Seattle musician Charles Lambert does lots of gigs around Puget Sound where he connects music and famous musicians to history.
Lambert will present this patriotic program Tuesday at the Everett Public Library’s main branch to commemorate Flag Day.
President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed June 14 as Flag Day in 1916. An act of Congress in 1949 established June 14 as National Flag Day.
This action took place four years after World War II ended in 1945. In his program, Lambert takes his audience on a musical journey of that era, connecting period patriotic tunes with famous musicians who were World War II veterans.
Some, in fact, served their country and never came back.
Lambert will talk about iconic Americana tunes like “America the Beautiful” and “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which “really ties into the flag,” Lambert said.
“I hand selected a lot of pieces that convey that type of sound quality that I am looking for in the program,” Lambert said. “I always hand select with everything I do.”
Lambert has also chosen several famous musicians to talk about.
The audience will learn the various stories associated with band leader and composer Glenn Miller, who was a U.S. Army Air Force captain entertaining troops when he disappeared in bad weather on flight over the English Channel.
Other military musicians include jazz pianist Dave Brubeck, who was drafted into the Army, Navy man and saxophone player John Coltrane, and clarinet player and composer Artie Shaw, another Navy man.
“These are musicians who dropped their bands and went in to serve their country,” said Lambert, who studied at Cornish College of the Arts.
The Flag Day presentation will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the main branch of Everett Public Library Auditorium, 2702 Hoyt Ave., Everett. The program is free. For more information, call the library at 425-257-8000.
Theresa Goffredo: 425-339-3424; goffredo@heraldnet.com.
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