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PAGE 16A PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. APRIL 21.2022
Emrah Kotan Jazz Ensemble to
play at Casual Classics Concert
The Emrah Kotan Jazz
Ensemble will perform on
the Monday May 2, 2022
concert of the Casual Clas
sics Concert Series. Admis
sion to the concert is free, but
contributions are gratefully
accepted in order to fund the
expenses for the series. The
concert is at 7 pm at Fellow
ship Presbyterian Church,
389 Bent Tree Drive, Jasper
GA. There will be an oppor
tunity to mingle with the
artists over coffee provided
by Red Bean Coffee before
the concert, and during inter
mission.
The Emrah Kotan Jazz
Ensemble consists of jazz
faculty at area colleges and
universities: percussionist
Emrah Kotan of Agnes Scott
College; keyboardist Gary
Motley of Emory University,
bass guitarist Billy Thornton
of Georgia State University,
joined for this concert by
trumpeter Ali Barr. With high
praise for their musicianship,
these teachers of jazz are
models for aspiring jazz
artists.
Ali Barr was raised pri
marily in New York City. He
has traveled extensively
throughout Africa, Europe
and the Middle East. He was
exposed to jazz, classical
music, and African drum
ming since birth, and began
playing the trumpet when he
was eight years old. He re
ceived his first instruction on
the trumpet under the tute
lage of Jerry Gonzales, leader
of the Fort Apache Band. Ali
played percussion instru
ments from when he was able
to stand, under the guidance
of his father, Dr. James Barr,
a master drummer, and the
acclaimed Bobby Crowder of
Kulume. He attended Temple
University in Philadelphia
earning a Bachelor’s degree
in Marketing. There he began
serious study of the Trumpet
with Robert "Boysie" Low
ery (Clifford Browns’
teacher), and Johnny Coles.
While in Botswana, he stud
ied briefly with Hugh
Masekela, a close family
friend.
William “Billy” Vann
Thornton, is the bass in
structor at Georgia State Uni
versity. Previously he taught
at Jacksonville University in
Florida. Mr. Thornton has
been performing for over
twenty years in the United
States, France, Netherlands,
Italy, Mexico, and Qatar. In
addition to the bass, he plays
the guitar and electric bass.
Influenced by various reggae,
jazz, rock and Motown
artists.
He can be seen throughout
Atlanta performing at venues
like the Velvet Note, the leg
endary, late Churchill
Grounds, and various per
formance events. Mr. Thorn
ton holds a Bachelors degree
in music from the University
of North Florida.
Gary Motley is a pianist,
composer, arranger, and edu
cator. He has received awards
from the National Endow
ment for the Arts, the Great
American Jazz Piano Com
petition, and the American
Composers Forum. He has
been featured on Marian Mc-
Partland’s Piano Jazz on
NPR. He began studying
piano as a child in Alabama,
and was exposed to jazz as a
teenager, honing his skill as a
jazz pianist while attending
the University of Montevallo
and playing with regional
bands.
He has established a pro-
As
'Is] t DALTON
l*|| STATE
Part-Time Instructor
Mountain Campus Ellijay
Dalton State College is currently accepting
applications for the position of Part Time
Instructor.
Please apply directly online at
https ://www. dalton state. ed u/resou rces_for/
employment.cms
EOE/AA/Drug-Free
Scholarships available
for family research/ history
from Honea-Worley Family
Scholarship Fund
• First place $2,000; second place is $1,000, third $500
• High school seniors only — not required to be
college-bound.
• Applicants need to submit a four-generation family
history where at least one person in the research has
significant ties to Pickens County.
• Research should extend from current person back
through parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.
• More than just dates, places and names, research should
show a story of the people - who they were, where they
came from, their churches, professions, education,
interesting life experiences.
• Documentation, similar to a term paper is required.
Help can be obtained in the Georgia Room at the
Pickens library.
• Works will be judged by an independent panel.
• Deadline is May 2 by noon. Works should be
dropped off at Century 21 Lindsey and Pauley, 25
North Main Street, Jasper
For questions, contact Maria Boling at 770-355-6537
or email mariaboling911 @yahoo.com
This scholarship is managed by
the Pickens Historical Society
for the Honea-Worley families.
“It is our sincere hope every
graduating senior knows and is
proud of their family’s history. ”
Our members will be glad to as
sist anyone preparing works to
enter.
fessional association with
many of today’s leaders in
jazz. He has worked with
artists ranging from Dave
Brubeck, Kenny Baron, Jon
Faddis, Eddie Daniels,
Benny Golson, and Clarke
Terry. He has recorded CDs
such as Peaceful Moments
(1994), Compassion (2001),
Departure (2014). In 2000 he
collaborated with actress
Debbie Allen and director
Kenny Leon for the Alliance
Theater’s production of
Blues in the Night and the
premiere of Soul Possessed.
He also performed on the
PBS documentary The Old
Settler, and recorded music
with Whoopi Goldberg for
the Broadway production of
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,
as well as the 2004 Broad
way production of A Raisin
in the Sun.
As an educator, he is Di
rector of Jazz Studies at
Emory University. He re
cently returned from Colom
bia, where he participated in
a jazz education outreach ini
tiative for the Centro
Colombo-Americano, and he
also participated in the Homs
to Havana Education Ex
change Project with the Vic
tor Goines Sextet in Havana,
Cuba.
Emrah Kotan is a classi
cally trained percussionist
who came to the United
States from his native
Turkey, and received a Mas
ter's degree in Jazz Studies
from Georgia State Univer
sity. He has performed in
many renowned international
jazz venues, including the Is
tanbul Jazz Festival, Singa
pore Jazz Festival, Java Jazz
Festival, Montreux Jazz Fes
tival, Playboy Jazz Festival,
and The Blue Note in New
York. In Atlanta, he is one of
the most sought after musi
cians, performing classical,
jazz, and world percussion.
His unique musical abilities
transcend many genres and
cultures.
Aside from performing,
Emrah is an enthusiastic
music educator who is the
Director of the Jazz and
World Percussion Ensembles
at Agnes Scott College. He
Jasper Lions
Club meeting
The Jasper Lions Club
meets on the 2nd and 4th
Thursdays of each month at 7
p.m. in Walker Hall at the
First Baptist Church of
Jasper. For more information,
call 706.253.LION (5466) or
email us at
georgialions@mac.com.
TOPS meets
every Monday
TOPS (Take Off Pounds
Sensibly) meets every Mon
day night at 5 p.m, Cool
Springs Baptist Church, 4671
Hwy 53E, Tate.
For information, call 706-
897-2376.
Marine Corps
League meeting
The N. Ga. Mtn. Det.
1280 Marine Corps League
invites all Marines and Navy
FMF corpsmen to become in
volved with us. We support
our active Marines and their
families as they are deployed
around the globe to defend
our way of life.
We meet the third Satur
day of each month at Moun
tain Education Center, 339
Church St. Jasper, for social
time at 8:30 a.m. with the
meeting beginning at 0900 to
1000. For more information
contact Wayne Poore at 706-
692-2836. Semper Fi.
has conducted master classes
taught many students over
the years, some of whom
have been awarded music
scholarships by the colleges
of their choice.
There is no charge for admis
sion, although contributions
are gratefully received; dona
tions from the series’ patrons
cover the expenses of these
concerts. Following proto
cols established at the
church, all those attending
are strongly encouraged to
wear masks while inside the
facility and during the con
cert.
Casual Classics was es
tablished in 2007 by Suzanne
Shull, then a resident of Bent
Tree and member of Fellow
ship Presbyterian Church.
Over the years, the series has
featured many soloists and
ensembles associated with
the Atlanta Symphony Or
chestra, faculty at Kennesaw
State University, and emerg
ing artists. With Suzanne’s
move to Atlanta, Calvert
Johnson stepped up to be the
new Concert Manager, be
ginning with the 2018-19
season. Members of the
Board of Directors include
Kelly Lohman, Lloyd Mc
Donald, Marc Unger,
Richard White, and Suzanne
Shull as past director. The
final concert this season will
feature the Atlanta Sym
phony Woodwind Quintet,
Monday June 6, 2022.
For additional information,
contact Calvert Johnson at
404-373-0748 or calvertjohn-
son@gmail.com.
HEIRLOOM
& NATIVE
Bee happy - don't miss
out on the 2022 Heirloom and Native Plant Sale!
Support local Master Gardeners and 4-H by buying
native and heirlooms plants. These are plants that
grow well in our environment while supporting birds,
pollinators, and wildlife. See our website below or find
us on Facebook for a complete plant listing.
A
Date; May 14
Time; 8 am to Noon
Place; Veterans Memorial parking lot Jasper, GA
Pickens County Master Gardeners
Phone: 706-253-8840
E-mail: ugel227@uga.edu or pickensmg@tds.net
http://extension.uga.edu/county-offices/pickens.html
I“1 UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
™ EXTENSION
BELIEVE IN A BETTER LAWN
Bryan Lawrence
Email: Bryan@Iaithturf.com
LANDSCAPING DESIGN & INSTALLATION
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LAWN MAINTENANCE • DEBRIS CLEANUPS & MORE!
www.Fai th Turf, com
770-490-2795
All Computer Services & Repairs
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/ Custom Build NewmQJsed Computers
/ Software Installation & Upgrades
/ Network SolutionsySetup & Security
25 Years Experience
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erving All of North Georgia
706-301-9148
24 hours a day - 7 days a week
f T Piedmont
w MOUNTAINSIDE
From My Desk to Your Home
Greetings!
I hope you are all enjoying the warmer weather (with the exception of
a few surprise 30-degree mornings). Last month I discussed Spring re
newal.This month I’d like to focus on the importance of organ donation,
truly the gift of life.
April is National Donate Life month, an opportunity to educate people
on organ donation and highlight the importance of donation registries.
Did you know that LifeLink of Georgia says currently there are more
than 100,000 people in the U.S. waiting for an organ transplant and nearly
4,100 of those are Georgia residents? Just one organ donor can save up
to eight lives and a single tissue donor can help more than 70 individuals.
To learn more about organ donation or to register your donation deci
sion, please visit LifeLink at https://lifelinkfoundation.org/organ-donation/.
Even today, many people are not aware of living donor opportunities. In
2021, more than 6,500 people made the decision to give one of their kid
neys or a part of their liver to someone waiting for a second chance at
life. Others gave the healing gift of birth tissue. In living donation, a healthy
person donates an organ (usually a kidney or part of a liver) to someone
whose health depends on receiving it. Living donors give the gift of life.
Living Donation Facts:*
• I 15,000 people in the United States are currently waiting for a
life-saving organ transplant
• I in 4 living donors are not biologically related to the recipient
• 6,000 living donations happen each year
• Source: American Transplant Foundation
In Georgia, transplant candidates are more likely to die waiting for a de
ceased donor than receive a transplant. Living donation cuts wait times
and offers the best chance for long-term success. Donors typically have
a brief recovery period and most insurance companies will approve and
cover the costs of a living donation, so you shouldn’t have any expenses
related to evaluation, surgery, hospitalization or immediate post-operative
care. For more information about the benefits of being a living donor and
to view real donor/recipient videos, visit the Piedmont Living Donor site
at https://piedmontlivingdonor.org/.
I hope you’ll consider registering for organ donation as well as the pos
sibility of becoming a living donor. Extraordinary people make extraor
dinary things happen and this is evident in so many ways in our
community. I am so proud to call this area my home!
Always,
Denise Ray,
President and Chief Executive Officer
Piedmont Mountainside Hospital