The Emerald City Swing Orchestra (ECSO) announces it will present a two-night performance of “A Tribute to the Post-War Era Jazz Big Bands and their Leaders”. The shows will be performed on Saturday, September 29, 2012 at 7:30 and Sunday, September 30, 2012 at 6:30, at the Abbey Theater in the Dublin Community Recreation Center, 5600 Post Road in Dublin. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online.
The shows will feature two guest recording artists, trumpeter Ed Morrison from Santa Clara, California and vocalist Vicki McDermitt of Phoenix, both Columbus natives and graduates of West High School.
Ed Morrison, a frequent guest of Vaughn Wiester’s Famous Jazz Orchestra in Columbus, is the founder, director and lead trumpeter of A Touch of Brass, a well-known 19-piece big band in the San Francisco Bay area. Ed has 40 years of musical accomplishments as lead trumpet backing such notables as Larry Elgart, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Frankie Valli, Bobby Rydell, and Fabian, as well as playing for jazz greats John Faddis, Steve Turre, and Kevin Mahogany. He freelances with many different types of groups playing styles from salsa to funk to Gospel and theatre. Ed’s biggest musical influence is trumpeter Doc Severinsen. {Website: atouchofbrass.net }
Vicki McDermitt was a vocal music performance major in college. She was the featured vocalist with saxophonist Rusty Bryant and Hammond B3 organists, Bobby Pierce and Hank Marr. She has toured the United States as well as eight European countries, and been the opener for entertainers such as Mel Torme, Sarah Vaughan, Joe Williams and Buddy Rich. Vicki worked in Los Angeles for many years on the television show, Days Of Our Lives. She provided vocals for television specials, backing entertainers such as guitar giant Roy Clark and many others. In addition, she worked as an independent sessions singer for most of the major recording companies. Now a resident of the Phoenix valley, she can be found working at local resorts, festivals, and concert venues with notable musicians of the area. Vicki is also Jazz Singer In Residence at Mayo Hospital, providing private acappella concerts for patients. {Website: vickiemcdermitt.com }
The September concerts will honor and feature the original arrangements of Doc Severinsen’s Tonight Show Orchestra, as well as the Maynard Ferguson, Stan Kenton and Buddy Rich Orchestras. These bands were essential in rejuvenating big band music in the 1960’s, ‘70’s, and ‘80’s. The shows will feature updated arrangements of classic big band instrumentals such as “Begin the Beguine” and “In the Mood”, and as well as contemporary songs of the era such as Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely”. There will also be vocals honoring the great singers of the period such as Ella Fitzgerald, Diane Schuur, Natalie Cole and Diana Krall.
Emerald City Swing Orchestra Upcoming Performances:
Thursday, September 20, 6:30pm
Concert: Emerald City Swing Orchestra @ Slainte Thursday
Saturday, September 29, 7:30pm
Concert: Emerald City Swing Orchestra @ Abbey Theatre
Sunday, September 30, 6:30pm
Concert: Emerald City Swing Orchestra @ Abbey Theatre
Sunday, October 14, 3:00pm
Concert: Dublin Wind Symphony @ Dublin Scioto High School
Saturday, December 8, 3:00pm
Concert- Dublin Wind Symphony @ Dublin Scioto High School
—
Emerald City Swing Orchestra on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DublinBands