It’s been a quieter week in JazzColumbus land, which has given me a chance to reflect. As you can often see from our Jazz Calendar, I think it’s a special time in the local jazz scene. The three venues that provide the most regular and diverse jazz programming in town are all in the middle of initiatives that add something special to performances. At Natalie’s, the Mark Flugge Tribute series and the Pete Mills Side One series both provide evenings that focus the performers’ and audience’s attention on a particular classic jazz album or artist. The Wednesday Residence series at Dicks Den gives an artist an entire month to experiment with different lineups and material in order to expose audiences to new, deserving ideas. Finally, the Jazz Wednesday series at Brothers Drake presents free shows from local jazz performers of all styles and experience levels in an attentive environment. And of course, special shows at other venues always pop up and add to the excitement. It’s a great time to be a Columbus jazz fan.
Shows To See This Week
Sunday, March 16th: Mike Zarrilli at Dick’s Den. Drummer Zarrilli will perform with his trio, which also includes Aaron Quinn on guitar and Steve Perakis on bass. The band will fill the earlier Sunday slot (8pm start) with a mix of standards and modern-leaning originals.
Tuesday, March 18th: “Rumba Jam Redux – EOP-style” at Rumba Cafe. As I mentioned here last month, trombonist Evan Oberla has brought his jam session back to Rumba on a (roughly) monthly basis. One of Oberla’s goals with the new jam is to workout new material with his group EOP, and since they just added bassist Mitchell Deitrick and guitarist Samuel Foley earlier this month, you will be able to see the band in fresh transition.
Wednesday, March 19th: Dubfunk Quartet at Brothers Drake. As is sometimes the case, the meadery’s Jazz Wednesday series this week presents a new jazz collaboration, giving bands a chance to entertain a willing crowd. This quartet is made up of Walter K (Mojoflo) on saxophone, Doni Jai (K’Naan’s band) on keyboards, Jeff Bass (now ex-EOP) on bass, and Jake Levy (Mojoflo) on drums. I could be wrong, but this sounds like a swirl of talent and soulful styles.
Get out of the house and see some jazz!