St. George Arts Festival pays tribute to local jazz musician Mick Jones

Written by Tracie Sullivan

After 36 years of showcasing thousands of high quality artists, the St. George Arts Festival introduced a new art form to their roster last year by bringing in some of the area’s top jazz musicians as the featured entertainment on the main stage. This new aspect of the event will resume at this year’s festival—which runs Friday, April 3 and Saturday, April 4. However, this year, St. George Arts Festival organizers have taken it up a notch by including an hour-long musical tribute to local musician Mick Jones on Saturday that will be performed by the Dixie Rebels.

“The reception by the public last year was really great,” said Jim Sevy, member of the St. George Arts Commission, speaking about last year’s jazz component.

Sevy, a jazz enthusiast and entertainer himself, has been working for years to bring jazz music to the festival.

“Jazz is the kind of music the public wants to hear at an arts festival,” he said. “It just belongs.”

Among this year’s lineup are jazz bands from local high schools, West Coast Jazz, John Houston’s Gospel Choir, and the Dixie State University jazz ensemble.

However, Sevy is especially excited about the special performance and tribute to Mick Jones, a local jazz musician who has performed throughout his life with big names like Frank Sinatra, The Lettermen, and Karen Carpenter. Jones told The Independent that music has always been a part of his life.

“I grew up in a circle of good musicians,” Jones said. “I’ve always played with really great musicians, some who became a big success.”

Sevy, who was instrumental in putting this tribute together, said he feels Jones deserves to be honored for his work in the jazz industry. He said that more than just playing with great musicians, Jones is largely responsible for the success of some of them.

“He’s put together more than 300 arrangements over the years,” Sevy said.

Jones said all of those arrangements—which are actually nearing 400—are saved on his computer.

“I love to listen to them,” he said.

Jones may have been responsible for many other musicians’ careers, but music was never something he chose for himself. Instead Jones worked as a computer programmer for 11 years at National American Aviation and later as a consultant for the Latter-day Saint Church where he retired after 25 years of employment.

“I never wanted to make [music] my career,” he said. “There were just too many things—like drugs—I didn’t want to be involved with. But I’ve sure enjoyed it as a hobby over the years. I call it an avocation. It’s been an avocation for me, but I didn’t ever make a living at it.”

Jones said he often would play six-to-eight week gigs at night while still going to work in the morning.

Jones has performed with Sevy since 2000; however, a year ago, Jones’ health took a turn for the worst after suffering a stroke, and he had to temporarily lay his trumpet and trombone down.

“But I’m starting to play again,” Jones said. “I really enjoying playing.”

The tribute to Mick Jones, which includes Jim Sevy and his daughter Marisa Thompson, is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday on the West Stage and will include performances of jazz arrangements written by Jones of some of the Carpenters’ music. Jones plans to be in attendance at the performance and said he is looking forward to hearing the band play his arrangements.

The John Houston Choir is scheduled to play after the Jones’ Tribute, followed by the Neil Diamond Tribute Band who will wrap the festival up with their performance at 5 p.m.

The St. George Arts Festival takes place 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 3 and 4 in the St. George Town Square, 50 S. Main. For more information log onto www.sgcity.org/artfestival.