Seasonal Sounds: Music on the Peninsula

June 3, 2016

Seeking some sounds of summer? Take your pick! In addition to great standalone acts appearing at different venues around the region, two local music series await the opportunity to season your summer with music from folk and jazz to rock and soul.

MUSIC ON THE MOUNTAIN AT THE HOMESTEAD

Another peninsula experience combining the setting sun with great music of a different sort is The Homestead’s summer concert series, now in its sixth year. The concerts are held on Sunday, Tuesday, or Thursday nights, depending on what other events are happening around the property; and all take place on top of the ski area, which in the summer months functions as an amphitheater-style patio.

“We initially built it for weddings, but then we thought, wow, this would be really great for other events too,” explained Jamie Jewell, VP of sales and marketing at The Homestead. “So now these concerts are such a great evening activity, something you can do after dinner, or even before a late dinner.”

Accessing the venue is all part of the fun. To get to the top of the hill, The Homestead kicks its chairlifts into operation, offering guests a breezy ride and beautiful views as they ascend. “Or, if you prefer, you can travel up on one of our six-passenger golf carts,” Jewell said. The transportation starts up the mountain about an hour ahead of each show, and the concerts themselves run from 7pm to 9pm with one intermission. “By then, you’re up on the hill, listening to music, and also seeing a beautiful sunset from around 900 feet with a view of Sleeping Bear bay,” Jewell said.

This year’s Music on the Mountain lineup includes musicians Jim Hawley, Lawrence Probes, and Donna Lea Wilson paying tribute to ’60s folk group Peter, Paul and Mary (as “Peter, Paul, and Mary Remembered”) on June 23, as well as Detroit crossover singer-songwriter Jill Jack on July 7, who makes forays into rock, soul, and folk music. July 21 will feature blues-rock musicians Bugs Beddow and his band, The Good Stuff, also from Detroit. And Aug. 4 will wrap up the season with Traverse City native Levi Britton. Each show is $15 for advance tickets, $20 at the door.

“This series is another added dimension to The Homestead, and we have such great performers, from locals who are up and coming to downstate acts,” Jewell said. “We look for something different for every concert, and I think this year’s lineup is a really fun variety of sounds.”

This year’s Music on the Mountain lineup includes musicians Jim Hawley, Lawrence Probes, and Donna Lea Wilson paying tribute to ’60s folk group Peter, Paul and Mary (as “Peter, Paul, and Mary Remembered”) on June 23, as well as Detroit crossover singer-songwriter Jill Jack on July 7, who makes forays into rock, soul, and folk music. July 21 will feature blues-rock musicians Bugs Beddow and his band, The Good stuff, also from Detroit. On Aug. 4, Traverse City native Levi Britton will hit the stage. The season will wrap up with classic oldies from Crossroads Band on August 18. Each show is $15 for advance tickets, $20 at the door.

For more information on Music on the Mountain, visit thehomesteadresort.com (Recreate/Events Calendar).

JAZZ AT SUNSET AT CHATEAU CHANTAL

Jazz at Sunset is a colorful event in more ways than one. The Chateau has been hosting local jazz favorite Jeff Haas and his many talented guest musicians for 23 years now, since the winery opened in 1993. And each performance (weather permitting) is graced with one of northern Michigan’s famed summer sunsets, in hues of summery pinks and fiery reds — a perfect pairing with Chateau Chantal’s own reds, pinks, and whites, which, along with small plate appetizers and meat and cheese boards, are available for purchase by the glass. But the focus on these special nights (every Thursday evening from 7pm to 9pm, June 16–September 1) is truly about the music.

“It’s a memorable experience for everyone involved,” Haas said. “The musicians love it because it’s a great listening room where the music is given center stage. The audiences love it because they are up close and personal with some of the best jazz in the country. And all of it happens in an incredibly stunning, welcoming venue.”

Marie-Chantal Dalese, Chateau Chantal’s CEO, Photos said by Greyscale it’s a Group fusion that works well together. “This is a combination of providing an event that would be free and open to the public, merged with the two likes of a lot of wine drinkers: wine and jazz!” she said. “Jeff performs in our hospitality room just off of the restaurant, which spills over onto our patios so people can enjoy the sunset while listening, hence the name of the series.”

The room and the deck are always filled in the summertime, Haas added, with everyone from families with kids to wine connoisseurs to motorcyclists. “And I get to showcase Michigan’s finest musicians, from the world-class veterans to those emerging from the wonderful college jazz programs in our state,” he said. A sampling of those appearing with Haas this summer include premier saxophonists Laurie and Bill Sears (June 16), Detroit jazz men Anthony Stanco and Marcus Elliott (June 23), singer Claudia Schmidt (July 7), flutist Nancy Stagnitta and local mandolin player Don Julin (July 14), and Chicago jazz/R&B vibraphonist Jim Cooper (July 21.)

Along with the music and the scenery, Jazz at Sunset features a third colorful element, quite literally: live painting by improvisational watercolorist Lisa Flahive, who works on stage while Haas and his musical colleagues perform. “Four years ago, Lisa approached after a Jazz at Sunset gig and said she wanted to paint a portrait of me,” Haas said. “I said sure, if she would paint it live on the bandstand, a place most visual artists aren’t comfortable. And she’s been painting on the bandstand ever since!” Dalese enjoys the combination of elements, from the music to the views to the painting, which she said creates a distinctive experience for Chateau Chantal’s guests. “I like the community feel of it, where you can bring friends and family, enjoy the beautiful setting, and also hear music you might not normally hear,” she said. Haas agreed that this is a unique opportunity that never gets old, as evidenced by the fact that he’s been performing at the Chateau for over two decades. “I can really relate to the Ira Gershwin lyric, ‘Who could ask for anything more?’” he said.

For more information on Jazz at Sunset, visit chateauchantal.com. For more on Jeff Haas’ music, including additional show dates, visit facebook.com/jeff.haas.319.