Up first this week is news of an annual opportunity for a fun Jazz Road Trip next weekend. On Friday, March 16th, the Maplerock Jazz Festival will be held on the campus of Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio. This year’s evening concert features internationally recognized vocalist Jane Monheit and fellow guest artists Rich Shanklin (saxophone), Chip Stephens (piano), and Bob Bonora (drums) with the award-winning Ashland University Jazz Orchestra at 7:30pm in the Hugo Young Theatre. The afternoon schedule includes free performances by several area high school and middle school jazz ensembles, and the guest artists will work with these ensembles as they perform in a public clinic setting. Tickets are available for the evening concert by calling the Ashland University Box Office at 419.289.5125 or by clicking here. More details are available here. See some world-class jazz artists in a lovely setting about an hour’s drive north of Columbus!
Shows To See This Week
Saturday, March 10th (10pm – 2am): The Broadstreet Lineup at The Walrus, Downtown. Guitarist Tom Davis’ jazz-funk outfit returns to this Main Street nightlife hotspot for a night of fun and groove. Davis will be joined onstage by Zachary Olah (vocals, trumpet), Alex Burgoyne (sax), Nate Shaw (keys), Jason Miles (bass) and Seth Daily (drums). Expect a mix of expertly-chosen funky classics and similar original material. Get ready to get down – No cover!
Sunday, March 11th (2 – 4pm): Helen Welch and Friends presented by CityMusic Columbus at The Athletic Club of Columbus, Downtown. The finale of music education organization CityMusic’s resurgent winter season brings acclaimed vocalist Welch to town from Cleveland with pianist Joe Leaman and bassist Bryan Thomas in tow. More from Welch:
The songs include: “Both Sides Now,” “Close To You,” “Fire and Rain,” “Jolene,” “Wichita Lineman,” “Stand By Me,” “Hit the Road Jack,” “Spain” and so much more! Great songwriting didn’t end with Cole Porter and Irving Berlin. Helen and her fabulous trio take you on a musical journey as they tip their hats to the plethora of great song-writers from the 50’s onwards in a show they call The NEW American Songbook. Let’s look at song-writers such as Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchel, Dolly Parton, Stevie Wonder, Jimmy Webb, Neil Diamond, Lieber and Stoller and so many more! The songs are creatively infused with some electric jazz solos, vocal harmonies and inventive arrangements. We dare you not to sing along!
Brunch is offered at 12:30, and a children’s program starts at 1:15. Tickets and more details are available here.
Wednesday, March 14th (7 – 8pm): Streetlight Guild Presents: The New Black Eastside Songbook at Short North Stage. Scott Woods’ Streetlight Guild follows the debut of its Ogun Meji Duo +1 series (review here) with a blockbuster event that is part of the Johnstone Fund for New Music’s “New Music at Short North Stage” free concert series. Details from Streetlight Guild:
Streetlight Guild presents “The New Black Eastside Songbook,” a six-song suite conceptualized by Columbus writer Scott Woods featuring new music composed by The Ogun Meji Duo, Counterfeit Madison, Krate Digga, Paisha Thomas and Jordan Sandidge.
“The New Black Eastside Songbook” is an exploration of black life and culture in Columbus historically and now, touching on subjects ranging from local jazz legends and privilege to the police and gentrification. It interrogates the definition of Columbus culture, and what relationship such culture might have to the people who both create and partake of it. Utilizing some of Columbus’ brightest musical talent across a variety of styles and backgrounds, this work seeks to establish a bar for the marriage of political context and musical examination, adding new bricks to the foundation of whatever Columbus culture may entail.
More info is available here.
Have a great week! Prepare with videos from this week’s featured artists:
https://www.facebook.com/broadstreetlineup/videos/746811108844950/