Jazz in June continues with Blue House, Rent to Own Horns

Courtesy of Katie Nieland

Katie Nieland, associate director of the Center for Great Plains Studies, was among the hundreds who attended the return of Jazz in June on June 1. The concert series, offered every Tuesday evening in June in the sculpture garden north of the Lied Center for Performing Arts, was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19. It has returned to live, in-person performances this year,

The 30th-anniversary season of Jazz in June continues June 8 with a live, in-person performance by Blue House with the Rent to Own Horns.

The free concert series, held each Tuesday in June in the sculpture garden immediately north of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Lied Center for Performing Arts, features two sets of music from 7 to 7:45 p.m. and 8 to 8:45 p.m. Beyond the performances, the series includes education outreach coordinated by community centers and artists, and a market with food and drinks from 5 to 9 p.m.

Based in Omaha, Blue House is an internationally-known blues band that has been performing since 1990. The group, which has recorded four albums and two television specials, was inducted into the Nebraska Music Hall of Fame in 2018. Their high-energy performances feature “screaming horns” and a “wall of sound.”

Video: Blue House and the Rent to Own Horn

Bike Valet will provide free, secure parking for bicycles from 5 p.m. until an hour after each concert at the east end of the market. For more information, click here or call the Outdoor Adventures Center at 402-472-4777.

To ensure the safety of guests, performers, volunteers and vendors, social distancing will be required per recommendations of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department. Those recommendations are subject to change.

Upcoming 2021 Jazz in June concerts are:

June 15: Juke Butter — A neo-vintage organ trio that delivers high-energy, deep-grooving funk, R&B and jazz.
June 22: Darryl White Ensemble — A group led by the associate professor of trumpet and jazz studies in the Glenn Korff School of Music, who has released multiple CD recordings and been featured on PBS.
June 29: Josh Hoyer and Soul Colossal — A high-energy funk/soul group and hometown favorite, taking the Jazz in June stage for the first time. Hoyer received national fame with his appearance on NBC’s “The Voice.”

“There is no year that our community has ever needed Jazz in June more than in 2021,” said Madeline Reddel, Jazz in June coordinator. “The greater Lincoln community can come together to enjoy a free outdoor jazz concert and forget about the challenges of the past year. The future is bright and healthy.”

While Jazz in June is free, there is a small reserved seating area that requires a $20 ticket. Patrons interested in prime, reserved seating can visit the Lied Center website when tickets go on sale later this week.

The community is invited to join Jazz in June’s membership program, The Rhythm Club. Membership supports the booking of top-tier artists and new education programs, and helps keep the concerts free. Donate directly through the Give To Lincoln page here. For more information, visit the Jazz in June website and Facebook page.

Those interested in donating or serving as a Jazz in June volunteer or board member can email Reddel at jazzinjune@unl.edu.