Our top pick for the slimmer Outdoor Jazz schedule this week is the Pete Mills Quartet playing the inaugural Beer Garden Music Series on Sunday, September 16th at 3pm at Land-Grant Brewing Company in Franklinton. For the occasion, Mills is presenting a B3 band with Willie Barthel on drums, Jon Eshelman on his B3 organ, and Tom Davis on guitar. As Mills told “We’re going to draw from my songbook and also Tom’s songbook. This is a pretty unique series that has some jazz and a lot of other great music. This is the first time they’re doing it, so we’re excited about that. B3 and beer!” This free event is weather dependent, so hope for sunshine! Other great outdoor choices this week include FLIPPO gracing the Harrison West Jazz Stage at the Harrison Park Gazebo on Sunday at 1pm (series details here) and Swings The Thing Big Band playing Huntington Park’s Party in the Park on Tuesday, September 18th at 5:30pm ahead of the Triple-A National Championship Game. Keep reading for more great shows this week!
Shows To See This Week
Friday, September 14th (10pm – 2am): DBQ Featuring Josh Hill at Dick’s Den. I’ve enjoyed great jazz at “The One and Only” the last two Fridays, and this looks to be another strong weekend kickoff! Keyboardist Danny Bauer leads an intrepid group that also includes Ryan Folger on drums, Alex Burgoyne on sax, Eli Chambers on bass, and special guest Josh Hill on guitar. Bauer says to expect “A fun night of originals and other funky stuff!” Cover is only $5 and drinks are cheap, so stop by for some relaxed jazz entertainment.
Monday, September 17th (7:30 – 10pm): Vaughn Wiester’s Famous Jazz Orchestra with Tia Harris at Clintonville Woman’s Club. Columbus’ Monday night home for world-class big band jazz keeps on swinging! This week’s installment marks the the start of three-week run featuring some of the area’s finest vocalists. Harris is acclaimed for her finesse in a variety of styles, and the 22-piece FJO will be behind her this time to spark a thrilling night of classic vocal jazz. Admission is a mere $10 for adults and $5 for students for a fun night that won’t keep you out too late. And whether you can make it this week or not, come back for more great singers in the coming weeks: Dick Mackey on September 24th and Lisa Clark on October 1st.
Tuesday, September 18th (8 – 10:15pm): Swingin’ Tuesdays with Brenny’s Bandits at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Downtown. SwingColumbus‘ weekly dance events in this beautiful setting continue to spread the fun and fervor of swing dancing. While often featuring their cadre of great swing DJs, this week’s dance puts a live band in the mix. The Bandits are a recent project of woodwind specialist Joe Brenneman (Whirlybirds, much more) that brings a talented group of musicians to the stage to power the dance floor with excellent swing and blues tunes. Get there at 7:30 for a drop-in swing dance lesson! Admission is $10, more details here.
Have a great week!