MEDIA ADVISORY

Mayor: Jennifer P. Dougherty

FROM: Amy Riley, Manager, Office of Special Events, The City of Frederick, 301-228-2845
DATE: Aug. 9, 2004

SUMMER CONCERT SERIES WELCOMES BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND
THE SCOTT AMBUSH GROUP

What would the Summer Concert Series be without a performance by Frederick native Scott Ambush? His contemporary jazz group will perform at the bandshell in Baker Park this Sunday, August 15th at 7 PM. A Carillon concert beginning at 6:15 PM precedes the main performance. Come early, bring a blanket and friends, and purchase snacks from the concessionaires to enjoy a relaxing evening of live entertainment.
Internationally known as the bass player for the mega jazz group Spyro Gyra, native Marylander Scott Ambush has played in a wide range of musical contexts. He has played with such luminaries as Stanley Turentine, Dizzy Gillespie, Omar Hakim and Special EFX. He has backed R&B vocalists Angela Bofil and Jeane Carne as well as R&B jazz instrumentalists Pieces Of A Dream and George Howard. When he is not out on tour with Spyro Gyra, Scott has his own group, which he will be bringing to Baker Park, playing progressive and fusion jazz to crowds that just can't get enough.
Born in Frederick, Scott attended Urbana Elementary School in Urbana, MD, West Frederick Middle, and Frederick High School where he played in the jazz ensemble, ran track, and played on the football team. Scott first started his music career by taking piano lessons, but at that time, his first love was football. At age twelve, his buddies, who were brothers, each got a guitar for Christmas and a neighbor got a set of drums. So for Scott, the decision was to play bass guitar or be left out.
A few years later, his cousin introduced him to Return to Forever and Stanley Clarke. From that time, he formed a band playing "fusion" and straight-ahead jazz, while also playing funk and r&b in other bands. While studying psychology at the University of MD at College Park, he was introduced to the Washington, D.C. music scene at night. Eventually he was spending more time playing than studying, so he left school to pursue music. Scott began playing with a wide variety of musicians and bands in the area, leading to gigs with regional and national acts both locally and on the road. Through word of mouth, he was recommended for the bass job with Spyro Gyra. Scott started playing with the band Spyro Gyra in 1992 and has been wowing audiences ever since!
While the concert is free, the Summer Concert Series Committee encourages you to bring a canned food item in lieu of admission to support the Frederick City Community Action Agency Food Bank.
This event would not be possible without the generous financial contributions made by the following community-minded businesses: Gold Sponsors -Ausherman Homes a Dress Homes Company, BB&T, Bechtel Foundation, COMSTAR Federal Credit Union, Farmers and Mechanics Bank, and Sandy Spring Bank; Silver Sponsors - Bank One, CitiMortgage, and The Frederick News-Post; Bronze Sponsors - Cellular One, Chessie Federal Credit Union and the Frederick Arts Council.
For more information, please call The City of Frederick Office of Special Events at 301-600-CITY (2489) or visit www.BakerParkConcerts.com.