19th-century-style brass band continues Midsummer Lakeside concert series

The 2011 Midsummer Lakeside Concert Series at Bates continues with the Yankee Brass Band at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 28, in the Florence Keigwin Amphitheater by the college’s scenic Lake Andrews.

Sponsored by the Bingham Betterment Fund and the Harward Center for Community Partnerships at Bates, these family concerts are open to the public at no cost. Listeners are encouraged to bring a picnic and lawn chairs or blankets.

An alternative site will be announced in case of rain. For more information about the series, please call 207-786-6400.

Numbering up to 25 members from all over the country who gather every July, the Yankee Brass Band is a historically accurate recreation of an American brass band from the mid-19th century. Directed by Paul Maybery, the ensemble performs music of the period in authentic arrangements and on original instruments to produce one of northern New England’s most distinctive musical events.

Next in the lineup: musicians from the world-renowned Bates Dance Festival (Aug. 4) and songwriter-guitar virtuoso Jim Gallant (Aug. 11).

Global Grooves at the Lake: Hosted by Terrence Karn, musicians from the internationally recognized Bates Dance Festival create a tapestry of rhythms and melodies on instruments from all corners of the Earth: percussion, accordion, bouzouki, marimba, kalimba and more. Favorites of the Lakeside audience, this ensemble of world-class players and composers represents a unique collaboration of cultures.

Jim Gallant: With his roots in the rock and folk of the 1960s and ’70s, Gallant offers catchy originals and strong interpretations of contemporary covers. Whether it’s a jig, a Bach fugue or a New Age instrumental, Gallant’s distinctive playing never fails to win listeners’ hearts as well as their feet. His latest CD, 2011’s Old Hat With a New Coat, shows off Gallant’s knack for writing Americana music.