On June 12, at the fourth of ten concerts in the Sunflower Music Festival, the chamber musicians took a break and let jazz performers take the stage. White Concert Hall was packed to see Karrin Allyson on the mic, Stan Kessler on the trumpet, Miro Sprague on the piano, Gerald Spaits on the bass, and Todd Straight on the drums.

The audience were buzzing with energy as they awaited the performers. These jazz musicians did not disappoint. Allyson and her ensemble gave a very energetic performance which saw her dancing around the stage as she sang with her silky voice. Sprague was playing the piano with gusto, Straight and Spaits were coordinating their movements as they each played their respective instrument, and Kessler was passionately playing the trumpet.

Audiences got to enjoy songs like, “Happy Talk” from her Allyson’s album, “Many a New Day”, a bubbly song about exactly that. This song encouraged the listener to talk about things they would like to do and forget their worries.

She also sang “Can’t we be friends” from her 1994 album “Sweet Home Cooking”, a mellow song which featured a singer who was through with love and was just looking for friendship. At the midpoint of the concert, Allyson switched to playing piano and singing and performed “Wrap Up Some of That Sunshine” while Sprague played a Rhodes piano. The ensemble’s performance also featured a couple of Brazilian tunes from Allyson’s album, “Imagina: Songs of Brazil”.

The evening ended with the ensemble thanking the audience as they were being applauded with a lengthy standing ovation.