This was the 42nd season for the Columbus Jazz Orchestra. The Swingin’ with the CJO 2014-2015 season was filled with roaring fun music ranging from Hollywood movies to Grammy award winners and even the beloved Frank Sinatra. Calling in crowd favorites, the CJO was joined by Carly Thomas Smith, Curtis Stigers, Dee Daniels, Gerald and John Clayton, Dave Powers, Becca Stevens, and more.

Season Sponsors: Grange Insurance, US Bank, Plante Moran, Ann & Tom Hoaglin, and Dennis & Marty Yacobozzi

Series Sponsors: Greater Columbus Arts Council,

The Columbus Foundation, the Ohio Arts Council, The Reinberger Foundation, and The Westin Columbus

Media Sponsors: The Columbus Dispatch, WOSU Public Media, and WMNI AM 920

A NIGHT AT THE MOVIES

Featuring Carly Thomas Smith
Swingin’ at the Southern Series
October 23-26, 2014 | Southern Theatre

The classic hits of Hollywood came to life through the magic of the Columbus Jazz Orchestra in a spectacular evening of music from the silver screen. This concert featured the Columbus debut of Carly Thomas Smith, actress and Broadway sensation. The marquee show included some of the greatest film composers and scores of all time. Selections included: Goldfinger, The Godfather, Last Tango in Paris, The Pink Panther, and a special tribute to John Williams (Star Wars, Superman, Indiana Jones, ET).

Performers:
Artistic Director – Byron Stripling

Saxophones
Byron Rooker, Chad Eby, Michael Cox, Pete Mills, Steve Genteline

Trombones
Evan Oberla, Jim Masters, Pat Lewis, Ryan Hamilton

Trumpets
Wes Orr, Bob Everhart, Jim Powell, Rob Parton

Rhythm Section
Chris Berg – Bass | Bob Breithaupt – Drums | Bobby Floyd – Piano

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

Featuring Curtis Stigers
Swingin’ at the Southern Series
December 4-7, 2014 | Southern Theatre

Concert Sponsor: Grange Insurance

Platinum-selling crooner, Curtis Stigers, joined the Columbus Jazz Orchestra for the most wonderful times of the year, in the annual Columbus tradition, Home for the Holidays concert. The energetic singer, songwriter, and saxophonist Stigers regularly barnstorms concert halls, festivals and clubs everywhere from Moscow to Manhattan, accompanied one night by his quartet, this time he was sought out the local talents of the Columbus Jazz Orchestra led faithfully by the one and only Byron Stripling. Stigers and the CJO prepared a sleigh ride of holiday favorites. Selections included: Joy to the World, Oh Holy Night, We Three Kings, Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!, Boogie Woogie Santa Claus, What Child Is This?, White Christmas, Jingle Bells, The Way You Look Tonight, You Make Me Feel So Young, I Keep Going Back to Joe’s, I Wonder Why, Hooray for Love, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, and I’ll Be Home for Christmas.

Performers:
Artistic Director – Byron Stripling

Saxophones
Byron Rooker, Hal Melia, Michael Cox, Pete Mills, Steve Genteline

Trombones
Linda Landis, Ryan Hamilton, Jim Masters, Pat Lewis

Trumpets
Wes Orr, Bob Everhart, Jim Powell, Rob Parton

Rhythm Section
Chris Berg – Bass | Bob Breithaupt – Drums | Bobby Floyd – Piano

100 YEARS OF FRANK SINATRA

Featuring Dee Daniels, Dwight Lenox, and Phil Clark
Swingin’ at the Southern Series
February 5-8, 2015 | Southern Theatre

Concert Sponsor: US Bank

Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, Frank Sinatra, defined the classic American songbook for decades with verve and panache. Long acclaimed as the world’s greatest performer of popular music, Sinatra is the artist who set the standard for all others to follow. Sinatra was, of course, more than a singer – he was an actor, recording artist, cabaret and concert star, radio and television personality, and, on occasion, producer, director, and conductor. The Columbus Jazz Orchestra paid tribute to “The Chairman of the Board” on the 100^th anniversary of his birth along with the incredible vocal talents of Dee Daniels, Dwight Lenox, and Phil Clark. Selections included: Come Fly with Me, The Second Time Around, Fly Me to the Moon, Summer Wind, More, Angel Eyes, My Kind of Girl, In the Wee Small Hours, I’ll Never Smile Again, Come Back to Me, Where or When, My Kind of Town, Poor Butterfly, All or Nothing at All, and The Girl from Ipanema.

Performers:
Artistic Director – Byron Stripling

Saxophones
Byron Rooker, Chad Eby, Michael Cox, Jay Miglia, Steve Genteline

Trombones
Linda Landis, Ryan Hamilton, Jim Masters, Pat Lewis

Trumpets
Wes Orr, Bob Everhart, Jim Powell, Dwight Adams

Rhythm Section
Chris Berg – Bass | Bob Breithaupt – Drums | Bobby Floyd – Piano

SIDE BY SIDE

Featuring John Clayton, Gerald Clayton, and the Columbus Youth Jazz Orchestra
Swingin’ at the Southern Series
March 12-15, 2015 | Southern Theatre

Concert Sponsor: Plante Moran

Grammy Award-winning bassist/composer/arranger John Clayton conducted the CJO side by side with the Columbus Youth Jazz Orchestra in this tribute to the masters of the Great American Songbook including George Gershwin, Cole Porter, and Duke Ellington. Making his return to Columbus was pianist and composer Gerald Clayton who has established himself as a leading figure in the up-and-coming generation of jazz artists fluent in the range of styles that make up today’s jazz lexicon. Selections included: Battle Royal, Maori Blues, Dusk Baby, Somealways, Con Alma, Tale of the Fingers, If I Were a Bell, Back Home Again in Indiana, Georgia, and Walk on By.

Performers:
Artistic Director – Byron Stripling

Saxophones
Byron Rooker, Chad Eby, Michael Cox, Pete Mills, Steve Genteline

Trombones
Linda Landis, Ryan Hamilton, Jim Masters, Pat Lewis

Trumpets
Wes Orr, Bob Everhart, Jim Powell, Dwight Adams

Rhythm Section
Chris Berg – Bass | Jim Rupp – Drums | Bobby Floyd – Piano

 

Columbus Youth Jazz Orchestra Performers:

Artistic Director – Mark Donavan

Saxophones
Logan Moore, Hilliard Davidson High School
Billy Pierce, Darby High School
Jake Smith, Grove City High School
Seth Johnton, Dublin Scioto High School
Matt Abbott, Dublin Coffman High School

Trombones
Tyler Finnegan, Watkins Memorial High School
Taj Jackson, Fort Hayes Metropolitan Educational Center
Colin Babcock, Pickerington Central High School
Mason Illig, Gahanna Lincoln High Schoool

Trumpets
Mitchell Parton, Westerville Central High School
Spencer Ward, St. Charles Preparatory Academy
Cole Southworth, Dublin Jerome High School
Corrin Moss, Columbus Alternative High School
Clayton Peacock, Columbus Alternative High School

Rhythm Section
Micah Thomas – Piano, Westerville South High School
Robert Gooch – Guitar, Dublin Jerome High School
Jailynn Noel – Bass, Gahanna Lincoln High School
Nick Weber – Percussion, Olentangy High Schoool
Ryhs Washington – Drums, Fort Hayes/ The Graham School

JAMES TAYLOR MEETS
CAROLE KING (YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND)

Featuring Dave Powers and Becca Stevens
Swingin’ at the Southern Series
April 9-12, 2015 | Southern Theatre

Human Services Partner: Helping Hands Center

In November of 1970, James Taylor and Carole King first performed together at the Troubadour in West Hollywood, California. Taylor had just released his debut album for the Beatles’ newly formed Apple Records and King was finding her way as a first time solo performer even though by then she was a famous songwriter with a string of hits for other artists. When they returned to the club for a two-week co-headlining run in 1971 their lives were somewhat different. That summer Taylor’s “Fire and Rain” was topping the charts and King’s pivotal Tapestry was on its way to making her a music superstar. Columbus keyboard wizard Dave Powers and “New York’s best kept secret” singer/composer/guitarist Becca Stevens recreated the roles of Taylor and King in this landmark concert. Selections included: Coranzon, Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight, So Far Away, It’s Too Late Baby, JazzMan, Natural Woman, I Feel the Earth Move, Shower the People, Carolina in Mind, Fire and Rain, Your Smiling Face, You’ve Got a Friend, Steamroller Blues, and Handy Man.

Performers:
Artistic Director – Byron Stripling

Saxophones
Byron Rooker, Chad Eby, Michael Cox, Pete Mills, Steve Genteline

Trombones
Linda Landis, Ryan Hamilton, Jim Masters, Pat Lewis

Trumpets
Wes Orr, Bob Everhart, Jim Powell, Pat Lewis

Rhythm Section
Chris Berg – Bass | Bob Breithaupt – Drums | Bobby Floyd – Piano