First up this week is some exciting news from Rumba Cafe! Jazz organ titan Tony Monaco is making a partial return to his storied Tuesday night weekly gig at the campus area bar. The Tony Monaco Trio, featuring Monaco, guitarist Josh Hill, and drummer Tony McClung, will play the first four Tuesdays of September (September 1, 8, 15, 22), starting around 9pm each week. Monaco, with likely the same trio, will also play a set at Rumba on Sunday, September 6th at 8pm as part of the bar’s 9th Anniversary weekend. Cover for the Tuesday shows is $5. The plan is to bring back Monaco on Tuesdays throughout the fall when there are no national shows booked, so check out the trio soon and come back often!
Shows To See This Week
Friday, August 28th (7:30 – 10pm): Helen Welch at Bungalow Jazz. A hot August schedule at the best house show venue in town wraps up with this show featuring Cleveland-based vocalist Welch. A native of England, she is critically-acclaimed for theatrical and concert performances on both sides of the Atlantic, and has released two well-received albums. For this intimate, festive performance, she will be joined by fellow Clevelanders Rock Wehrmann (piano) and Aiden Plank (bass) as well as Columbus mainstay Jim Rupp (drums). Welch says that she’ll “be singing a chocolate box of songs by songwriters such as Joni Mitchell, Sting, Paul McCartney, Cole Porter, Duke Ellington and more!”
Saturday, August 29th (7 – 9:30pm): Bobby Floyd/Byron Stripling Duo at Java Central. This Westerville coffee house books a wide variety of music for its Saturday night shows, and this particular installment should be a big one for local jazz fans. Columbus Jazz Orchestra Artistic Director, trumpet virtuoso, and Westerville resident Stripling will share the stage with keyboardist Floyd, member of Dr. John’s band and the Count Basie Big Band, as well as a frequent featured guest with the CJO. Two of the area’s top talents in a small room should make for a warm and engaging mix of vocal and instrumental classics. Donations are requested.
Sunday, August 30th (8pm – 12am): Kelly McLennan +5 at Dick’s Den. With 30+ years of jazz experience (20+ in Columbus), vocalist McLennan has shared the stage with countless local and national luminaries, including Hank Marr, Gary Carney, Gene Walker, Mark Flugge, Jim Rupp, Bobby Floyd, and Ed Morrison. For an early Sunday show at this live music institution, she is bringing an all-star group to the stage. She will be joined by Jon Eshelman on keyboards, Alex Burgoyne on saxophone, Tim Perdue on trumpet, Andy Woodson on bass, and Zach Compston on drums. McLennan told me that, “We will do jazz standards, some blues, straight-ahead, etc. in a variety of styles,” including the possibility of some original tunes. This night of great vocal jazz with some of Columbus’ best will be quite a bargain for the $4 cover.
Have a great week! Here’s video evidence of the swinging sounds that can be heard around town this weekend:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMJaCFg_PhQ