Sonoma Sound, a group of various members and talents from Philadelphia, will be performing in an outdoor concert at Laurel Acres Park in Mt. Laurel on Friday, July 13 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. as the first installment in this year’s summer concert series.
The concert is free to the public and an all-ages event.
“We’re hoping to attract concert-goers who are kids up through seniors,” said Joan Serpico, manager of special projects at Mt. Laurel Library. “It’s the kind of music that appeals to a wide range of ages.”
This will not be Sonoma Sound’s first visit to the township as it has performed in the past at the library.
“People love them,” emphasized Serpico. “They have quality music.”
The band blends several genres together — blues, jazz, folk, Latin, and reggae — to create an Americana sound.
“We try to play something for everybody,” said band leader and vocalist Will Paynter.
The hope, he explained, is for each attendee to walk away having enjoyed at least one song.
The members of the band depend on the venue of the concert, he explained. Each member plays in several different bands.
For the Mt. Laurel performance, four members will be on hand, and they will only be bringing string instruments to keep the sound simple.
“It’ll be fun,” said Paynter.
Outdoor summer concerts generally hold different vibes than the usual nightclub venues they frequent, including the Tin Angel in Philadelphia.
“Certainly in the summertime it’s great,” he said. “The summer concerts, being that they’re outdoors, they’re usually family friendly.”
“We like doing the outdoor shows,” he added.
According to the band’s website, www.reverbnation.com/sonomasound, “Their eclectic performance consisting of conscious lyrics over steady rhythms and wandering melodies, include some classic and obscure cover songs, as well as many thought-provoking original compositions.”
Paynter suggested checking out the songs “Clearer to Me Now” or “Run Come Tell” prior to the concert to get a feel for the band’s various styles. One is a country blues number, while the other is straight up Americana with a touch of jazz.
Both songs are available to be streamed on their website.
This year’s concert series is a joint venture between Mt. Laurel Library and Mt. Laurel Township with a total of six Friday night concerts running through July and August.
The series is a way for the community to celebrate the resources of the town, said Serpico, citing Laurel Acres Park as an “undiscovered treasure.”
“The community’s looking for free events that they can attend with their family,” she said.
Residents are in mind in the planning process, but anyone in the region is welcome.
No registration is required.
“There are going to be two bands that will be at Laurel Acres Park for the summer concert series,” she said, and the other four performances will be held indoors at the Mt. Laurel Community Center.
The outdoor concerts are sponsored by Wegmans while three corporate sponsors fund the indoor concerts.
For about a decade, the library has been hosting summer concerts.
“In 2004, we also started having monthly concerts,” she said, which were held indoors every month along with three outdoor concerts.
The township has held its own concert series in the past.
“We decided to join forces and join our funding so we could get better groups and promote together,” Serpico explained.
The goal is also to attract a wider audience.
“We’re happy for anyone to come by and enjoy it,” she said. “We’re very excited to be able to offer something for Mt. Laurel residents to do on Friday nights throughout the summer.”
Concert listing:
All concerts are held on Friday nights from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
The events at Laurel Acres Park will be held at the community center in case of inclement weather.
July 13: Sonoma Sound at Laurel Acres Park
July 20: Philadelphia Area Songwriters Alliance at the Mt. Laurel Community Center
July 27: Marc Shaw Music and Entertainment at the Mt. Laurel Community Center
Aug. 3: Rave On at Laurel Acres Park
Aug. 10: Tom Delmoore at the Mt. Laurel Community Center
Aug. 17: No concert this weekend
Aug. 24: The Cherry Hill Pine Barons Chorus, a barbershop quartet, at the Mt. Laurel Community Center
Laurel Acres Park is located at 1045 South Church St., Mt. Laurel.
The Mt. Laurel Community Center is located at 100 Mt. Laurel Road, Mt. Laurel.
For more information, contact Joan Serpico at (856) 234–7319 ext. 314 or jserpico@mtlaurel.lib.nj.us.
