Al Mikula’s Red Garter Dixieland Big Band Concert
by Cate Murway
Take ♫♪♫♪ NOTE ♫♪♫♪…. Save the date!
Get a glimpse of probably the best Dixieland jazz band ever……
The 12 piece Al Mikula’s Red Garter Dixieland Big Band will perform a 1½ hour concert next Friday, October 28th, starting at 7:30PM at the Silver Lake Nature Center.
Concert will take place in SLNC’s indoor Auditorium. Space is limited.
SLNC is delighted to welcome this amazing ensemble of Big Band Musicians for a most spirited evening of music & fun. It’s a family show chock full of Dixie, patriotic, and familiar tunes!
Director-Naturalist PattiAnn Cutter explained, “This event is a fundraiser and 100% percent of the proceeds will be donated to the nonprofit Friends of Silver Lake Nature Center organization.”
Per PattiAnn, some of their current projects include refurbishing the SLNC wildlife observation platform and updating the indoor turtle tank.
Accomplished musician Albin Joseph Mikula, the firstborn of five, shared that his mother, Impera “made me practice the violin ½ hour every day. She played the guitar, a 6-string Spanish guitar.”
His mother passed away when he was only ten.
His father, Joseph who was a bread baker at the Gold Medal Bakery played the violin, just as his paternal grandfather had done. Al was named after his Italian grandfather, Albino.
He continued to play the violin in his school assemblies.
Al met his future wife, Maryanne Drea when they were both in their teens. They have 7 children and their youngest, Matthew, plays a 6-string guitar that was given to him by singer-songwriter Taylor Swift.
The extremely talented Matthew often accompanies his father’s band.
Originally, Al worked as a journeyman paper cutter at Oxford Book Binding, and played at bars on the weekends. “My wife polished my white shoes every night.”
Music remained his PT gig while as COO, he also successfully sold Jones Sign East business signs to the A&P and Bank of America.
“Brother, can you spare a dime?”
His Trio started playing in the Country House in Cinnaminson, NJ, and in the 23 Skidoo in Cherry Hill,
before he opened Spanky’s, a pizza place then a tavern, in NE Philadelphia from 1970-1985.
Al created the “the Bristol Jam” during the covid pandemic while most people were cleaning out closets. The Mikulas had moved to Bristol Borough and they met the renowned harpist, WCU professor, Gloria Marie Galante. “GG” had been busy writing suites that documented everything. She produced a ‘lockdown style suite’, “Style de Verrouillage”, a composition reflecting the times, appropriately dubbed “Pandemic, Quarantine, Protest, and Prayer of Hope.”
GG explained that when they met, “Al said we can sit outside at King George after Mass.” Al and his group played Glenn Miller kind of music and Gloria played “happy birthday” for his wife and played some Sinatra tunes.
They asked her to be in the band!
Al and his wife love the vibrancy of the Borough and the Bristol community.
Two of the artists in the Al Mikula’s Red Garter Dixieland Big Band are members of The Eagles Pep Band who enthrallingly play at the games, leading over 70,000 fans in singing the Eagles fight song, "Fly Eagles Fly". Brian Saunders masters the alto sax and Bruce Mulford commands the upright bass.
Also in Al’s band is Jimmy Alex who expertly provides keyboard and the vocals, and the skillful orchestra composer Fred Hall who provides the arrangements with charm and impeccable style.
They are currently in the process of recording a record and they practice at SLNC on Mondays.
Consider music that is second to none in entertainment and enjoyment!
Tickets for the Al Mikula’s Red Garter Dixieland Big Band Concert on October 28th, starting at 7:30PM at the Silver Lake Nature Center are $20/person. Prices are the same for all ages.
No refunds/exchanges unless event is canceled by SLNC.
or call 215-785-1177 for tickets.
Silver Lake Nature Center
1306 Bath Road
Bristol, PA 19007
215.785.1177
Recommend a “Spotlight”. E-mail vjmrun@yahoo.com
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