Blues concert to open Pastorius Park series

Georgie Bonds and his band will present a blues concert on Wednesday, June 16, at 7:30 p.m. at Pastorius Park, Lincoln Drive and Abington Avenue. The concert is the first in the Chestnut Hill Community Association's 2004 concert series. Rain place is Springside School, Willow Grove Avenue and Cherokee Street

Bonds, an acoustic guitarist, harmonica player and lead singer in the band, became acquainted with delta blues after hearing a tape by legendary bluesman Robert Johnson. He soon went on stage at an "open mic" night, where he sang the only blues tune he knew and met musician Sonny Rhodes, who taught him how to perform. The Germantown native's blues career was on its way.

A popular performer last year at Pastorius Park, Bonds' helps aspiring blues musicians by hosting an open mic blues jam once a month at Warmdaddy's, a Philadelphia blues club, where he is also the house band. He and his band made one CD, "Sometime I Wonder," which includes several songs to be sung at next week's concert. A second CD that was due out this year is on hold because of personnel changes, Bonds said. He made his acting debut last November and December in the Philadelphia production of the Broadway play, It Ain't Nothin' but the Blues.

Joining Bonds on stage next week will be keyboardist Diane Thompson, lead guitarist Bruce Marcolina, drummer Russ Joelle and Matt Cantwell. Bonds, who is a songwriter as well as musician, has planned a mix of tunes written and made known by other performers. After two instrumental pieces, Bonds will open with a standard shuffle made famous by Etta James called "Shaky Ground."

Other tunes planned for the first set include Bonds' own pieces, "I've Paid My Dues" and "Hole in the Wall;" "Gotta a Way with Women," and "Mean Old Lady," by Michael Burkes; Johnny Lang's "Darker Side;" Teeny Weeny Bit," by Roscoe Borden; "Why Cry," by Billy Baltera and "Stateboro Blues," made popular by the Allman Brothers Band. The second set will include the Allman Brothers' "Stand Back;" "Picking Up Your Bones," which has been performed by Bonds' mentor Sonny Rhodes; "Shoe on the Other Foot," by Albert Collins; Eric Clapton's "Old Love;" Billy Baltera's "Wrong Side of the Bed" and several of Bonds pieces, including "Killing Me."

Following the Georgie Bonds concert, the Pastorius Park concert series will continue with Walter Bell Latin Jazz Unit, featuring an evening of jazz music, on June 23; The Allentown Band, the country's oldest concert band, June 30; City Rhythm Orchestra, swing music, July 7; Klingon Klez, Klezmer music, July 14; Solas, traditional Irish music, July 21; the Quaker City String Band, an award-winning Mummers band, July 28; Amos Lee, soul, August 4; the Savoy Company, Gilbert & Sullivan favorites, August 11; and Zydeco a Go Go, August 18.

The annual community picnic honoring police officers, firefighters and postal workers will take place on Wednesday, June 23, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. before the Walter Bell Latin Jazz Unit concert. The picnic is free to police officers, firefighters and postal workers, their immediate family members and children under eight. Reservations for the general community are $7.50 and may be made by completing the adjacent coupon, calling 215-248-8810 or by stopping by the CHCA office in Town Hall, 8434 Germantown Ave.

Also planned is a children's concert, to be given by Erin Flynn & Co-op Band, on Sunday, July 11, at 3:30 p.m. This band is known for its high-energy interactive spin on kids' classics and family-friendly versions of their parents' favorites.

Supporting the concert series this year are North by Northwest, Citizens Bank, Magarity Ford and Magarity Chevrolet, Merrill Lynch-Sarian / Nottingham Group, Eichler & Moffly, McNally's and the Chestnut Hill Business Association.

Brochures are available at the CHCA office at Town Hall, 8434 Germantown Ave. The concerts are funded by the Chestnut Hill Community Fund, the CHCA's nonprofit arm, which raises money for community programs from area residents and businesspeople.

Admission is free but donations will be requested from concertgoers.