Page 13 - Florida Sentinel 2-19-16 Edition

FLORIDA SENTINEL FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2016
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Newest Statues Installed At Historic Perry Harvey, Sr. Park That Opens In The Spring
BY KENYA WOODARD Sentinel Staff Writer
When it opens this spring, visitors who enter Perry Harvey Park from the south will be welcomed by two giant figurines who may inspire them to cut a rug right on the spot.
The statues – a jazz duo in the throes of a jam session – are the latest additions to the $7 million greenspace named after late civil right leader, Perry Harvey, Sr. and located just steps away from the Encore Tampa redevelopment district.
The installation of the colorful statues is “huge.” It marks a milestone in the park’s construction, said Brad Sudor, superintendent of planning and de- sign for the city’s department of Parks and Recre- ation.
The plaster and concrete figures – a man playing the saxophone alongside a barefoot woman playing the bass – accurately reflects the city’s music legacy, he said.
“This is a perfect gateway to the park,” he said. “We wanted to bring out the history of this area.”
First settled as “The Scrub” by freed slaves, the Central Park community eventually grew into a bustling business and entertainment district. Some of the best jazz musicians – including Ray Charles, Ella Fitzgerald, and Cab Calloway – played in the nightclubs that dotted Central Avenue.
Located near the jazz duo are two figures dancing “The Twist,” illustrating the story of the song written by band leader, Hank Ballard after he saw youth doing the dance while visiting on Central Avenue.
After reviewing submissions from more than 130 artists, city officials selected Pennsylvania-based sculptor, James Simon to create the statues.
Simon has created other public art, including “Fiddler” in Chattanooga, Tenn. and the “Liberty Av- enue Musicians” in downtown Philadelphia.
Simon, who recently traveled to Tampa to over- see the installation of the statues, said it was no ac- cident that one of the figurines is playing the saxophone.
“It’s one of the main instruments of the jazz and blues era,” he said. “It gives the sculpture lots of movement.”
The bass is often a “male-dominated instru- ment”, so it was “fun” to depict a woman plucking its strings instead, Simon said.
“The bass is such a beautiful instrument,” he said. “It’s so feminine and strong at the same time.” Tampa is the only city in the state of Florida that is honoring the story of its African-American com- munity on such a large scale, said Mayor Bob
Doing “The Twist.” Hank Ballard wrote the song after seeing youngsters on Central Avenue doing the dance.
A female plucking the strings of this bass instrument and a figurine playing the saxophone.
Buckhorn. be a living and breathing testimony to our arts com- “I couldn’t be more excited,” he said. “This will munity.” (Photos by BRUNSON)