"Know Your Neighbor" to build relationships

ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus is using the power of music to engage faculty, staff and students to build lasting relationships with their local community.

Try Me Bicycle will headline the inaugural “Know Your Neighbor” free concert series, which starts next week and runs through November. Sponsored by the Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix campus and local communities, the series is open to the public and designed to introduce students to each other and the community where they live.

“The Know Your Neighbor concert series is an exciting opportunity for ASU faculty, staff and student body to get to know local venues, musicians, community members and each other,” said Malissa Geer, community engagement liaison for the Office of the University Vice President at the Downtown Phoenix campus. “Our campus is surrounded by many local businesses and organizations that are eager to know our faculty, students and staff in a much more meaningful way. Using the arts and local venues is only one of the many unique ways for ASU’s Downtown Phoenix campus to become even more integrated into this rich and vibrant community.”

The series kicks off on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at Cibo, 603 N. Fifth Ave. Additional shows by Try Me Bicycle are scheduled for downtown Phoenix Sunnyslope, Grand Avenue Arts District and Roosevelt Row. A portion of the band’s debut CD, Voicings, will go toward future support of community engagement activities.

Formed in the fall of 1995, Try Me Bicycle features Andrew Naylor on vocals and guitar; Jay Novak on bass; Jacob Koller on piano and synthesizer and Nathan Geer on drums. The group’s blend of modern folk, jazz and piano infuse their compositions with a sense of life and convincing poignancy.

“Phoenix is a very diverse city and each community has its own vibe and personality,” Naylor said. “We see a lot of the same faces and it sparks a kinship between our music and the downtown community.”

The concert series schedule includes:

• Sheraton Hotel, 8 p.m. Oct. 3, 340 N. 3rd St., Phoenix

• Sunnyslope Art Walk/Neilson Galleries, 6 p.m. Oct. 11, 8801 N. Central Ave., Phoenix

• Roosevelt Row 2008 Harvest Festival, noon, Oct. 18, between Fourth and Seventh streets on East Roosevelt Road, Phoenix

• Paisley Violin, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 7, 1030 NW Grand Ave., Phoenix