What do shade and Soul, picnics and pianos, juggling and Jazz and good vibes and Gospel all have in common? They are all part of a free concert and family festival open to all: Music in the Grove at East Brentwood Presbyterian Church. Families are invited to bring blankets or chairs and enjoy a variety of talented musicians and entertainers from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Labor Day – Monday, Sept. 5. There will also be family-friendly activities including a Kids’ Zone and food trucks will add to the fun.
The diverse acts, performing on the church’s sprawling, tree-filled 10-acre lawn, include gospel/rock artist Jason Eskridge, juggling group Playing with Air, soul singer Maureen Murphy, along with piano virtuoso Nate Strasser and his band. East Brentwood Presbyterian Church is conveniently located at the corner of Concord Road and Wilson Pike at 9000 Concord Rd. Free parking will be available onsite.
“We received great feedback last year on our inaugural Music in the Grove event,” said EBPC pastor John Hilley. “This year we decided to expand our lineup to include more kids’ activities and food trucks. So this Labor Day, we invite all families to make our backyard their own.”
Headlining the event for the second time is Jason Eskridge and his band. Eskridge is a multi-genre singer who has opened or sung with such diverse acts as Lyle Lovett, Jonny Lang, Aaron Neville, Nicole C. Mullen, Marc Broussard, DJ Maj, Randy Travis, and Toby Mac. Hailed for his amazing voice, one journalist described his powerful and versatile talent by exclaiming that “his James Taylor is every bit as good as his Steve Wonder.”
Playing By Air is a juggling group that presents a symphony of action, comedy, music, juggling, and circus that audiences describe as “a gift of laughter and joy.” The award-winning performers of Playing By Air share their sense of playfulness and breathtaking feats in a production enjoyed equally by adults, families, and children. This engaging group has been invited to appear at The White House and has played in front audiences of all sizes, including Fortune 500 companies and in front of 20,000 fans at Madison Square Garden.
Maureen Murphy is a well-rounded artist who is currently touring with the Zac Brown Band and STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector Nine). She can also be heard on various major label recordings from Phish to Will Hoge. She has performed live at Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival, Fenway Park, Wembley Arena in London, Bridgestone Arena, Ryman Auditorium, Wrigley Field, Hollywood Bowl, CMA Music Festival, Kaboo Music Festival, CMA Awards Show and more.
Multi-genre pianist Nate Strasser was selected to perform at the International Music Workshops in Scotland at the age of eight and in Austria at the age of 10. After gaining a degree in jazz studies, and further studies in scoring for movies and television at USC, he is a studio musician, songwriter, and arranger, as well as a soloist with performances ranging from the Washington Symphonic Orchestra to the main stage at the Heritage Port BluesFest. He is also music director at EBPC.
The tree-filled, shaded grounds of the church include a large fenced-in playground and restrooms, which will be available to all concertgoers. Guests are encouraged to bring only one car per family.
For more about East Brentwood Presbyterian Church, visit eastbrentwoodpc.com.
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