Menten, Nye & Max to perform at NP Park
Menten, Nye & Max will perform at the Music in the Park Series in Staples on Sunday, July 17, at 7 p.m. The concert will feature violinist Jeff Menten and guitarist Paul Nye, accompanied by bassist, Richard Max. Join them for a slice of festive fun punctuated by musical mastery entertainment at its finest.
As seasoned veteran musicians, Menten, Nye and Max have individually logged tens of thousands of miles and performed nearly as many shows in their respective musical careers. Audiences will enjoy their eclectic style that cleverly weaves modern and old time classics and Celtic tunes with ragtime and blues, plus some of Nye’s originals.
Menten graduated with honors from the University of Minnesota, Mankato with a music degree in violin performance. He has performed with several symphony orchestras and played professionally with Mariachi Estrella in Austin, Texas. In 1995, he was awarded “Instrumentalist of the Year,” “Best Classic Country Performance,” “Best Band” (The Radio Flyers) and the “Archie Hill Horizon Award” at the Minnesota Country Music Association competition. Menten operates the Pine-to-Prairie School of Music and has been teaching string instruments to students of all ages for 30 years. A number of his students are from the Staples-Motley area.
Nye began playing guitar as a teenager. His professional career has taken him from coast-to-coast with numerous touring groups. He has shared the stage with renowned Minnesota guitarists Leo Kottke and Michael Johnson and has opened for a number of national rock bands in his career. For the last 13 years, Nye has focused his craft on writing, recording and performing children’s music; releasing three independent recordings of music for kids in that time. His interactive, engaging kids performances have taken him to libraries and schools across the state. Nye is presently working on a guitar instrumental recording of old hymns he grew up listening to.
Both Nye and Menten perform weekly with the Woodtick Theater Band in Akeley.
The Music in the Park Concerts are held in the Northern Pacific (NP) Park on Sunday evenings at 7 p.m. and will run through August 14. For more information on the Music in the Park series as well as the regular concert series, check out www.staplesmotleyarts.org.
Northern Pacific (NP) Park is located at 625 6th St. NE. Go north on 6th St. at the junction of Hwys 10 and 210 and go six blocks. In case of rain, the concerts will be moved to Faith Lutheran Church.
The Music in the Park Series is funded by the Staples Host Lions Club. The Series is organized by the Staples Motley Area Arts Council, with the assistance of the Staples Motley Public Schools and the City of Staples.
