The Central Ohio Hot Jazz Society presents the kickoff to their 31st season with a concert featuring world renowned cornetist and bandleader Ed Polcer on March 25, 2012.
Ed Polcer is a master of Dixieland and traditional jazz as well as early swing and big band. He loves to entertain audiences with the music and stories of the New York City jazz scene during the 1930s and 1940s, when one could hear Count Basie, Louis Prima, Art Tatum, or Fats Waller all within blocks of each other. He has performed for President Bill Clinton at the White House, the King of Thailand in Bangkok and even as a young college student at the wedding of Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly. He played with clarinetist Benny Goodman on his 1973 American tour and also toured extensively for Columbia Artists and performed numerous times at the Newport Jazz Festival. Between 1975 and 1985 Ed was the resident cornetist and bandleader at the iconic Eddie Condon’s jazz club in New York City and was also the manager and co-owner.
Like many jazzmen, Ed comes from a musical family. His father and uncle were prominent horn players in New Jersey, where Ed grew up. His son, Ben Polcer, is a talented trumpet player well known to the Lindy Hop dance community and is a member of the New Orleans band Meschiya Lake & the Little Big Horns.
Today, Ed splits his time between New York City and New Orleans and still loves entertaining and educating avid jazz fans from around the world. His March 25th COHJS concert will be the fourth time he has performed for the jazz society. COHJS board member Tom George said of a previous appearance, “Ed Polcer was just great as he drove the band and throughout the night one could hear echoes of Louis Armstrong, Bix Beiderbecke and Bobby Hackett in his wonderful playing.”
Polcer will be joined March 25th by Jim Masters, trombone; Erik Greiffenhagen, reeds; Larry Nusser, piano; Gene Mayl, bass; and Tommy Swisher, drums.
COHJS concerts are held five to six times per year on Sunday afternoons at The Makoy Center in Hilliard, Ohio. With its art deco ambience and gorgeous hardwood dance floor, it’s the perfect venue for the cabaret style of the small combo, traditional jazz concerts. Many attendees are drawn to the beautiful dance floor, improvising to the music along with the musicians. Local dance clubs such as SwingColumbus and the Swing Dance Club at OSU promote the concerts to their members.
“The quality of these concerts is really top notch,” says SwingColumbus dance instructor Shannon Varner. “We were thrilled when we discovered the Hot Jazz Society. We have so much fun at their concerts.”
The complete 2012 COHJS Concert Season:
March 25 – Ed Polcer’s All Stars (New York City, NY)
April 22 – Ragtime Rick’s Chefs of Dixieland (Toledo, OH)
May 20 – West End Jazz Band (Chicago, IL)
September 9 – The High Street Stompers, featuring Tom Battenburg
and playing the charts of Robin Wetterau (Columbus, OH)
November 18 – Fall Harvest of Jazz Festival (various Ohio bands)
The 2012 concerts will be held in the Burgundy Room at The Makoy Center at 5462 Center Street, Hilliard, Ohio. All concerts are 2:00 to 5:00pm except for the fall festival which is 1:00pm to 7:00pm. Tickets are available at the door for $20 general public, $10 for students 18 and over, and free for students under 18 and music educators. More information available at www.cohjs.org.
About the Central Ohio Hot Jazz Society
For the past 30 years The Central Ohio Hot Jazz Society has been presenting Dixieland, trad jazz, and early swing concerts in Columbus, Ohio. Our mission is to preserve, perpetuate, promote, and encourage the performance of Classic/Traditional Jazz music, to nurture the growth and appreciation of this music as the uniquely original American art form that it is, and to connect this music to younger generations as a fundamental part of their true musical heritage. The COHJS is a 501(c)3 non-profit arts organization, supported by donations, memberships, and concert ticket sales.
www.cohjs.org
www.facebook.com/cohjs