7:09 PM: With a classic by Count Basie, the West Seattle Big Band just kicked off this year’s Concert in the Park. Even though the longtime presenting organization West Seattle Hi-Yu is no longer active, the tradition will go on, as band director Jim Edwards just told the crowd. (WSB and the West Seattle Grand Parade are co-sponsoring this year.)

Lots of people here but also plenty of room for your chair, blanket, family, friends, neighbors … and it’s free, continuing until about 8:30 pm, with a break along the way to present this year’s Orville Rummel Trophy for Outstanding Service to the Community to Keith Hughes, in advance of Saturday’s parade.

(Keith Hughes with Michelle Edwards, band member and parade co-coordinator)

(See our preview here and find out more about Keith.)

8:35 PM: The concert just wrapped, featuring vocalists Sarah Ackers, Jeff Carter, and Kevin Mason with the WSBB along the way for a full slate of classics. We have more video and photos to add when back at HQ!

ADDED 11:50 PM: Xavier Cugat‘s “One Mint Julep“:

Sarah Ackers delighted the crowd despite confessing she had awakened with “no voice”:

Here she is on “All Right, OK, You Win”:

The band director himself had a solo during Gershwin’s “Summertime”:

The program was full of great songs – including a musical geographic tour of sorts, from “South of the Border” to “New York, New York.”