Inaugural Hope Jazz Festival a swinging success Organizers plan to make it an annual event

HOPE – The rain clouds had drifted away and sunlight beamed down on the grass of True Park as jazz lovers of all ages turned out for the first annual Hope Jazz Festival on Saturday.

A brisk breeze whipped across the fields and patrons were wearing their windbreakers, but that hardly caused a ripple as they eased back and took in the sights and sounds.

“I told the organizers that next year they ought to have it in the summer,” quipped master of ceremonies Robert “Humble Farmer” Skoglund.

Saturday’s appearance on the stage was his first area visit since he gave up his Maine Public Radio Jazz show after the network’s management pressed him to tone down his commentaries, or, as he fondly called them, “rants.”

The festival organizers said they invited the Humble Farmer to show their support for free speech.

“I think this is a good thing,” Skoglund said of the festival. “Since I got thrown off public radio, I’ve been asked to do a lot of things and to appear at a lot of festivals.”

Musician Chris Rogers and Hope residents Bill Jones, Andrew Stewart and Andy Swift formed Hope 4 Jazz last winter while sitting around talking about community events.

Stewart, owner of the Hope General Store, said the group wanted to build up jazz in Maine and try to make it easier for the many Maine jazz musicians who work out of state to find venues back home.

“We all thought it would be a great community event,” Stewart said. “It just started out as an idea and it just snowballed. We’ve been so lucky because there have been so many community members who have offered to volunteer and sponsor the festival. It’s a great feeling to have the community behind you.”

Stewart said Hope 4 Jazz wants to make the festival an annual event and has already decided to dedicate the proceeds to promote jazz in the area’s grade and high schools.

Swift, owner of the antique fire engine restoration company Firefly Restorations, also said he was amazed by the response from the community and local businesses that contributed to the festival.

“When you start out a thing like this, you need sponsors and volunteers and everyone has been great,” Swift said. “This is a great community. People here are just awesome about helping us out. That’s rewarding in itself, having the people get behind us. We’re proud that we’ve got all Maine musicians and they are very anxious to play and be here.”

Performers included Glenn Jenks, a dynamic pianist known for his ragtime tunes and compositions. Jenks was followed on stage by Maine piano legend Muriel Havenstein, a swinging keyboardist whose high-energy playing has delighted audiences for decades.

She was followed by the Al Corey Big Band with their classic style of music that reaches back to the golden age of big band sounds. Next on the bill was The Jazz Babies, with pianist Bob Page, followed by King’s Jazz, featuring drummer and festival organizer Chris Rogers with Bill Davis on piano, Tom O’Dell on saxophone, Spike Hyssong on bass and Mike Mitchell on trumpet.

“I got awakened by thunder at five this morning and I thought ‘Oh, no,'” said Camden resident Jenks. “Now look at it. I’m happy in Hope or hope-py in Hap.”