TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – In less than a week, jazz music will fill the air in the Toledo Botanical Garden for the first time in two years.

Matt Killam is the Outreach Manager for Metroparks Toledo. He told 13abc: “We are delighted to have anything in return. We did Jazz in the Garden last year, virtually. People liked it but it was not the same.

Ramona Collins is a singer and has been a mainstay of Jazz in the Garden for almost 20 years.

She said, “It’s a wonderful event, it’s a different event, people love it. They supported him for many, many years.

Collins was born in Toledo. She says of the concert series: “It means a lot to me, I’ve been a singer in Toledo for 53 years, I’m known as one of the Jazz Singers, but I also sing other stuff.”

She says it’s important to have events like this for the jazz community here. “Even though we don’t have any jazz clubs anymore, we still have a very large jazz fan base,” she explains. “And that’s the beauty of Jazz in the Garden, you see different styles of jazz.”

Collins says she grew up with jazz. Her mother was a musician in the industry, so her love of music runs deep.

“Jazz is very expressive and very creative,” she says. “It’s totally different from a lot of other styles. I could sing the same song three times and never sing it the same way. That’s what I like about Jazz.

New this year, Jazz in the Garden will offer ten concerts instead of the traditional eight. And nothing but jazz.

Killam says, “The audience told us they only wanted jazz strictly, so we went back to that format. People are excited and we are mostly excited to have them.

“There are already so many events this summer,” adds Collins. “This summer is going to be great. It will be a great summer. “

The Jazz in the Garden concert series will begin on Thursday July 8 and will take place every Thursday evening from 6.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. at the Botanical Garden of Toledo. Tickets cost $ 10 per person, children 12 and under enter free. If you are a Metroparks member, tickets cost $ 5. You can find information about tickets and schedule here.

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