MINT HILL, NC – Four-piece jazz fusion and contemporary pop band Sounds Downrange took the Novant Health Main Stage on Friday afternoon.
A quartet from the 2nd Marine Division Band out of Camp Lejeune, Sounds Downrange features Ronald Joseph on keys, Corporal Spencer Walgren on saxophone, Corporal Payton Johnson on drums, and Lance Corporal Aden Fruhling on guitar. The foursome plays primarily jazz standards with a bit of contemporary Top 40 radio mixed in.
“They’re going to be performing all of this afternoon through the early evening as well as tomorrow,” said Staff Sergeant Mardia Timoney, 6th Marine Corp District Musician Technical Assistant, on Friday afternoon. “Usually at events like these we bring out the pull up bar, too, and see if anyone likes to do pull up challenges!”
Events like these help shed light on alternate paths one can pursue as a Marine, such as advancing our Nation’s ideals on the world’s stage through the Musician Enlistment Option Program.
“We always like to just meet everyone in the community,” said Timoney. “I know I talk to a lot of educators and a lot of high school and collegiate level students as well as far as opportunities. We’re also just trying to talk to everyone here in the community just to see how we can best help serve everyone here.”
Sounds Downrange takes the Main Stage again tomorrow at 2:15 pm, and you can find them performing in the Marine tent throughout the day. Visit the Marines at Mint Hill Madness to talk to recruiters, hear some great jazz, and even win some swag for showing your strength in a push up or pull up contest!
Sounds Downrange kicks off a series of engaging entertainment planned for the Main Stage this weekend. Groove Machine takes the stage at 7:00 pm tonight, and, in addition to another performance by Sounds Downrange, tomorrow promises the Miss Mint Hill Scholarship Pagaent, Jake Haldenvang, DJ A-Rod and the Eagles Tribute Band On the Border. View the full schedule at https://www.minthillevents.org/schedule.