Huntington Beach Central Park Concerts are held on Sundays in the summer months behind Central Library. Featured in the photo is a singer from the HB Rotary, a sponsor of this concert event.

Concerts 2008

Aug 17

Bob De Sena’s Latin Jazz Ensemble  A program of exciting Latin jazz and fiery rhythms in the legendary tradition of Tito Puente and Cal Tjader

Aug 24

Henebry’s 1920’s Crazy Rhythm Hot Society Orchestra The original musical sounds of the Golden Age of Radio with Flapper Vocalist Ginger Pauley

Aug 31

Mike Henebry Orchestra  Internationally acclaimed orchestra authentically recreating music of the famous Big Bands of the Swing Era

In just a year or two, the Central Park Concert Series hosted by Huntington Beach City Band, has grown into somewhat of a social event. While down at the beach the tourists and youngsters are dumping the sand out of their sneakers, listening to free summer concerts in the sun, Central Park offers shade trees, sloped hills and a more mature crowd sipping beverages and dining on gourmet cheeses. Held on the lush grass lawns under the shade of towering eucalyptus trees, you'll usually feel a slight breeze as evening arrives for this event.

This annual concert event features jazz and Dixieland bands each Sunday during a portion of July and August. One of the local talents known in jazz circles is Tom Kubis, seen in the video above. Kubis is one of the most prolific writers and arrangers for big bands in North America.

Responsible for a major part of the library for Bill Watrous's superb Refuge West Big Band, Kubis's career spans several decades and includes concerts and acclaimed success with numerous releases such as Keep Swingin', Tom Kubis Big Band Plays Steve Allen, Slightly Off The Ground and Jazz Musician's Christmas.

Born in 1951 in Los Angeles, Kubis began playing tenor and soprano saxophones with various bands, plus piano for Bobby Vinton. Not only has he succeeded as a musician, however, Kubis's compositions and arrangements are in great demand with big band leaders.

If you miss Kubis at the summer concerts, you'll often find him performing at Golden West College featured concerts.

Blues in the Night is sung from a woman's perspective

My momma done told me
When I was in pigtails
My momma done told me, hon
A man's gonna sweet-talk
And give you the glad eye
But when that sweet-talkin's done
A man is a two-faced, a worrisome thing
Who'll leave you to sing the blues in the night

Now the rain's a fallin'
Hear the trains a-callin' hooey
My momma done told me
Hear that lonesome whistle
Blowing across the trestle, hooey
My momma done told me, a-hooey, a-hooey
Old clickety clack is echoing back the blues in the night

The evenin' breeze will start the trees to praying
And the moon will dim its light
When you hear the blues in the night

Mark my word the mockingbird
Will sing the saddest kind of song
He knows things are wrong
And he's right

La ha ha ha-a
La ha ha-a
From Natchez to Mobile
From Memphis to St. Joe
Wherever the four winds blow
I've been to some big towns
I've heard me some big talk
But there is one thing I know
A man is a two-faced, a worrisome thing
Who'll leave you to sing the blues in the night

La ha ha-a
La ha ha-a
My momma done told me there's blues in the night