Rhythm Kings during an ensemble performance.
Rhythm Kings
Do you like food trucks? Do you like to fox trot? What about cha-cha? If you answered yes to any of these questions, we have the event for you.
At 5 p.m. on Feb. 12, Sunset & Symphony at Treasure Island Community Park will have food trucks and Dunedin-based band, Rhythm Kings. The 11-member, traditional swing ensemble specializes in “classic American music from the first half of the 20th century,” according to Greg Howard, host, emcee, and alto saxophone player for Rhythm Kings.
Rhythm Kings emerged in 2013 as a Tarpon Springs group and a year later found themselves inducted into the Dunedin Music Society as the sole professional commercial music group. The band comprises two alto saxophones, a tenor saxophone, a baritone saxophone, two trumpets, two trombones, a piano, a string bass, and a drum set. They take center stage at 6 p.m. at Sunsets & Symphony, hosted by the Treasure Island Madeira Beach Chamber of Commerce.
Sunset & Symphony will mark Rhythm King’s first performance on Treasure Island.
“We’re really excited to be coming down to South Pinellas and playing for a new audience because that’s fun,” Howard said. “Musicians as much as anything in the world, we want to share what we love.”
Howard shared the set list, which includes tunes from Duke Ellington, Bennie Moten, Count Basie, Glenn Miller, and others.
“Everything we play will be familiar to you. All the music that we play you’ve heard your whole lifetime in TV shows and commercials and movies and cartoons. Some of it’s used now in video games,” Howard said. “It’s amazing how durable this music has been.”
Howard emphasized the band’s mission at Sunset & Symphony is to entertain the audience, but to also make a long-lasting impression and connection with those in attendance.
“Our purpose is connecting local communities with live music, and we believe strongly that the connections we make when we’re out together, whether you’re at the Mahaffey seeing the Florida Orchestra, or Treasure Island Parks seeing Rhythm Kings, or your local beach bar hearing some guy play guitar,” Howard said. “Those connections, when they’re made through music, they’re different. They’re vibrant.”
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