The following musical groups will be performing in the outdoor amphitheater on the YSU campus

Underwritten in part by BFI & The Vindicator

Elm Street Jazz Group
Friday, July 9, 4:30-7:30 p.m.

Chris Poulin is completing his Masters of Music degree from the Dana School of Music. After finishing his undergraduate work at the University of Maine at Augusta, Chris played extensively in the Boston area. Influenced by Jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery, Chris will be playing guitar for the Elm Street Jazz Group.

Shedrick Hobbes, on drums, is from the Youngstown area. He has played jazz with Charlie Parker, George Benson and Groove Holmes.

Jeff Bremer, on bass, plays with the Youngstown Symphony Orchestra and can be seen every Tuesday night at Cedars with the Teddy Pentelas Group. Jeff is a YSU alumnus and will also be playing with the band Rainbow Tribe on Sunday, July 11.

Joe Kaplowitz, on piano, is a YSU alumnus of the Dana School of Music, but has returned to Dana to study classical piano. He plays piano, organ, and tuba and has played with Chris Poulin in Boston.

Get Out and Push Saturday, July 10, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Get Out and Push was formed in 1980 by five friends of diverse life experiences and musical influences. The common bond that brought them together was to perform music that embodied their true life experiences and those of their anc estors. Acoustic bluegrass music provided the heartfelt emotions that fit the bill. Bluegrass music also has the tradition of a high level of musicianship that enables it to be presented as an art form that is accessible to everyone.
Founding members Andy Cowan, on banjo and vocals, and Bruce Paxson, on guitar and lead vocals, are joined by Danny Simms, on mandolin, and Shawn Theiss, on the standup acoustic bass and vocals. Get Out and Push performs as an all acoustic string band using songs from a variety of sources, including original material written by Andy and Bruce. Over the past 17 years, Get Out and Push has performed everywhere from Pondersa Park to checkout lines at grocery stores. Other venues have included lounges, restaurants, radio stations, private parties, town festivals, craft shows, antique fairs, churches, and county- state-national parks in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Canada. Get Out and Push has also done educational shows at schools on all levels, including a very successful program for educators at Kent State University. Columbiana County in eastern Ohio is home base for Get Out and Push, and they can be reached at (330) 223-1022 for bookings.

Latin Perspective
Saturday, July 10, 2- 5 p.m.

Latin Perspective combines the improvisation and harmonic sophistication of jazz with traditional Afro-Cuban rhythms and forms including Mambo, Bolero, Son-Montuno, Descarga, Bembe (6/8), Cha-Cha and more. Their repertoire covers arrangements of classical and contemporary Salsa/Latin Jazz tunes by Arturo Sandoval, Poncho Sanchez, Chucho Valdes, Ray Barretto, Tito Puente and others. They have captivated both Latin music aficionados and Jazz fans with performances at various festivals, colleges, special events, and clubs in both Pennsylvania and Ohio. Latin Perspective performed at the 1998 Mellon Jazz Festival in Pittsburgh as well as at colleges and universities, clubs, festivals, fairs, in parks, and for special events throughout the region.

County Mayo - Irish Music for All Occasions Saturday, July 10, 6- 9 p.m.

If you have ever heard County Mayo, you know the thrill and excitement they bring to Irish folk music. Their performances feature a lively mixture of folk music styles and are sure to include a high level of enthusiasm and lots of audience participation.

County Mayo is an acoustic band specializing in Irish folk music, but also includes music from Scotland, Australia, Canada and America as part of its repertoire. The group's extensive song list ranges from traditional Irish ballads , rebel songs, and instrumentals to Irish-American favorites and contemporary folk music.

County Mayo was formed in the early 1980s and is named for a county in Ireland from which singer Ted Miller's ancestors immigrated. The band is always searching for rare and unusual versions of songs and has a sincere desire to pre serve and share Irish folk music traditions.

County Mayo entertains at festivals, pubs, concerts, schools, parties, and family events. One of the band's more unusual performances was at the wake of an Irishman, whose family wanted to remember the deceased with song. The grou p is flexible, versatile, and able to tailor their performance to suit your needs.

About the County Mayo musicians:
Ted Miller is a baritone singer.
Marcy Meiers plays flute, tin whistle, and bodrhan.
Bill Davis plays guitar and sings.
Bill Lewis plays banjo, mandolin, fiddle, guitar, tin whistle, and bass.

Harambee Dancers and Drummers of the Harambee Youth Organization Sunday, July 11, 12 noon- 3 p.m.

The Harambee Youth Program is a cultural, educational, and recreational program which promotes racial harmony and provides African and African-American cultural performances for people of all races. The word "Harambee" is an African Swahili word that means "Let's All Pull Together."

The purpose of the Harambee Youth Program is to motivate economically and socially disadvantaged African-American youth to strive toward leadership, self- fulfillment, and service to their community. Harambee provides an alternative to drugs, violence, crime, teen pregnancy, and the many other crippling effects of poverty and racial exclusion. The program influences participants to advance themselves and the African-American community educati onally, culturally, and socially.

The Harambee Youth Organization provides African cultural "edutainment" at universities, conferences, schools, churches, and community centers throughout northeast Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Harambee has performed a variety of authentic African dances such as "Fanga" - the dance of welcome, "Frekoba" - the dance of fertility, "Koteba" - Big Dance, "Maindianti (Domba)" - a coming of age dance and the African-American version of the South African "Boot Dance."

Harambee performances can also include other cultural expressions such as songs, poetry, and biographical recitations. In addition to performances, Harambee can also provide workshops on African dancing and drumming techniques, Kwanzaa, and conflict resolution.

The Harambee Youth Organization has been in existence since 1980. It was founded by Mrs. Lynette Miller to diminish conflict among the African-American youth in her neighborhood. Initially, the program served approximately fiftee n youth. Harambee was later adopted as a program of the Harambee Coalition and in 1993 affiliated with the Youngstown Area Urban League.

Rainbow Tribe
Sunday, July 11, 3- 6 p.m.

Rainbow Tribe was formed in 1991 in response to the dark and violent popular music scene of the time. With a foundation in reggae music, the group drew upon its members' wide-ranging stylistic influences to develop a unique improvis ational sound which was (and is) as danceable as it is musically intriguing. Since it's inception, and in spite of several changes in personnel, the Tribe has enjoyed a loyal following which continues to grow, and has built a reputation as an adventurous yet professional musical ensemble. The Tribe has performed steadily in the eastern Ohio/western Pennsylvania area, including repeat annual appearances at Walk-On-Wick and the Mahoning Valley Rib-off. Most recently, Rainbow Tribe was a featured headliner for the 1998 Jerry Garcia Fest in Canton, Ohio. If you are on the lookout for something a little different in your fun time, stop by the festival to hear Rainbow Tribe.

Jeff Bremer, on bass, is a mainstay of the Youngstown music scene, and has played with too many people to mention. A versatile musician, Jeff is a founding member and currently plays with the Youngstown Symphony.

Jim Dudash, on keys and vocals, is a founding member and also a regular on the Youngstown music scene.

Bill Griffth, on drums, has been with the band for a relatively short time, but has proved an invaluable asset with his tasteful musicianship. Bill has also played with the Youngstown legends Bonehead Soup and the notorious Nine Cats.

John Waller, on guitar and lead vocals, is a founding member and has played with a number of other local bands. He has also performed and recorded with The Johnsons.