12 A SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2018 Jazz ensemble to ‘command’ the stage in free concert The Commanders Jazz Ensemble and Travis Brass from the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West will present a free concert on Monday, March 19, at the Florence Events Center and will deliver a special performance. Sponsored by the Siuslaw News, Banner Bank and Best for Hearing, the concert will begin at 7 p.m. A component of the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West, The Commanders Jazz Ensemble carries on the American musical tradition of the great big bands, yet offers much beyond the big band sound. This group of highly- The Commanders Jazz Ensemble and Travis Brass from the U.S. Air Force Band of the Golden West will charge up the audi- ence in a free concert March 19. RSVP required. trained professional musicians, formed from 18 active duty Airmen, delivers the full gamut of jazz music — traditional jazz, cool, bop, swing, Broadway favorites and patriot- ic music. The members of the Commanders are all profes- sional Air Force musicians working in support of Air Force and Air Mobility Command official military recruiting and community relations objec- tives. A typical evening with The Commanders might include favorites from Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington, Woody Herman, Count Basie and COURTESY PHOTO Dizzy Gillespie to the sounds of today's modern jazz groups delivered by the group's enchantingly talented vocalist. Their renditions of hot jazz feature rousing improvised solos from every instrument in the group. This is an ensemble capable of delivering a truly unique combination of enter- tainment. Performances are family- friendly and open to the public. Admission tickets are required (limit two per person) and are available now at: • Siuslaw News, 148 Maple St. • Banner Bank, 777 Highway 101 • Best For Hearing 2285 Highway 101 • Florence Events Center, 715 Quince St. The Commanders are ready to charge the entire audience up with a fun-filled event that will satisfy every musical taste. Historian to talk about Oregon writer Haycock this Friday Siuslaw Public Library will once again welcome historian and author Richard Etulain to the library on Friday, March 9, beginning at 1 p.m. in the Bromley Room at the main branch in Florence. Etulain will discuss his newest book, “Ernest Haycock and the Western,” in which the author writes about the impor- tance of Haycock’s contribu- tion to Oregon’s literary histo- ry. Etulain has focused on the history of the West for most of his career. He is a professor emeritus at the University of New Mexico who has taught history, English and American Studies at a number of univer- sities for over 40 years. He is also the author of dozens of history books and hundreds of essays. In his most recent work about Haycock, Etulain explores the Oregon writer’s contributions in the develop- ment of the fictional Western and traces Haycock’s ascend- ing career from a University of Oregon student writer to his success as a frequent and well- known contributor to popular magazines including Collier’s and The Saturday Evening Post. Etulain explains that his slide-illustrated talk about Haycock “will draw the atten- tion of listeners to one of Oregon’s major writers and cast light on earlier achieve- ments in the state’s rich liter- ary history.” Etulain, the son of a Basque immigrant, has received numerous awards for his work, including the Caughey and Western Heritage awards. He has also been nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Fellow historian, Glenda Riley, said, “The magic of Dick Etulain’s books are that they combine solid history with fascinating reading. Want to know about the American West? Etulain will make it live for you.” The accomplished author, historian and editor currently lives in Clackamas, Ore., with his wife, Joyce, a retired chil- dren’s librarian. Besides “Ernest Haycock and the Western,” Etulain’s recent works include “The Life and Legends of Calamity Jane,” which was a Western Writers of America Spur Award winner in 2015, and, as co-author, “U.S. Presidents Who Shaped the American West.” Join fellow history buffs, especially those fond of the Western genre and our state’s literary history, for this extraordinary opportunity to hear Etulain share his expert insight into one of Oregon’s major writers and learn a bit about Oregon’s rich literary history. This program is free and open to the public and will appeal to everyone interested in learning about Haycock’s career and contributions to Oregon literature. Copies of Haycock and the Western will be available for purchase at the end of the pro- gram. For more information about this program, visit the Siuslaw Public Library, call 541-997- 3132 or visit the library’s web- site at www.siuslawlibrary .org. Willamette Valley Arms Collectors Association Collections Display & GUN SHOW (Includes Member Gun Collections) Saturday March 17th 9am to 5pm Sunday, March 18th 9am to 3pm A T THE L ANE E VENTS C ENTER FREE Parking Eugene, Oregon Admission: $6.00 Kids under 12 Free (when accompanied by paying adult) FREE for Active Duty with ID $1 off coupon available at local area Gun Shops and all regional BI-MART stores FOR MORE INFO. CALL JOHN AT 541-954-8460 • wvaca.show@outlook.com