JazzColumbus Weekly – December 12th, 2019

A highlight of this weekend’s calendar is an Album Release celebration for Adventure Jazz by Columbus modern fusion powerhouse Safety Squad on Friday, December 13th (8pm doors) at Woodlands Tavern. This show wraps up a tour for the band, so it should be quite the party! Funk fusion purveyors Funk Worthy open at 9pm, followed by Safety Squad at 10:30pm – tickets and more details here. Also of note is a rare show for the legendary Honk, Wail & Moan on Saturday, December 14th around 9pm at Dick’s Den, featuring the music of Brian Casey, Sun Ra, Charles Mingus and more. More info here, cover is $5. Keep reading for this week’s holiday jazz plus This Week at Brothers Drake!

Holiday Jazz Guide

Saturday, December 14th: Grab the kids for a high-powered and educational dip into seasonal favorites when the PBJ & Jazz Series presents CJO All-Stars: Songs of the Season at Lincoln Theatre. Shows at 10am and 11:30am – tickets and full info here. Smooth jazz titans NexLevel perform at a Holiday Soirée at the Ohio School for the Deaf Alumni Association in Westerville that starts at 6pm – tickets and info here. At 7pm, talented collective Ebb & Flow Presents Home For The Holidays at Long Street Studio (Downtown). Enjoy “a delicious array of hors d’oeuvres and non alcoholic beverages and live performances of holiday music, jazz, and rhythm and blues” – tickets and info here.

On Monday, December 16th at 7pm, the Music Monday series at Strongwater Events in Franklinton presents a Holiday Show featuring Sydney McSweeney & Lucas Holmes with Rachel Azbell. I had the pleasure of enjoying a concert there in October and the well-appointed, intimate space was an excellent setting for an evening of music. More info here for this special event. On Tuesday, December 17th at 6:30pm, esteemed vocalist Mary McClendon leads “Mary’s Merry Christmas” at The Blue Velvet Room Downtown. A minimum donation of $12 is requested, benefiting recovering vocalist Jeanette Williams, and the performing cast includes the Bobby Floyd Trio, Jim Masters, Lee Savory, Randy Mather, Roger Myers, Doug Richeson and more!

Thursday, December 19th: A run of four “Mad Mad Men, Swingin’ Holiday Shows” for 2019 gets underway at McConnell Arts Center at 7:30pm – tickets are running short, get them here now! And whether or not you have a ticket, you should stop by the MAC at 6:30pm (an hour before each show) for the free Liz Woolley Holiday Happy Hour for classic holiday cheer! Also at 7:30pm is the Rick Brunetto Big Band Annual Christmas Dinner Show at the 94th Aero Squadron. This full-fledged celebration features all of the band’s regular vocalists – Michael Phillips, Tia Harris and Jeremy Lahman – for a night to remember. A buffet dinner starts at 6pm – make reservations now, info here.

This Week at Brothers Drake – Wednesday, December 18th

Alex Burgoyne: “This week at Brothers Drake is the third edition of the monthly(ish) series, Alex Burgoyne and Friends, featuring Sydney McSweeney. Joined by Robert Mason on keyboard, Maxwell Button on drums, and home for the holidays from his new home in Nashville, our pal John Allen.

I’m really excited to have Sydney, who is a great musician with a big, giant voice and a magical touch. In addition to teaching a big studio of very lucky vocal students, she he leads her own trio and fronts the band Middle School Dance on occasion. Make sure you check her out. If she isn’t already, she’s about to be your favorite new singer in town.

We’ll be playing loads of Christmas tunes, which run the gamut of style and origin date. Look out for a possible singalong, and a handful of special guests, home for the holidays.

I’m addition to the great holiday homecoming hang, we’ll be collecting cold weather clothes for donation. Please consider Marie Kondo-ing your closet for the benefit of those in need!

Jazz Wednesday at Brothers Drake. 8:00-11:00PM. Free as always. You mead it.”

Have a great week! Check out the latest video from Safety Squad here: