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Saturday, April 18, 2015 Published by J-Ad Graphics, Inc. Phone (269) 945-9554 1351 North M-43 Highway • Hastings, MI 49058-0188
he risk in being a member of the planning committee for the annual Thornapple Arts Council Jazz Festival is that meetings, like this one, often break into impromptu jams. Enjoying some brief minutes before the start of their final planning meeting before next weekend’s 12th annual Hastings jazz festival are (from left) Joe LaJoye, Craig Holley, Jeff Buehl, Spencer White and Tony LaJoye, part of the 18-member committee that has grown a quiet and simple Saturday jazz invitational into a statewide celebration that will attract 10,000 people, more than 70 high school bands and nationally renowned guest musicians to downtown Hastings for a grand three-day be-bop hop. Much of the credit for the resounding success of the event, everyone agrees, goes to the tireless passion of Joe LaJoye who was also recognized this week as the United Way’s Volunteer of the Year. For a peek at the lineup for the festive weekend, offered free this year wherever there’s jazz happening, look inside.