The Miles Davis Memorial Project has scheduled a fundraising dinner on March 22, 2014, from 6 to 10 pm at the Commons Building on Lewis & Clark Campus. The evening will include cocktails, dinner, auctions and live jazz music with Third Coast Jazz & Blues. During the music, brief educational moment about jazz will be narrated by Pete Basola.
We are honored to have Pete and Jody Basola as hosts for the evening. They both understand the historic importance of recognizing the genius of Miles Davis and his connection to Alton and the positive impact this project will bring to the community.
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Pete is retired Vice President of Enrollment Services at Lewis & Clark Community College and remains as a current member of the Board of Trustees. He is a musician and photographer. Pete was a jazz educator at Alton High School and SIUE.
Jody is retired from Alton Memorial Hospital. She was the executive assistant to the hospital president. She is a volunteer with the Arthritis Foundation as Event Chair for the Alton Jingle Bell Run, a member of the Alton Little Theater Board and a past member of the YWCA Board. Both Pete & Jody were part of the original First Night Riverbender.
Preston Jackson is the sculptor who will be creating the statue to be placed downtown on Third Street. Preston is a professor emeritus of the sculpture department of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He is also an accomplished jazz musician. His art gallery is located in Peoria, Illinois. He recently completed two sculptures of Richard Prior. One will be placed in Peoria, the city of his birth, and the other in Los Angeles. Preston is known for his expertise in African American art and his ability to tell a story through his work.
Russ Smith will host a community informational evening at the Bossanova on Tuesday, January 21, 2014 from 4:30 to 5:30 PM. There will be a short video presentation along with informational flyers. There will also be t-shirts, buttons, and posters to purchase in support of the project. To purchase a 4X8 inch brick ($75) or a 12X12 inch granite black ($400) please call Pride, Incorporated at 618-467-2375 or go on-line at www.prideincorporated.org and click on Miles Davis. The order forms will also be available the evening of this event.
