Schroon Lake’s Musical Summer

Doo Wop, jazz, folk and country are among the music acts featured in this year’s 2012 Schroon Lake Arts Council line up for the summer.

“We are very excited about this season,” Jack Osborne, one of the organizers told Schroon Laker today.

The SLAC will again sponsor the traditional Monday Night Boat House Acoustic Jam Sessions, and the 23^rd Annual Adirondack Folk Music Festival. There are also two free performances for children.

The number of acts is down “ever so slightly” from last year due to a ten per cent budget cut from the town of Schroon. Those cuts impacted several organizations that depend on government grants.

But that has not dampened the enthusiasm of the SLAC to find and bring unique acts to our community.

“We go out of our way to broaden the scope of music we have here,” Jack said.

This season’s lineup reflects that mission statement, while bringing back a couple of favorites.

Returning this year to open the season is the doo wop acapella group Flipsydz, an audacious change up from the traditional folk and country acts. The group made their Schroon Lake debut last year.

In keeping with taking a different musical path, concert goers will be treated to Yiddishkeit Klezmer, an ensemble performing traditional Jewish folk music.

“We have a large Jewish population who vacation here. A few years back we did our first Klezmer concert. We learned then there was an appetite for traditional Jewish roots music.”

There’s a concert from jazz legend Ernie Williams and an encore performance from Chris Westfall, who channels the late John Denver with his stunning vocals.

Besides the popular summer program, the SLAC is also looking at ways to make develop year round music programs and performances.

‘That’s a priority moving forward, and we will work hard to achieve that goal.

“One of the goals of the Arts Council is to engage the Schroon Lake Central School and work with their music program and expand opportunities between the school and the Arts Council.