People of Good Will
Rock The Patio
Parkville Market
Hartford
Aug. 1, 2026
One of the most memorable scenes for me from 2004’s Anchorman was the random revelation that the arrogant, sexist newsman Ron Burgundy is a jazz flutist. Not only is Will Farrell at his buffoonish best, but I actually enjoyed the sound of the flute in a jazz setting, which I’d never heard before.
Fast forward twenty years, and I got to experience that sound live at Parkville Market’s Rock the Patio concert series. It was a treat to hear the band People of Good Will perform an extended set on the patio right on a blessedly cool, clear Saturday evening.
People of Good Will has been performing in Hartford since its inception in the early 1990s. Melvin Jackson, who plays the flute, joined the band in 1993. Today it features Jackson, Bill Mocarsky on keyboard, Peter George Sr. on drums, Dave Stoltz on bass and Leon Alexander on congas and percussion.
The band played a mix of original songs, jazz standards and some popular covers. One of the original songs they performed was called “Regga Warm and Cold”, a really fun piece that starts off in an almost elegiac fashion. As the flute comes in, the rhythm picks up slowly, until the song transforms with a Caribbean beat. Jackson’s flute is an enticing sound. He manages to wrap you up in the moment of the music so well that you don’t realize where he’s taking you until you’re there. George and Alexander did a great job on the percussion, making the transition seamless.
When it came to popular music, the band playfully declined to give us the name of the songs, but it only takes a few notes before you recognize Stevie Wonder. Their cover of “Knocks Me Off My Feet” started slow and meditative like the original, before morphing into an upbeat jam session by the end. The flute is the perfect instrument to imitate the strength and range of Wonder’s voice, thanks to its piercing but not shrill quality.
Mocarsky on the keyboard took the triumphant sound of Wonder and translated it into a dynamic, fun solo. One of the most interesting parts of covers is experiencing how the artists reimagine the original work; a keyboard solo is an addition to the Wonder masterpiece that I didn’t know I needed until I heard it.
Jackson said that the group has recorded two albums (available on all platforms) right here in Hartford, but said that he still prefers to perform live.
“There’s nothing better than playing for people,” he said. “I can tell that they like it because no one has gotten up and walked away!”
No, we were all firmly seated for the jazz flute. I’m glad I have another performance to catalog in my memory next to Mr. Burgundy.
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