Daily Newsletters
Account
Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
Fairfield Jazz Band to perform at state fair Aug. 9
Andy Hallman
Aug. 6, 2025 4:55 pm, Updated: Aug. 8, 2025 2:16 pm
Southeast Iowa Union offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
FAIRFIELD – The Fairfield Jazz Band will be making a number of public appearances in the next month, including a performance at the Iowa State Fair.
The band performed at the 2024 state fair and did so well that it was invited back this year. The band will perform from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 9 at the MidAmerica Stage, the same place it performed at last year.
In addition to that high-profile performance, the jazz band is also holding a series of concerts for its fans in Southeast Iowa. Hotel Manning in Keosauqua will host the band for its “Thirsty Thursday” at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 11.
The jazz band will supply live music for the Fairfield Farmers Market at Howard Park on Saturday, Sept. 20, starting at 10 a.m. Lastly, “Thursday Night Live” in Washington will host the band for a performance in that town’s Central Park at 5:30 p.m.
Rodger Gillaspie is one of the founding members of the band who helped launch it about 15 years ago. Pastor Joe Phipps of the First Presbyterian Church asked Gillaspie to provide jazz music for worship services on the fifth Sunday of the month, so he reached out to local musicians and the Fairfield Jazz Band was born.
Gillaspie said the jazz band will play a 90-minute set at the state fair this year. The band usually plays sets ranging from 60-90 minutes, and on occasion it will do two hours with an intermission, such as at Thirsty Thursday in Keosauqua.
“We’ve been playing quite a bit this summer, so a 90-minute show will be fine,” Gillaspie said, commenting on the band members’ endurance.
In addition to the band’s musicians, a couple of people will be supplying vocals, too. Band member Ken Burns will sing “God Bless America,” and vocalist Emily McIntyre will sing on four songs.
The jazz band performed at the Fairfield Municipal Band’s concert on Tuesday, Aug. 5. The municipal band’s final concert of the season will be at 8 p.m. Aug. 12 in Central Park.
Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com
