SwingColumbus, the “Home of Swing Dancing in Columbus,” is throwing its 12th annual Columbus Lindy & Blues Exchange this weekend. This festival brings together swing dancers and swing jazz fans from the city and the region for six different dance events, each including great live jazz. As organizer Mark Calkins pointed out, local jazz fans will be especially interested in the “Band Battle” on Saturday night “where John Vermeulen’s Swing Orchestra will commemorate the famous band battle between Chick Webb and Count Basie from 1938 at the Savoy Ballroom,” with performances by top Columbus vocalists Kelly McLennan and Dick Mackey. Celebrated Nashville gypsy jazz outfit Moonshine Rhythm Club will play three of the weekend’s events, including Friday’s “Artie Shaw Night.” Calkins tells me that tickets will be available at the door for all shows except for their Sunday afternoon event, which requires online reservations. Registering online is the best way to guarantee admission to desired events and should be done here no later than Thursday evening. Click here for full schedule and location details, see below for featured band videos, and get ready to, as Calkins says, “enjoy the spring weather, listen and dance to live music and have FUN!”
2017-05-17