The 2014 Community Festival promises a fun-filled weekend of music and community spirit in Goodale Park. As always, after partying in the park, you have many options for nightlife in local bars and clubs. This year, we are especially lucky that each day after the stellar lineups on the I Wish You Jazz Stage, there is plenty of jazz entertainment to keep you moving all night. A rundown of your jazzy possibilities is below. Most of these bands are also playing Comfest itself, so use this list to plan your schedule and resources accordingly.
Friday, June 27th: The highlight of Friday night’s post-festival schedule is a performance by the Tony Monaco Trio at Natalie’s. The local organ groove master and jazz standard aficionado will perform at 7pm Sunday night to close the jazz stage at Comfest, but first he will get things cookin’ in Worthington. Joining him in a mix of his old and new trio lineups will be guitarist Derek DiCenzo and drummer Louis Tsamous. Also: Pianist James Blackmon will entertain at Club Diversity.
Saturday, June 28th: Another local favorite will grace the Natalie’s stage. The New Basics Brass Band, performing at 7:50 Saturday night on the Comfest jazz stage, will race up High Street for a 10:00 show brimming with New Orleans brass band energy. Also: Soulful party-starters Mojoflo, who are also playing Comfest Saturday with a 6:05 set on the Bozo Stage, will keep the Short North hot with a special show at Brothers Drake.
Sunday, June 29th: Hopefully you took Monday off, because the Sunday night schedule is stacked. Expatriate keyboardist Stephen Wood, visiting from Atlanta, will play at 6pm with the Brett Burleson Band on the Comfest jazz stage before an 8pm reforming of his old Columbus band Postal at Dicks Den. Postal was a personal favorite of Columbus jazz of the 2000s, so I’m looking forward to this one-time treat. Also: After closing the Comfest jazz stage Saturday night, returning heroes DW6 will crank out the party at Brothers Drake. Mojoflo will keep the festival energy alive with a show just across I-670 at Park Street Tavern. And finally, the Sunday night warriors of the Hoo Doo Soul Band play their weekly set at Rumba Cafe, which is always entertaining after Comfest.
Let’s party!