The Hoop City Jazz & Art Festival continues Sunday at Court Square in Springfield.
SPRINGFIELD – They came from as far away as Germany and California to hear the smooth sounds of jazz fill downtown Court Square during the annual Hampden Bank Hoop City Jazz & Art Festival.
Arnd Overbeck, of Munich, Germany, met his friend, Barbara D. Mathey, of California, in Boston on Saturday, so they could travel together to Springfield to see the band, “Down to the Bone” play the festival that night.
Overbeck, a big fan of the “groovy and funky” band, also saw them play in Virginia and Maryland this week.
“It’s great,” Overbeck said about the jazz festival. “It’s a very good atmosphere. I like that it’s not too big and kind of familiar.”
Overbeck was greeted by festival founder John G. Osborn, who told him he had the distinction of traveling the farthest.
Mathey and Overbeck met on a jazz cruise in 2007; they planned to return on Sunday for the three-day festival’s final day of music.
“This is a world class event here,” Mathey said.
It was a day of music in the city, with Armory’s Poppin’ Big Band Celebration at the Springfield Armory National Historic Site. The event featured swing dance lessons, a concert by Memories Big Band Sound, a performance by Jitterbug Dance Troupe and Small Planet Dancers, and a show by the U.S. Northeast Navy Pops Band.
At the jazz festival, sitting in chairs with canopies attached to shield them from the sun were friends Sheila L. Scott and Norma Hicks.
“It’s great to see all different types of people. We’re just enjoying the music and the nice weather. It’s a great feeling to come out, especially after the tornado,” Scott said.
Scott said she lives a quarter mile from Island Pond Road, an area hit hard by the June 1 tornado, which cut a 39-mile path of devastation from Westfield to Charlton. The tornado also struck Court Square, downing many aged trees. Scott said she was lucky her house was spared.
Amado Munson, of East Longmeadow, brought his children, Louis, 13, and Amanda, 10. Munson was particularly impressed with 18-year-old performer Vincent Ingala, who played a variety of instruments including saxophone and guitar, and performed songs such as “Working My Way Back to You.” Munson said he always wanted to attend the jazz festival, and was gad he could finally go this year.
“This has a nice vibe. Everyone is here to have a good time and just enjoy downtown,” Munson said.
Louis Munson, a trombone player in his school band, also is a fan of “Down to the Bone,” and has all the band’s compact discs.
“That would be cool,” Louis said about the possibility of seeing the band play later.
Osborn said the timing of the jazz festival couldn’t be better, given that the tornado struck a little more than a month ago.
“Rebuilding is more than brick and mortar,” Osborn said. “It’s in spirit.”
This is the second year the festival has been downtown. Besides music, there were vendors offering food, clothing and jewelry. Osborn said that last year approximately 16,000 people attended, and he expects to surpass that number this year. Osborn first organized a jazz festival 11 years ago in Springfield’s Mason Square neighborhood.
“I’m proud of what we’ve been able to do. It’s been 10 years in the making and it’s becoming a destination,” Osborn said.
Sunday’s events continue at 1 p.m. Beginning at 1:30 p.m., the Eric Bascom Quintet with singer Sam Plotkin and his sister Tess Plotkin will perform, followed by Kendrick Oliver and The New Life Orchestra, and Samirah Evans and Her Handsome Devils. Closing the festival at 6 p.m. will be Grammy Award winning Latin jazz artist Poncho Sanchez.
For schedule information and more, visit www.hoopcityjazz.org