Jazz Aspen Snowmass’ 3rd annual Crawfish & Cruisers tonight, benefiting local music education

Nothing screams summer like an easy evening bike ride followed by fresh crawfish, cocktails and corn on the cob.

Ring in the season and support music education throughout the valley at Jazz Aspen Snowmass’ third annual Crawfish & Cruisers event tonight from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Aspen Historical Society.

Jazz Aspen Snowmass’ Advisory Board — a group of young, philanthropic-minded individuals who hope to improve music education in the valley — is hosting the event, said Advisory Board President Jessica Hite.

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Guests are encouraged to ride their bike (with a helmet) to the event, where Smoke Modern Barbeque will serve crawfish, corn and potatoes.

Drink options also will be plentiful, with Marble Distilling Co. serving its spicy Marble-rita, Roaring Fork Brewery providing beer, and Whispering Angel rose courtesy of Aspen Peak Magazine.

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Soft drinks and other white and red wine also will be available.

The No Joes, a band of former Jazz Aspen Snowmass students that offer a mix of rock, pop and alternative rock “perfect for a party,” will perform at the event, Hite said.

The intent of Crawfish & Cruisers is to raise awareness around “music education initiatives that many people don’t realize are a huge of part of the Jazz Aspen Snowmass mission,” Hite said.

One of the Advisory Board’s music initiatives is the Beat Lab, which allows small groups of students to compose music via the Berklee Pulse Program.

“This program is appealing to our generation because it is bringing technology into the schools, allowing students to learn about the creation of electronic music and tracks” Hite said. “By playing their own instruments, students are composing this music themselves.”

The Advisory Board also hopes Crawfish & Cruisers will promote The Band — a Jazz Aspen Snowmass’ membership that started in 2012 to encourage “philanthropy and social membership from young community members,” according to Jazz Aspen Snowmass’ site.

All funds that The Band membership raises will help the Advisory Board supply public schools from Aspen to Rifle with Beat Lab hardware and software.

For more information on Jazz Aspen Snowmass’ Crawfish & Cruisers event or music education initiatives, visit http://www.jazz aspensnowmass.org or call 970-920-4996.

erobbie@aspentimes.com