Are You Ready for City Lights?
The Columbus Jazz Orchestra pursued its downtown destiny during its 24th season, continuing its Big Band legacy at the Palace Series and our first season at the beautiful Capitol Theatre in the Vern Riffe Center. During our 1996-1997 season, we featured the biggest names in jazz, big band, swing, blues, and more, playing the music you loved to hear from the classic jazz of Ellington and Basie to Broadway to fiery Latin jazz.

 

RODGERS ROARS-PORTER SOARS STARRING EDDIE DANIELS

Capitol Theatre Series
October 2-6, 1996 | Capitol Theatre

Concert Sponsor: Key Bank and Wendy’s

Leonard Bernstein said, “He combines elegance and virtuosity that reminds me of Rubenstein.” You heard great Big Band arrangements by Vaughn Wiester and Gary Carney and the incomparable Eddie Daniels on clarinet. Swing Out! Selections included: From This Moment On, My Funny Valentine, June Is Bustin’ Out All Over, Every Time We Say Goodbye, My Romance, At Long Last Love, It’s All Right With Me, I Get A Kick Out Of You, Get Out Of Town, Bewitched, You Took Advantage Of Me, My Favorite Things, You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To, Begin the Beguine, Night And Day, Where Of When, Spring Is Here, In The Still Of The Night, and What Is This Thing Called Love?

 

 

Performers:
Artistic Director – Ray Eubanks

Saxophones
Burdette Green, Michael Cox, Sonny McBroom, Byron Rooker, Steve Genteline

Trombones
Tom Dale, Ola Hanson, Gary Carney, Pat Lewis

Trumpets
Wes Orr, Bob Everhart, Bob Birkhimer, Jerry Kaye, Dean Congin

Rhythm Section
Hank Marr – piano | Al Berry – bass | Derek DiCenzo – guitar | Bob Breithaupt – drums | Steve Grier – percussion

VIC DAMONE

Palace Theatre Series
November 2, 1996 | Palace Theatre

Concert Sponsor: Nationwide Insurance

Program selections were announced from the stage.

Performers:
Artistic Director – Ray Eubanks

Musical Director – Don Demarco

Saxophones
Burdette Green, Michael Cox, Sonny McBroom, Byron Rooker, Steve Genteline

Trombones
Tom Dale, Ola Hanson, Gary Carney, Pat Lewis

Trumpets
Wes Orr, Bob Everhart, Bob Birkhimer, Jerry Kaye, Dean Congin

Rhythm Section
Hank Marr – piano | Al Berry – bass | Derek DiCenzo – guitar | Bob Breithaupt – drums |
Steve Grier – percussion

SALUTE TO HERMAN AND BUDDY RICH STARRING DAVE WECKL

Capitol Theatre Series
December 4-8, 1996 | Capitol Theatre

Concert Sponsor: Grange Insurance

Chick Corea and GRP records’ drumming great Dave Weckl is the acknowledged heir to Rich’s throne. Channel One Suite, Norwegian Wood, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, and the rest of your Buddy Rich favorites. You enjoyed Apple Honey, Four Brothers, Autumn in New York, La Fiesta, and more from our Herman library. Tia Roseboro joined on vocals. Swing On! Selections included: Lazy Bird, Early Autumn, Four Brothers, Woodchopper’s Ball, La Fiesta, Make Someone Happy, Reunion at Newport, Caldonia, Greasy Sack Blues, Apple Honey, Basically Blues, Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, Love for Sale, St. Mark’s Square, Dirty Rotten Kid, Keep the Customer Satisfied, and West Side Story Suite.

Performers:
Artistic Director – Ray Eubanks

Saxophones
Burdette Green, Michael Cox, Sonny McBroom, Hal Melia, Steve Genteline

Trombones
Tom Dale, Ola Hanson, Gary Carney, Kevin Peters

Trumpets
Wes Orr, Bob Everhart, Bob Birkhimer, Ben Huntoon, Lee Savory

Rhythm Section
Hank Marr – piano | Al Berry – bass | Bob Breithaupt – drums

MAMBO KING STARRING TITO PUENTE

Palace Theatre Series
January 18, 1997 | Palace Theatre

Concert Sponsor: Chase Bank (previously Bank One)

“An exuberant experience both theatrical and musical.” The infectious madman returned with an all new show featuring New York City’s favorite Latin vocalist, Yolanda Duke and the Eddie Torres Dancers. Program selections were announced from the stage.

 

 

 

 

Performers:
Artistic Director – Ray Eubanks

Saxophones
Burdette Green, Michael Cox, Byron Rooker, Steve Genteline

Trombones
Tom Dale, Ola Hanson, Pat Lewis, Jim Masters

Trumpets
Wes Orr, Bob Everhart, Jerry Kaye, Dean Congin

Rhythm Section
Joe Hunter – piano | Lou Fischer – bass | Matt Wagner – drums

A TRIBUTE TO DUKE ELLINGTON

Featuring Milt Grayson and Norris Turney

February 7-8, 1997 | Dayton Memorial Hall

The legendary Ellington sideman helped us celebrate the Ellington songbook. Selections included: Take The ‘A’ Train, Mood Indigo, Rockin’ In Rhythm, Satin Doll, I Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good), Blood Count, In A Mellotone, Cotton Tail, Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, Things Ain’t What They Used To Be, Kind Dukish, The Mooche, East St. Louis Toodle-Oo, Ring Dem Bells, Black And Tan Fantasy, Harlem Airshaft, Caravan, Love You Madly, Drop Me Off In Harlem, and I’m Just A Lucky So And So.

 

 

 

Performers:
Artistic Director – Ray Eubanks

Saxophones
Burdette Green, Michael Cox, Sonny McBroom, Byron Rooker, Steve Genteline

Trombones
Tom Dale, Ola Hanson, Jim Masters, Pat Lewis

Trumpets
Wes Orr, Bob Everhart, Bob Birkhimer, Jerry Kaye, Lee Savory

Rhythm Section
Bobby Floyd – piano | Al Berry – bass | Derek DiCenzo – guitar | Bob Breithaupt – drums

A TRIBUTE TO DUKE ELLINGTON

Featuring Milt Grayson and Norris Turney

Capitol Theatre Series
February 12-16, 1997 | Capitol Theatre

Concert Sponsor: Huntington Bank

The legendary Ellington sideman helped us celebrate the Ellington songbook. Selections included: Take The ‘A’ Train, Mood Indigo, Rockin’ In Rhythm, Satin Doll, I Got It Bad (And That Ain’t Good), Blood Count, In A Mellotone, Cotton Tail, Don’t Get Around Much Anymore, Things Ain’t What They Used To Be, Kind Dukish, The Mooche, East St. Louis Toodle-oo, Ring Dem Bells, Black And Tan Fantasy, Harlem Airshaft, Caravan, Love You Madly, Drop Me Off In Harlem, and I’m Just A Lucky So And So.

 

 

 

 

Performers:
Artistic Director – Ray Eubanks

Saxophones
Burdette Green, Michael Cox, Sonny McBroom, Byron Rooker, Steve Genteline

Trombones
Tom Dale, Ola Hanson, Jim Masters, Pat Lewis

Trumpets
Wes Orr, Bob Everhart, Bob Birkhimer, Jerry Kaye, Lee Savory

Rhythm Section
Bobby Floyd – piano | Al Berry – bass | Derek DiCenzo – guitar | Bob Breithaupt – drums

AN EVENING WITH CLEO LAINE AND JOHN DANKWORTH

Capitol Theatre Series
March 19-23, 1997 | Capitol Theatre

We went international with our own British invasion starring vocalist supreme Cleo Laine and alto-man John Dankworth! Laine is the only woman to be nominated in the Popular, Classic, and Jazz categories for a Grammy award in the same year. Husband, alto-man John Dankworth, has been a major figure in European jazz since the mid-50s. Mega Swing! Program selections were announced from the stage.

 

 

 

 

Performers:
Artistic Director – Ray Eubanks

Saxophones
Burdette Green, Michael Cox, Sonny McBroom, Byron Rooker, Steve Genteline

Trombones
Tom Dale, Ola Hanson, Jim Masters, Pat Lewis

Trumpets
Wes Orr, Bob Everhart, Bob Birkhimer, Jerry Kaye, Dean Congin

Rhythm Section
Hank Marr – piano | Lou Fischer – bass | Bob Breithaupt – drums | Steve Grier – percussion

Additional Musicians
Jim Zimmerman – drums | Tommy James – keyboards

GERSHWIN – THE CONCERT

Featuring Richard Lopez, Jeanette Williams Brewer, Mary McClendon, and Cornell Wiley

April 19, 1997 | Dayton Memorial Hall

Concert Sponsor: Kroger

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CONCERT IN OUR HISTORY AND SO AN ENCORE PRESENTATION! Richard Lopez returned with original version of Rhapsody in Blue and Jeanette Williams Brewer and Mary McClendon return with their version of the Gershwin classic “Porgy and Bess.” Artistic Director Ray Eubanks promised a new bunch of Gershwin favorites. Still Swinging! Selections included: Strike Up The Band, I Got Rhythm, Oh, Lady Be Good!, Fascinating Rhythm, A Foggy Day, Someone To Watch Over Me, Embraceable You, Love Walked In, Selections From “Porgy and Bess”, and Rhapsody In Blue (original 1924 version).

Performers:
Artistic Director – Ray Eubanks

Saxophones
Burdette Green, Byron Rooker, Sonny McBroom, Hal Melia, Steve Genteline

Trombones
Tom Dale, Ola Hanson, Gary Carney, Pat Lewis

Trumpets
Wes Orr, Bob Everhart, Dean Congin, Jerry Kaye

Rhythm Section
Hank Marr – piano | Al Berry – bass | Stan Smith – guitar | Bob Breithaupt – drums

Violins
Ruth Stroud, Robert Gillespie, Amy Shevrin, Eliza McGowen

French Horns
David Nesmith, Barbara Nokes

 

GERSHWIN – THE CONCERT

Featuring Richard Lopez, Jeanette Williams Brewer, Mary McClendon, and Cornell Wiley

Capitol Theatre Series
April 23-27, 1997 | Capitol Theatre

Concert Sponsor: Kroger

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CONCERT IN OUR HISTORY AND SO AN ENCORE PRESENTATION! Richard Lopez returned with original version of Rhapsody in Blue and Jeanette Williams Brewer and Mary McClendon return with their version of the Gershwin classic “Porgy and Bess.” Artistic Director Ray Eubanks promised a new bunch of Gershwin favorites. Still Swinging! Selections included: Strike Up The Band, I Got Rhythm, Oh, Lady Be Good!, Fascinating Rhythm, A Foggy Day, Someone To Watch Over Me, Embraceable You, Love Walked In, Selections From “Porgy and Bess”, and Rhapsody In Blue (original 1924 version).

Performers:
Artistic Director – Ray Eubanks

Saxophones
Burdette Green, Byron Rooker, Sonny McBroom, Hal Melia, Steve Genteline

Trombones
Tom Dale, Ola Hanson, Gary Carney, Pat Lewis

Trumpets
Wes Orr, Bob Everhart, Dean Congin, Jerry Kaye

Rhythm Section
Hank Marr – piano | Al Berry – bass | Stan Smith – guitar | Bob Breithaupt – drums

Violins
Ruth Stroud, Robert Gillespie, Amy Shevrin, Eliza McGowen

French Horns
David Nesmith, Barbara Nokes