{"id":205236,"date":"2025-09-06T14:56:16","date_gmt":"2025-09-06T14:56:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/205236\/"},"modified":"2025-09-06T14:56:16","modified_gmt":"2025-09-06T14:56:16","slug":"gorgas-park-music-jamboree-hits-a-high-note","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/205236\/","title":{"rendered":"Gorgas Park music jamboree hits a high note"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>For anyone stuck at home over the Labor Day weekend, what better way could you spend a Saturday than by grooving to the melodic sounds emanating from Gorgas Park?<\/p>\n<p>For my money, I\u2019d be hard pressed to think of one.<\/p>\n<p>On top of that, the Friends of Gorgas Park picked a delightful late summer day to host the annual Music Jamboree along with the New Ridge Brewing Co. Beer Garden.<\/p>\n<p>With crisp fall-like air and sunny skies above, it was the perfect way to sit back under the tree canopy and forget about life\u2019s problems, if only for a day.<\/p>\n<p>As they do in every park-related event, Friends\u2019 volunteers go all out to provide the community with family-friendly entertainment with quality refreshments in a neighborhood green space that is rival to none.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"mng-gallery-initialized mng-gallery-slider\">\n<li data-index=\"1\" class=\"mng-ge mng-gallery-active\" id=\"mng-ge-0\" aria-hidden=\"false\" tabindex=\"0\"><img alt=\"The Mitchell St. Phillbillies horn section of Kyle Schwirian and...\" class=\"size-article_inline\"  \/>\n<p>The Mitchell St. Phillbillies horn section of Kyle Schwirian and Andrew Morgan added punch to the band\u2019s upbeat numbers. (Photo by Rick Cawley)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"2\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The Mitchell St. Phillbillies guitarist Tom Mazza plays some Class...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/RBR-L-jamboree-0906-01.jpg\" \/>\n<p>The Mitchell St. Phillbillies guitarist Tom Mazza plays some Class A licks on Radar Love. (Photo by Rick Cawley)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"3\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Fairmount Behavioral Health Systems Jon Anderson, with James Dougherty, provided...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/RBR-L-jamboree-0906-04.jpg\" \/>\n<p>Fairmount Behavioral Health Systems Jon Anderson, with James Dougherty, provided the low down on their community services. (Photo by Rick Cawley)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"4\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"As always, centenarian-plus-one Sylvia Myers was on board to lend...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/RBR-L-jamboree-0906-07.jpg\" \/>\n<p>As always, centenarian-plus-one Sylvia Myers was on board to lend her services for the splendid affair. (Photo by Rick Cawley)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"5\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-4\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Community do everything man James Dougherty takes a breather next...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/RBR-L-jamboree-0906-03.jpg\" \/>\n<p>Community do everything man James Dougherty takes a breather next to the Deke\u2019s BBQ truck. (Photo by Rick Cawley)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Show Caption<\/p>\n<p>1 of 5<\/p>\n<p>The Mitchell St. Phillbillies horn section of Kyle Schwirian and Andrew Morgan added punch to the band\u2019s upbeat numbers. (Photo by Rick Cawley)\n<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#\" class=\"icon-enlarge mng-gallery-fullscreen-expand\" aria-label=\"Expand fullscreen slideshow\">Expand<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Friends President John Boyce relies on a legion of loyal foot soldiers whose mission is to work behind the scenes to showcase this fabulous park with unforgettable experiences.<\/p>\n<p>That, and, of course, wonderfully generous sponsors like the New Ridge Brewing Co. as well as the Roxborough Development Corporation, Phila. Parks and Recreation, Big Dawg Plumbing, Kershaw Real Estate, Secret Garden, Baker St. Partners, Stanley\u2019s Hardware, and Councilman Curtis Jones Jr. to name a few.<\/p>\n<p>The New Ridge Brewing Co. did yeoman\u2019s work keeping up with the demand for their popular concoctions of first rate adult beverages to quench even the most sophisticated of tastes.<\/p>\n<p>Deke\u2019s BBQ was also on hand to provide grub for the masses. Their reputation for cooking up delicious, mouth-watering ribs et al. will remain intact with scores of satisfied customers in agreement.<\/p>\n<p>Oh, the music. A strong lineup that could appeal to a spectrum of varied musical tastes, guaranteed that there was something for everyone.<\/p>\n<p>Up to bat first was the Hines Creative Arts Jazz Ensemble, who played a tasty set of improv melodies which was impressive in itself.<\/p>\n<p>Not to mention the fact that it was a group of talented teens hammering out tightly wound jazz licks.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"mng-gallery-initialized mng-gallery-slider\">\n<li data-index=\"1\" class=\"mng-ge mng-gallery-active\" id=\"mng-ge-0\" aria-hidden=\"false\" tabindex=\"0\"><img alt=\"Not knowing the musical repertoire of the Big Jangle didn\u2019t...\" class=\"size-article_inline\"  \/>\n<p>Not knowing the musical repertoire of the Big Jangle didn\u2019t stop Joshua Ryan from having a grand time. (Photo by Rick Cawley)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"2\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-1\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The Big Jangle closed out a wonderful day with a...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/RBR-L-jamboree-0906-12.jpg\" \/>\n<p>The Big Jangle closed out a wonderful day with a twangy rendition of classic Tom Petty songs. (Photo by Rick Cawley)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"3\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-2\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Friends of Gorgas Park volunteer Cullen Dougherty helped make sure...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/RBR-L-jamboree-0906-08.jpg\" \/>\n<p>Friends of Gorgas Park volunteer Cullen Dougherty helped make sure that everyone went home with a full stomach. (Photo by Rick Cawley)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"4\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-3\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Tom \u201cBeacons\u201d Handzus and Melinda Volpe took advantage of the...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/RBR-L-jamboree-0906-05.jpg\" \/>\n<p>Tom \u201cBeacons\u201d Handzus and Melinda Volpe took advantage of the perfect day to sit back and chill to the great music. (Photo by Rick Cawley)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-index=\"5\" class=\"mng-ge\" id=\"mng-ge-4\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Purchasing a snazzy T-shirt was a great way to support...\" class=\"lazyload size-article_inline\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/RBR-L-jamboree-0906-06.jpg\" \/>\n<p>Purchasing a snazzy T-shirt was a great way to support the wonderful entertainment provided at the park. (Photo by Rick Cawley)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Show Caption<\/p>\n<p>1 of 5<\/p>\n<p>Not knowing the musical repertoire of the Big Jangle didn\u2019t stop Joshua Ryan from having a grand time. (Photo by Rick Cawley)\n<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#\" class=\"icon-enlarge mng-gallery-fullscreen-expand\" aria-label=\"Expand fullscreen slideshow\">Expand<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Mitchell Street Phillbiliies, as the name suggests, are mostly locally bred musicians who play an eclectic blend of covers and originals. With Haley Trainor on lead vocal, the band of Keegan Trainor (bass), Tom Mazza (guitar), Kyle Schwirian (sax), Andrew Morgan (trumpet), and Jonah Nichols (drums) sounded like they could have just as easily been playing at the Freedom Mortgage Pavillion. The polished sound and stylish vocals coupled with the powerful accents from the horn players puts the Phillbillies at the top of the pyramid of local bands.<\/p>\n<p>The Odyssey covered the gamut of R-and-B and Soul classics with superb vocals and a backing band that pumped out \u201cdance in the aisles\u201d rhythms and funking beats. It was hard to stay in one\u2019s lounge chair and resist the temptation to let your inhibitions run wild to their infective and pulsating sound.<\/p>\n<p>The headliner of this mini-Woodstock happening was the Big Jangle who kept the crowd mesmerized with an impeccable steady stream of Tom Petty channeled covers. The Big Jangle did justice to hits like \u201cI Won\u2019t Back Down\u201d, \u201cRefugee\u201d, \u201cAmerican Girl\u201d, \u201cBreakdown\u201d, and a Traveling Wilburys salute as well. It brought back a heap ofnostalgia for those of a certain age. For the younger set, it was just good music\u2026music that could stand up to any demographic in any era.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" lazyautosizes lazyload\" alt=\"Lola was one of many canines who were enjoying a full day of musical escapism. (Photo by Rick Cawley)\" width=\"3415\" data- src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/RBR-L-jamboree-0906-10.jpg\" data-attachment-id=\"1123846\" \/>Lola was one of many canines who were enjoying a full day of musical escapism. (Photo by Rick Cawley)<\/p>\n<p>Friends of Gorgas Park do-it-all James Dougherty summed up the day\u2019s success by musing that the Music Jamboree \u201cwas one for the books. Everyone had a great time, the musical acts were awesome, and it was such a good vibe.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And a personal shout out to the New Ridge Brewing Co. and hard-working volunteers who pulled off another seamless event.<\/p>\n<p>The end of the night intrigue generally boils down to who won the 50\/50 raffle.<\/p>\n<p>Some lucky soul went home with close to a $1,000 which means the Friends of Gorgas Park will get an equal share to continue to provide the kind of first rate entertainment that occurs each and every summer season. Take that, Wildwood!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For anyone stuck at home over the Labor Day weekend, what better way could you spend a Saturday&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":205237,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5132],"tags":[5229,728,50,1448,2830,1311,20348,25630,25629,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":{"0":"post-205236","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-philadelphia","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-local-news","10":"tag-news","11":"tag-pa","12":"tag-pennsylvania","13":"tag-philadelphia","14":"tag-philadelphia-county","15":"tag-roxborough-review","16":"tag-top-stories-tth","17":"tag-united-states","18":"tag-united-states-of-america","19":"tag-unitedstates","20":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","21":"tag-us","22":"tag-usa"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115157938195499940","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/205236","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=205236"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/205236\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/205237"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=205236"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=205236"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=205236"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}