July Newsletter
Where I'll be and what I'm up to in July 2024
Summer is in full swing in Vermont, and July will bring me back to some of my favorite spots to play music! In May 2023, I started hosting Big Easy Tuesdays weekly at The 126 in downtown Burlington. It’s still going strong, so if you are in town on a Tuesday night in July, you can find me there with either Back Porch Revival or my quartet, Jon McBride’s Big Easy, from 9-11 pm, playing music from New Orleans. Many great musicians stop by to play, and a crew of swing dancers often keeps everyone entertained. Laissez les bons temps rouler!
On Sunday, July 7th, Shelburne Vineyard will be the backdrop for an evening with Back Porch Revival (featuring Mike Santosusso on bass and vocals and Rob Church on banjo and vocals). From 6-8 p.m., we'll be playing on the deck on the back as part of their Wine & Jazz Sundays series, offering a picturesque view of the vineyard. It's the perfect spot to unwind and bask in a summer sunset. We'll also be at American Flatbread in Burlington as part of their Groove Is In The Hearth series on Wednesday, July 17th, from 5-8 p.m.
On Sunday, July 28th, I am excited to join the All Night Boogie Band for their show on the final day of Grace Potter’s Grand Point North festival on the Burlington waterfront. I will be playing tenor sax in the horn section. They have added horns to several shows in the last few months, and we’ve had a blast! On Wednesday, July 31st, I will be at Shelburne Farms Community Concert Series with Black Gold from 5-8 pm to close out the month. My good friend Clarence Davis leads this great new band, playing rare, deep funk cuts from Fela Kuti, Jimmy McGriff, Don Wilkerson, Willie Bobo, and many others. We just played at City Hall Park during the Juneteenth celebration, and I am excited to do it again.
I have had First Chair Winds for almost a year and a half. In that time, I have completed over three hundred and fifty repairs on saxophones, clarinets, flutes, piccolos, oboes, bassoons, trumpets, French Horns, euphoniums, and trombones. It’s a joy meeting musicians and educators across the state and repairing some instruments that can tell tremendous stories across multiple generations—and also plenty that can speak to the wanton neglect of middle and high schoolers.
I set out to build a shop in my backyard in the spring of 2023. I was able to move into it (and out of my basement) by the beginning of last summer, but I am still working to finish construction. The siding is almost done, and I will be painting in the near future. I am hoping to complete the inside window trim and ceiling panel installation before the first snowfall. I mention this mainly as a plea for accountability, so if you bring an instrument to me this summer, please inquire about my progress!
If you want more details, you can find them on my website or Bandsintown page. You can also just email me. Thank you for your support, and I look forward to seeing you again soon!