Jazz quintet, The Mental Notes, headline a concert opened by Flamenco guitarist, Milton Merlos, at the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park on Sunday, August 3, at 5 p.m.
The Mental Notes play a unique blend of jazz with reinterpretations of songs from the Great American Songbook, such as Benny Goodman’s “What’s New,” Fats Waller’s hit “Lulu’s Back in Town,” and Nat King Cole’s “That’s All”. They also branch out into jazz classics like Duke Ellington’s “In a Mellow Tone,” and even a few rock hits, such as Van Morrison’s “Moondance.” Finally, they add some Brazilian samba, Latin salsa, and unique originals.
The Mental Notes’ pianist, Peter Supersano is well known from his many engagements in Reno and at Lake Tahoe. Since arriving in Reno in 1983, Supersano has performed with such jazz greats as Carl Fontana, Don Menza, Bill Watrous and Teddy Edwards. He is often heard playing with other local jazz artists, such as Tony Savage, Cami Thompson, Pat Collins and the Reno Jazz Orchestra.
Wayne Theriault plays trumpet for the group. Theriault retired from the Army Band after playing around the world, from Viet Nam to Branson. Recently arrived from the northwest, trombonist Don Smaltz fills out the horn section.
Drummer and percussionist Scott Herman delivers the group’s beat, while acoustic bassist Tim Goldsmith also steps out front as a vocalist.
Milton Merlos, a guitarist who plays in the Spanish Flamenco style, opens the evening at 5 p.m. A native of Boston, Merlos began playing the guitar at age twelve, and began playing professionally at sixteen. Travels to Spain instilled a love for the Spanish Flamenco guitar. Now a professional musician with fifteen years of experience, he lives part-time in western Nevada.
“A quiet passion became the flame that has gifted me so many warm memories and has now become the passion that fires my life,” Merlos said. More information about Merlos, and samples of his music, is at www.miltonmerlos.com.
The Carson Valley Lions Club will be selling burgers (including veggie burgers), hot dogs, popcorn and and ice cold beverages. Good beer and wine will be available for purchase from the Friends of Dangberg Home Ranch.
Milton Merlos opens at 5 p.m., followed by The Mental Notes performing from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10/person and are available in person at Battle Born Wine or Joyce’s Fine Jewelry, both with stores in Gardnerville, or at dangberg.eventbrite.com. Tickets, if available, will also be sold at the gate, which opens at 4 p.m. Admission is free for children 16 and younger.
The park is located at 1450 Highway 88, just north of the Carson Valley Animal Hospital Pets are prohibited at the park, with the exception of certified service animals.
The Dangberg Summer Sunday Concert Series is sponsored by Bently Enterprises, SoaringNV, Douglas County, the Frances C. and William P. Smallwood Foundation, American Family Insurance Mark Smith Agency, Joyce’s Fine Jewelry, Bing Materials, Borges Carriage Rides, Dr. James the Dentist, Nevada State Bank and Pit Stop Pots.
This concert is organized by the Friends of Dangberg Home Ranch, a 501(c)(3) non-profit. Thank you for your support of the Friends’ effort to care for the park. Information on contributing support to this effort is at www.dangberghomeranch.org. Questions: [email protected].
The Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park is the 2012 and 2013 Reno-Tahoe Territory winner of the Nevada Commission on Tourism’s “Discover Your Nevada” contest. The site preserves the home of Heinrich F. Dangberg and his descendants. The Dangbergs were a prominent ranching family in Carson Valley history and founded Minden in 1905. The site includes eight historic structures built between 1857 and 1917, along with a collection of 39,000 artifacts, documents and photographs acquired and used by the Dangberg family. Programs include tours, exhibits and other public events. The park is operated by Friends of Dangberg Home Ranch, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, in cooperation with Douglas County.
