The People's Voices Were Heard

Aug 3, 2017

Working to keep the energy and ideals of Independence Day going this summer, PJP worked to present 4 concerts in 3 days called Voices Of The People: Celebration Of Singers at the historic Hatfield House in Fairmount Park. The celebration, which was co-curated and c-produced by the creative team of Barbara Montgomery, Rhenda Fearrington, Karen Smith and James Solomon,  presented themed-concerts, centered around ideas that are powerfully meaningful, particularly to us as Americans. Those themes were...

    ▪    Freedom
    ▪    Interdependence
    ▪    Diversity
    ▪    Love & Acceptance

The events would feature 12 vocalists, including...

Rhenda Fearrington, Paul Jost, Lee Mo, Annie Sciolla, Milton Suggs, Ella Gahnt, Suzanne Burgess, Raimundo Santos, Barbara Walker, Barbara Montgomery, Michael Andrews and Bethlehem Roberson.

It would also feature the efforts of four talented music directors, Tom Lawton, Mike Boone, Lynn Riley and Lee Smith, as well as a host of musicians.

Well, Mother Nature had an entirely different agenda in store for us. As a result, we had one and a half concerts rained out by torrential down pours. However, that didn't stop the celebration and the sunshine did return.

Check out this photo gallery of the activities captured by photographer, Alexis Simmons.

Thanks to Ellen Ryan, The Fairmount Park Conservancy & Parks On Tap. Thanks to Kathyrn Ott Lovell and her staff at Philadelphia Parks & Recreation.

Thanks again, to the PhillyCAM crew for their cooperation, tons of hard work and tireless support.

Special thanks to PJP staff and volunteers. Another special shout to Melissa Talley Palmer who really carried this project on her back for a spell. Also special shouts to Stephanie Seiple, Karen Smith and Julia Lopez.

COLLABORATORS:

Jazz Near You, Fairmount Park Conservancy, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation and PhillyCAM

Philadelphia Jazz Project (PJP) supports, promotes, archives and celebrates the diverse elements within the Philadelphia Jazz community, with the larger goal of connecting to the global community

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Philadelphia Jazz Project is a sponsored project of the CultureWorks | Greater Philadelphia, with funding provided by The Wyncote Foundation.

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Tags : VoicesOfThePeople CelebrationofSingers HatfieldHouse FairmountPark Interdependence Diversity Love Freedom RhendaFearrington PaulJost LeeMo AnnieSciolla MiltonSuggs EllaGahnt SuzanneBurgess RaimundoSantos LiliAnel BarbaraMontgomery MichaelAndrews BethlehemRoberson PhiladelphiaJazzProject FairmountParkConservancy PhiladelphiaParks&Recreation ParksOnTap JazzNearYou PhilyJazz JazzSingers CelebratingSingers AlexisSimmons