Lunchtime Concert Series offers locals mid-day music

By Hannah Crane
hmcrane@indiana.edu

The whining of the saxophone and the rhythm of congas could be heard all the way down Kirkwood Avenue.

Families, students and passers-by came to enjoy the free Lunchtime Concert between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tuesday in Peoples Park.

Every Tuesday in Peoples Park, different musical performers will present free lunchtime concerts to the public as a part of the Bloomington Summer Performing Arts Series.

Downtown Bloomington came alive on the first clear day of summer to the sounds of feel-good tunes like Bob Marley’s “Stir It Up”.

This summer marks the 10-year anniversary of the Lunchtime Concert events. The Summer Performing Arts Series will take place May through August, providing 17 different events at various locations.

“It’s just this wonderful intersection of sun, music, lunch and the hustle and bustle of downtown,” Greg Jacobs, the Community Events Coordinator for Bloomington Parks and Recreation, said.

Afro-Cuban, folk, blues, jazz and country are among the featured music genres.

“I look to offer a variety of types of music,” Jacobs said. “Bloomington has such a great music community, so we can put together a full series.”

Afro Hoosier Intl was the featured band Tuesday and performed songs from the African diaspora. This included a variety of covers from Bob Marley to Latin-Cuban songs in Spanish.

“It was fun performing in Peoples’ Park,” Robert Port, IU professor emeritus of linguistics and co-founder of Afro Hoosier Intl, said. “We must’ve had several hundred people see us perform throughout the hour and a half time. We’re used to around 50 people at our shows.”

Afro Hoosier Intl was founded 13 years ago by Port and another IU linguistics professor, Michael Gasser, after returning from their work in Kenya and Ethiopia with Peace Corps.

“I loved the African pop music I heard when I was in Kenya,” Port said. “I just loved what I heard when I turned on the radio, so here I am now playing it.”

After 13 years, Port is the only original member remaining, but Afro Hoosier Intl is made up of 11 musicians and vocalists. This includes five IU faculty and staff members, and one Ph.D. student.

“We all just really enjoy playing, but we all have day jobs,” Port said. “We are a dance band, and play so that people to dance to our music.”

Though Tuesday did not draw much of a dancing crowd, many people flocked to Peoples’ Park to listen to the international rhythms and sing along as they ate lunch, let their children play, and soaked in the summer atmosphere.

“IU offers fewer activities during the summer, so we try to cater to the summer audiences,” Jacobs said. “We present these concerts to provide the community with just a fun thing to do in the middle of the work day.”

To view the full summer concert schedule, visit bloomington.in.gov/concerts.