# Event Details - **Event Name**: Concerts in the Park: Otsego Jazz Ensemble - **Event Start and End Date**: Sun, 23 Aug, 2026 at 04:00 pm – Sun, 23 Aug, 2026 at 05:15 pm - **Event Description**: Who we are: The Otsego Jazz Ensemble is a 17-piece big band composed of jazz and big band musicians from across southwest Michigan. Along with regular subs who rehearse and perform with us, we provide opportunities for about 25 southwest Michigan jazz musicians to stay in the groove. OJE has also hosted several note-worthy guest artists, including Edye Evans-Hyde, Wayne Powers, Derek Brown, Early Braggs, Lana Hoffman, Jim Hayward and Robin Connell. The one thing we all share is our love for and commitment to playing jazz and big band music, from ballads to swing to samba ... and beyond. The OJE is led by Tim Culver, trumpeter and saxophonist who has co-led the Kalamazoo Big Band for nearly 40 years, and plays in the Gull Lake Jazz Orchestra and the Lew Boyd Band. Culver joined the OJE trumpet section about 20 years ago. What we play: Our book contains classic big band charts, with tunes and arrangements from Stan Kenton, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Sammy Nestico, and Glenn Miller and recent arrangements by Gordon Goodwin, Bob Curnow, Bob Florence, and Bob Mintzer. And we love to pull out jazzy Christmas arrangements during the holiday season. Where we came from: The OJE began in 1986, when several friends and friends of friends began reading big band charts together on Thursday nights. As legend has it, it was "better than bowling!" We are a farmer and a microbiologist. We have business owners and band directors, college students and jazz music instructors. Some of us played in high school, some played in college, some in the military, and a few of us were lucky to make music our career. Several current members played with southwest Michigan big bands, such as the Kalamazoo Big Band, and the Bobby Davidson Orchestra, before coming to the OJE. A handful of our players share their talents with other bands in the area, including the Gull Lake Jazz Orchestra, the Lew Boyd Band, and the Lake Effect Jazz Big Band. Where we play: It wasn't long after we started rehearsing, first in the Otsego Middle School band room, and later at the Otsego Elks Lodge, that we began receiving requests to perform. At first, we played for high school band fund-raisers, and local community summer music concerts. We played the Goose Festival in Fennville. There was the Kalamazoo Wine and Harvest Festival, and the Paw Paw Blues Festival. Then, there were wedding receptions, Christmas and New Year parties, and at least one Bar Mitzvah! We played Western Michigan University's Senior Prom for many years, a great event that brought college students and senior citizens together for an annual swing dance. But, probably our favorite performances have been at jazz and big band music festivals, including the Thornapple Jazz Festival, the WMU Big Band Jazz Fest and the South Haven Jazz Festival! List of musicians: Dale Jansen – Lead Trumpet Tim Culver – Trumpet Dave Wells- Trumpet Jesse Barber-Trumpet Bob Simonds - Trumpet Tom Polett- Lead Trombone Jim Gysel- Trombone Harry Boesch - Trombone Brian Nichols - Bass Trombone Gary McCourry – Lead Alto Sax David Hubbard – Alto Sax Scott Robbins – Lead Tenor Sax Dale Gregg – Tenor Sax Gail Perkins – Baritone Sax Dave Forsman - Piano Bob Murray - Bass Jeff Bourdo - Drums Lana Hoffman- Vocal Bronson Park 200 S Rose Street Kalamazoo, MI 49007 Concerts in the Park is a program of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, with support from the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation and the City of Kalamazoo. It is one of Kalamazoo’s long-standing traditions, typically held on Sunday afternoons in June, July, and August at Bronson Park, delivering a unique experience unlike any other. Each concert is free and family-friendly. Bring chairs or blankets for your comfort! There is no rain site for Concerts in the Park. If inclement weather is expected, the concert may be canceled by 2 pm on that same day. On-street parking is available all around the perimeter of the park at any meter. Additional parking is nearby at the South Street Parking Garage. First 90 minutes are free. Sponsors: Irving S. Gilmore Foundation WMUK 102.1 Encore Kzoo Parks Michigan Arts and Culture Council - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/kalamazoo/concerts-in-the-park-otsego-jazz-ensemble/200030186387407 - **Event Categories**: music, entertainment, concerts, festivals, jazz, parties, art, harvest-festival, wine-tasting, music-festivals, holiday - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 115 ## Ticket Details ## Event venue details - **city**: Kalamazoo - **state**: MI - **country**: United States - **location**: Bronson Park - **lat**: 42.290222966809 - **long**: -85.586041510105 - **full address**: Bronson Park, 304 W South St, Kalamazoo, MI 49007, United States ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Concerts in the Park: Otsego Jazz Ensemble - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events2/banners/3a8386f37e80678ebdb9c5a5e0ada90b5b9f90d5660810da4c3153f9e457f951-rimg-w1200-h835-dc080808-gmir?v=1787404026 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Concerts in the Park: Otsego Jazz Ensemble being held? - **A:** Concerts in the Park: Otsego Jazz Ensemble takes place on Sun, 23 Aug, 2026 at 04:00 pm to Sun, 23 Aug, 2026 at 05:15 pm at Bronson Park, 304 W South St, Kalamazoo, MI 49007, United States. - **Q**: Who is organizing Concerts in the Park: Otsego Jazz Ensemble ? - **A:** Concerts in the Park: Otsego Jazz Ensemble is organized by Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Concerts in the Park: Otsego Jazz Ensemble is ideal for live music fans, concert-goers, and anyone who enjoys unforgettable performances from their favorite artists in an electric live atmosphere. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Kalamazoo, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. With 110+ people already showing interest, this is clearly an event worth adding to your calendar - don't miss out. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "MusicEvent", "name": "Concerts in the Park: Otsego Jazz Ensemble", "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events2/banners/3a8386f37e80678ebdb9c5a5e0ada90b5b9f90d5660810da4c3153f9e457f951-rimg-w1200-h835-dc080808-gmir?v=1787404026", "startDate": "2026-08-23", "endDate": "2026-08-23", "url": "https://allevents.in/kalamazoo/concerts-in-the-park-otsego-jazz-ensemble/200030186387407", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Bronson Park", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "304 W South St, Kalamazoo, MI 49007, United States", "addressLocality": "Kalamazoo", "addressRegion": "MI", "addressCountry": "US" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": "42.290222966809", "longitude": "-85.586041510105" } }, "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "Who we are: The Otsego Jazz Ensemble is a 17-piece big band composed of jazz and big band musicians from across southwest Michigan. 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