, and their unique and joyous way pays tribute to the swingin’ ensemble sound of the Oscar Peterson Trio featuring Stan Getz. I guarantee they’ll swing you into great health!”

On Saturday, the Chestertown Jazz Festival tent will be filled with music all afternoon and into the evening. “We’ll open with gospel music as always,” Doctor Mel said. The Burke family will grace our opening, “and our emcee on Saturday will be the wonderful and beautiful Miyuki Williams from WPFW jazz radio in Washington, D.C. She has emceed the Festival many times and everyone who knows jazz knows her. She hosts a Sunday jazz show on WPFC called Sunday Kind of Love.”

Rapelyea says he is delighted that the second group on stage Saturday, the Ephraim and Ebben Dorsey Quintet, is a tribute to youth in jazz. At 17 and 16, the brother and sister alto saxophonists claim top-billing in their Baltimore combo. According to Doctor Mel, the teens have been playing professionally with veteran musicians locally and across the country since they were about ten years old.

Next up? A “Chestertown Jazz Revue” choreographed by vocalist Sue Matthews that will be jam-packed with local celebrities and home-grown super-stars: Dick Durham, Stef Scaggiari, Sherry Winston, Giacomo Gates, The Uptown Vocal Jazz Quartet, Lena Seikaly, Sue Matthews and Marlon Saunders! For anyone who’s been tuned in to the local music scene for a decade or two or three, the Jazz Revue will be a gift basket overflowing with sounds people love about Chestertown.

And then, with everyone already on their feet, calling for more, Doctor Mel says Miyuki Williams will introduce Christian McBride’s New Jawn.

“Oh, my goodness,” Rapelyea said. “It doesn’t get any better than that.”He is so grateful for his knowledgeable and hardworking committee for so many years. He inaugurated festival 1 in 1996 with the complete backing of Leslie Raimond who headed The Kent County Arts Council. She’s been helping him ever since. Other current members include the master of recycling and the organizer and leader of the ‘Ukulele group’, Ford Shuman. He is the consummate ‘Stage Manager.’ Hard workers also include Mary Simmons, Andy Goddard, Nie Carter, and the newest Steve Arnold. Steve is the new Executive Director of the Garfield Center for the Performing Arts. He joins the committee with zeal and excitement for this 25th-anniversary event.

For ticket information, go to The Chestertown Jazz Festival’s Facebook page.

Dr. Mel Rapelyea and his committee are ‘Well Healthy Aware’ and are prepared to follow any future regulations related to the COVID pandemic. As of the latest CDC ruling the event has received their blessing to move forward safely with no significant restrictions.

For information and advance ticket sales go to www.garfieldcneter.org or call 410-810-2060.

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