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Nature's Table was a whole food restaurant and live music venue in Urbana, Illinois from the 1979 until May, 1991. Third Annual Nature's Table scheduled for Friday, 7/24/2009FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jeff Machota Cell: 217/722-8601 Email: thetable@naturestable.net 7/01/2009 IRON POST TO HOST NATURE'S TABLE 2009 REUNION CONCERTS Performances in Downtown Urbana to Feature Jazz Artists from Music Venue's Past --- The third annual Nature's Table reunion is scheduled to be held Friday, July 24 at The Iron Post in Urbana, Illinois. Nature's Table was a whole food restaurant and live music venue in Urbana, Illinois from the 1979 to 1991. The restaurant featured live music seven nights a week, including an eclectic mix of jazz, folk, blues, bluegrass, and experimental music. Besides providing a space for local acts, Nature's Table also featured national touring artists. When the University of Illinois reclaimed the property in 1991, the community lost a unique local resource. Terry Masar, former owner of the restaurant, felt that the time had come to reunite some of the artists who had performed at the venue many years ago, and in 2007 organized the first reunion concert in Champaign. This year's reunion event is being held at The Iron Post in downtown Urbana, the venue most actively hosting jazz in the Champaign-Urbana community for the past several years. "Based on the success of last year's reunion, we think this year's event will be even better," Masar says. Jeff Helgesen, featured performer at this years event and former Nature's Table mainstay, says, "This year we are featuring a tribute to the music of local jazz trumpeter/composer John 'Doc' Scott, who performed regularly at Nature's Table and wrote some amazing compositions. Chicago tenor saxophonist Kevin Kizer will be coming to the event to lead an all star band performing Doc's compositions." Jeff Machota, former Nature's Table employee, says, "This year's event closes with a reuniting of some of the players from Jeff Helgesen's late-80s quintet. From Chicago, tenor sax player and former Ray Charles alum with Helgesen, Scott Frillman will fill out the front line. Holding down the back line, will be drummer Danny Deckard from Bloomington, Indiana. Should be a great closer for another reunion." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SCHEDULE (subject to change): Friday, July 24 5:00-7:00 - The Woody Woodward Organ Trio * Woody Woodward (organ) * Randy Salman (saxophone) * Steve Adelman (drums) 7:30-9:30 - Kevin Kizer's Tribute to Doc Scott * Kevin Kizer (saxophone) * Tito Carillo (trumpet) * Jeff Helgesen (trumpet) * Chip Stephens (keyboard) * Chris Nolte (bass) * Dan Deckard (drums) 10:00-?? - Jeff Helgesen and Friends featuring Scott Frillman and Dan Deckard * Jeff Helgesen (trumpet) * Scott Frillman (saxophone) * Shawn Purcell (guitar) * Ed Schaller (bass) * Dan Deckard (drums) ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Admission will be $8. Additional information is available at the following website: http://www.naturestable.net/ # # # If you'd like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview, please call Jeff Machota at 217/722-8601 or e-mail thetable@naturestable.net. The Iron Post is located at 120 South Race Street in Urbana, Illinois. Do you have a Facebook account? Visit the Facebook event page for the 2009 Nature's Table Reunion. Blasts from the past . . .
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