Jazz under the Stars: Groove Tonic
Saturday, June 3, 2023 – 7:00 pm
Uptown Park, Medina, OH
Ohio Regional Music Arts and Cultural Outreach (ORMACO) opens its summer Jazz under the Stars concert series with Northeast Ohio-based Groove Tonic on June 3, 2023, at 7 pm. The quartet is a high-energy ensemble consisting of sax, guitar, organ and drums serving up jazz, blues, Latin and contemporary grooves for listening and dancing. Enjoy an eclectic night of music!
Bring your lawn chairs, blankets and picnics to enjoy this free concert. In the event of rain, the concert will be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 317 E Liberty Street, Medina, OH 44256. For more information, call 419-853-6016.
About the Musicians
Scott Turner- Organ
A native Ohioan, Scott has been an in-demand keyboardist with multiple groups in a variety of genres throughout Northeast Ohio for over 20 years and lays down a strong harmonic and rhythmic foundation. His main influences include Jimmy Smith, Tony Monaco and Keith Emerson, and he has worked with numerous notable acts on small and large stages.
Scott studied music at Cleveland State University majoring in organ performance. He has recorded and performed in a variety of musical endeavors such as Afterglow, the Cleveland-based Genesis tribute band. Throughout the years he has contributed keyboards to six recording sessions by Mike Onesko’s Blindside Blues Band and has participated in recordings featuring Jimmy Clark (Metallica’s drum tech).
Jim Cirillo- Saxophone
Jim’s musical training began on piano at age 10 and moved to saxophone at age 11. As Jim’s talents emerged, he was accepted his freshmen year into Jazz Impact, a regional all-star jazz ensemble, where his love of jazz and improvised music developed.
Since then, Jim has had performance opportunities at jazz festivals, featured concerts, club dates and private / corporate events throughout Northeast Ohio and New England including opening for the Whispers at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston and playing a private concert for Stevie Wonder. Internationally, Jim has sought out opportunities to explore other cultures and share musical experiences in places such as Thailand, Australia, Philippines and Cuba including performing on stage at La Guarapachanga International music festival in Pinar Del Rio, Cuba and at Apoteka, one of Bangkok Thailand’s top live music venues.
Don Goodman- Guitar
Originally from the NY metro area, Don has been playing and teaching for over 40 years. He was an Adjunct Professor and Jazz Ensemble Director for Castleton and Green Mountain Colleges in Vermont, and has performed with The Spinners, The Crystals, The Shirelles and Branford Marsalis. He moved to Ohio 11 years ago and has been actively performing with three different groups regularly in a variety of venues. Influenced by Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell and others, Don’s style draws from a melodic blues style, as the quartet’s sound is reminiscent of the original Jimmy Smith organ trio, while also adding some contemporary flair.
Ricky Exton- Drums
Drummer, recording artist, composer, arranger and producer, has been active in the music community for over two decades. At an early age, Ricky’s talents emerged as one of the Cleveland Tri C All Stars. He continued his career in music at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, where he earned a Baccalaureate in Professional Music. His performance venues include jazz festivals, concerts, television appearances, and private and corporate events. He has performed with Lou Rawls, Wynton Marsalis, Rufus Reid, Terence Blanchard, Ernie Krivda, Cyrus Chestnut, Joanne Brackeen, Kim Nazarian, Dominick Farinacci and international guitar virtuoso Neil Zaza. In addition, Ricky is an active session musician recording in studios from the east to the west coasts.