What an amazing evening of community support at the 2018 Wine & Dine for the Arts! Community leaders and HAPCO supporters gathered for great food, wine and live jazz at Oakland Town Center on Saturday, April 21. Chef Anthony Fothergill delighted us with the best cuisine of land and sea (including vegan options). His menu this year was cuisine inspired by the islands, including roasted pork loin with guava barbecue sauce and spiced rum pineapple salsa; jerk chicken; jerk shrimp; vegetable skewers; tofu with curry coconut sauce; Jamaican beef patties; jerk wild mushroom quesadillas; cod quesadillas; and puff pastries and fresh berries for dessert. Florida Highwaymen member R.L. Lewis donated an original painting for our silent auction.
Acclaimed trombonist and vocalist Vincent Gardner was joined by bassist Thomas Milovac, pianist NAME and drummer John Medico, performing great jazz. Gardner, the lead trombonist for the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, received the 2014 Downbeat Rising Star Critic’s Poll for Trombone and Nominee for Male Vocalist. He’s performed with Lauryn Hill, The Saturday Night Live Band, Matchbox 20, The Duke Ellington Orchestra, The Count Basie Orchestra, Illinois Jacquet, Clark Terry, Jimmy Heath and Frank Foster, to name just a few. As a bandleader, he’s released four albums on SteepleChase. And, he’s committed to paying it forward – as director of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Youth Orchestra, he works with young musicians internationally. More: http://www.vincentgardner.com
We thank everyone who joined us, our sponsors, the Town of Oakland, silent auction donors and bidders, our musicians and volunteers for helping to make this event a success at raising funds to support our educational programs for young people in Central Florida.