In a nearly 14-minute video released Tuesday, Smale Park project manager Dave Prather showed off that history and some of the more fun features opening soon — the “Big”gest of all probably being the giant outdoor foot piano. (Yeah, like that one from the Tom Hanks movie .)
The foot piano, created by Verdin Bell , has 32 individual chimes overhead with two and a half octaves. It’s part of the P&G go Vibrantscape, designed for people to get active in the park.
“So it’s not only a feature you can interact with, but it’s also a musical instrument,” Prather said. “Two or three can work together and play music.”
Putting final touches on the foot piano. Image courtesy Cincinnati Park Board.
Or, staff can plug in a keyboard to play it. The chimes will sound every quarter-hour and on the hour to mark the time, Prather said.
• 1962 ~ Eugene Goossens, British Composer (Perseus), died at the age of 69. A member of a famed musical family, he spent his later years conducting in Australia where he trained many musicians.
• 1970 ~ The Summertime by Mungo Jerry hit #1 in England
• 1970 ~ The Beatles’ “Let It Be,” album went #1 & stayed #1 for 4 weeks
• 1970 ~ The Beatles’Long & Winding Road, single went #1 & stayed #1 for 2 weeks
• 1970 ~ The song Make It with You, by David Gates and Bread, was released. It turned out to be a number-one hit on August 22, 1970. Though Bread had a dozen hits, including one other million-seller (Baby I’m-A Want You, 1971); Make It with Youwas the soft-pop group’s only number one tune.
• 1971 ~ Singer Francis Albert Sinatra made an attempt to retire from show business following a performance this night at the Music Center in Los Angeles, CA. ‘Ol’ Blue Eyes’ got a bit restless in retirement, however, and was back in Sinatra – The Main Event at Madison Square Garden in November, 1973.
• 1972 ~ Clyde L Mcphatter, American singer with the Drifters, died at the age of 39
• 1973 ~ Alvin Derold Etler, Composer, died at the age of 60
• 1973 ~ Frantisek Suchy, Composer, died at the age of 82
• 1989 ~ Jerry Lee Lewis got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
• 1990 ~ “Les Miserables” opened at South Alberta Jubilee Centre, Calgary
• 1993 ~ “Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me” closed at Booth NYC after 232 performances
• 2001 ~ Makanda McIntyre, a jazz musician and educator, died at the age of 69. McIntyre’s best-known album was “Looking Ahead” (1960). He taught music in Manhattan schools and at Wesleyan University, Smith College, Fordham University and the New School. He was the founder and chairman of the American music, dance and theater program at the State University at Old Westbury, N.Y. McIntyre was born in Boston. After serving in the Army, he studied at the Boston Conservatory of Music and later earned a doctorate from the University of Massachusetts. Formerly Ken McIntyre, he changed his name to Makanda after a stranger in Zimbabwe handed him a piece of paper on which was written, “Makanda,” a word in the Ndebele and Shona languages meaning “many skins.”
