Our Holiday Jazz Guide continues to offer jazzy ways to celebrate the season this week, in addition to Friday, Saturday, and Saturday options previously covered and more below! On Friday, December 8th at 6pm, The Liz Woolley Band plays a free Christmas Concert of their warm and buoyant jazz-pop at Coffee Underground on the OSU campus. On Sunday, December 10th, the Rick Brunetto Big Band will join forces with the choir of Reynoldsburg United Methodist Church for their annual free Christmas Concert at the church at 5pm. At 7pm, the North Columbus Big Band, under the direction of Milo Mannino, plays its 4th Annual Big Band Christmas Concert at Orange High School in Lewis Center in a free show that benefits The Open Table Food Pantry. And the Mad Mad Men “Swingin’ Holiday Show” makes its annual return to the McConnell Arts Center for three 8pm shows Wednesday through Friday. Tickets and more details are available here – Thursday is already sold out, but two single tickets remained for Wednesday the 13th and more tickets were available for Friday the 15th as of press time, so pick them up now!
Shows To See This Week
Friday, December 8th (8 – 10pm): The Black Tie Affair with E-Flat at Aerial Wine Boutique. One of Columbus’ finest ensembles blending smooth jazz and R&B returns to this Northeast Side upscale wine shop and event venue for a special night. Along with a performance by the band, with guest vocalist Kenneth Eaddy, and spoken word artist Angela Dennis, the $25 ticket also includes food and dessert. So dust off your formal wear for a night on the town! Tickets and more details are available here.
Sunday, December 10th (2 – 4pm): Columbus Youth Jazz Program in Concert at Fort Hayes Metropolitan Education Center. The Jazz Arts Group’s Youth Jazz Program fields four excellent ensembles that present upcoming young jazz talent in the area, and all of them will be in action Sunday! The Columbus Youth Jazz Orchestra (directed by Mark Donavan), the Columbus Youth Jazz Studio Ensemble (directed by Ryan Hamilton), the Columbus Youth Jazz Workshop (directed by Matt James), and the Columbus Youth Jazz Combo (directed by Zach Compston) have all been working hard in preparation for this show. The Orchestra sounded great at their season opener in October, so this will surely be a high-powered event. More details and registration for this free concert are available here.
Sunday, December 10th (3 – 5pm): Richard Lopez’s Jazz Master Sessions: Sing In The Holidays! at Columbus Museum of Art. Pianist Lopez’s monthly series of Jazz Master concerts wraps up 2017 with a star-studded holiday display. Kelly Delaveris returns home from Pennsylvania to sing some Christmas tunes and will share the spotlight with Columbus vocalists Cherie Mannino and Dick Mackey. Lopez will lead the rhythm section where he’ll be joined by Louis Tsamous on drums and Roger Hines on bass – expect some swinging trio tunes alongside vocal favorites. More details and tickets are available here.
Have a great week! Enjoy some holiday cheer from the 2015-16 Columbus Youth Jazz Program: