First of free evening concerts draws hundreds

Hundreds converged on the Legislative lawn Sunday evening, hauling coolers, picnic baskets and chairs for the first in a series of concerts put on by the Carson City Redevelopment Authority.

The 17-piece Mile High Jazz Band, featuring vocalist Sheryl Adams, performed hits by Count Basie and Duke Ellington from 5 p.m. until 7.

"You can't beat the price," said Lee Graham of the free performance.

He drove up with his wife, Pat, from Minden, a trip they expect to make again.

"We'll probably catch them all," he said of the six-concert series.

"Yeah, we went to almost all of them last year, too," said his wife.

The seventh-annual concert series is in the grass amphitheater between the Legislature and the Capitol building. Audience members sit in the shade of tall trees around the memorial to fallen police officers.

Members of the all-ages band took turns playing solos. Gil Linsley did a mean solo on his flYgelhorn during "I Remember Clifford." Mark Campbell stood in on the upright bass for regular Brad Lund, who celebrated Independence Day by having his appendix removed. Mike Allen, playing one of four trombones in the group, sounded tight on his solo during "A Night in Tunisia."

"They're very good," said Pat Stutzman, seated cross-legged on the grass with her St. Bernard mix, Jack . She combined the trip to the concert with a few errands. "I have to make going out in the car worthwhile," she said with a smile.

Joyce Cook walked from her home on Telegraph Street specifically for the concert this year after stumbling across a performance last year. She moved here a year ago from St. Paul, Minn., after thorough research.

Cook selected Carson because of its nice weather, low crime rate and population of 50,000.

"In St. Paul, it's more like 250,000 so this is nice," she said.

Population numbers were also on the mind of the redevelopment authority's Kevin Ray, who introduced the band.

"We'll probably have more than 500 tonight," he said. "And there'll be more as the series goes on and people tell their friends about it."

The next concert will be the band Hired Help playing July 13 at 5 p.m. Concerts are scheduled for each Sunday evening through August 10. They wrap up at about 7 p.m.