Sax in the City: Cocktails and Cake will be presented on Sunday, October 7th at 6 p.m. at the Golden Nugget Grand Event Center. Headlining with Grammy Music Educator Award nominee Mickey Smith Jr. and house band “Sax in the City”, the evening will include food, drink and local and regional jazz musicians coming together in “fresh event tailored and scripted for the community,” said Smith.

Outgrowing what Smith described as “humble beginnings” in 2009, Sax in the City has evolved into a “world class performance” featuring Grammy award winner Jo’el Sonnier, jazz duo Chester and Jairus Daigle, jazz singer Leah Robertson and various other local artists. Proceeds from the event benefit Music-Makers2U, Lake Area’s musical instrument pairing non-profit. “Sax in the City has provided us that beautiful opportunity to give the community something and at the same time, give them an opportunity to give back,” explained Smith.

MusicMakers2U accepts donated instruments, repairs and refurbishes them and then pairs a deserving student with the instrument. “Sometimes kids have a good home life but they just don’t have the $6,000 it costs to go buy an oboe…We don’t just give the instrument. We put it in the hands of a young person and have them make a commitment that they will continue the music.” At the time of October’s event, Smith said the organization will have repaired its 400th instrument with the average repair cost ranging from $70 to $200.

Smith described Sax in the City as a “come one, come all” event and community voices are taking note of the unique experience. “Our elected officials and different leaders, they all echo the same thing: ‘This is one of the purest community events we’ve ever seen.’”

Sax in the City is purposefully designed to appeal to “a very wide range” and Smith recounted with awe listening to a child and elderly woman rave about the previous year’s show. “How many times does an eight year old and an 80 year old share something in common?…Black, white, North Lake Charles, South Lake Charles– You know, all of these different dynamics and for one evening, music brings everybody together and that’s what I love about it more than anything.”

Sax in the City: Cocktails and Cake tickets are $50 and can be purchased at www.mickeysmithjr.com/get-oct-7-sax-in-the-city-tickets-here. VIP tables are available until Monday, October 1st by calling 337-802-1093.

For more information on Music-Makers2U, visit www.musicmakers2u.org/.