In its 28 prior seasons, the Columbus Jazz Orchestra became a unique part of Columbus’ arts and entertainment offerings. In the 2001-2002 season, the CJO continued this tradition by bringing in guest artists such as Ron Hawking, Ahmad Jamal, and Freda Payne. Also featured were two “Battle of the Bands” where well known and beloved jazz band leaders along with highly talented clarinetists were pitted against each other to see who was the best in the land. The 29^th season of the CJO was a hit with audience members from all over and encouraged them to keep coming back for more.

Season Sponsors: Greater Columbus Arts Council,  Ohio Arts Council, The Columbus Foundation, and High Five
Media Sponsors: Smooth Jazz 103.5 and WBNS TV   

 

THE SINATRA SHOW: HIS WAY

Featuring Ron Hawking
The Great American Songbook Series
September 22-23, 2001 | Southern Theatre

Starting off the season was vocalist Ron Hawking with his tribute to the “Chairman of the Board,” Frank Sinatra. Hawking’s critically acclaimed creation originally ran for eight months in Chicago’s Mercury Theatre. Hawking remarked, “It’s not a Frank Sinatra impersonator show… I’m the messenger helping the audience to remember Frank, his music.” Frank himself said in many interviews, “I hope somebody picks up the ball, carries the torch, because I would hate to see this music die.” In this collaboration with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, Columbus did their best to fulfill the wishes of Mr. Sinatra by capturing his energy and music. Program selections were announced from the stage.

Performers:

Artistic Director – Ray Eubanks

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

Trombones
Tom Dale, Ola Hanson, Jim Masters, Kevin Peters

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

Rhythm Section
Bill Rodgers – Piano |Mike Hanko – Synthesizer | Lou Fischer – Acoustic Bass | Bob Chmel – Drums

An Evening with Ahmad Jamal

Swingin’ at the Southern Series
October 24- 28, 2001 | Southern Theatre

Innovative, bombastic, and highly recommended are just a few of the words people have used to describe Ahmad Jamal. Heavily influenced by Art Tatum and Erroll Garner (the latter of which he attended high school with), this Pittsburgh native set up shop in the Southern Theatre. He brought his piano trio “orchestra” to play rhapsodies with Ohio’s very own Columbus Jazz Orchestra. Armed with an arsenal of brand-new arrangements constructed especially for the occasion, this concert became one of the most breathtaking CJO programs of all time. 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

Trumpets
Wes Orr, Bob Everhart, Bob Birkhimer, Pharez Whitted, Kevin Peters

Rhythm Section
Bob Breithaupt – Drums | Hank Marr – Piano | Lou Fischer – Acoustic Bass

Freda Payne and a “Band of Gold”

Featuring Freda Payne and Jiggs Whigham
The Swinging at the Southern Series
November 28- December 2, 2001 | Southern Theatre

After making his recording debut at age 17 with the Ray McKinley-led Glenn Miller band, Jiggs Whigham went on to play with Stan Kenton, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon, Bud Shank, Bert Kaempfert, and Carl Fontana – just to name a few. Freda Payne, on the other hand, became established as a jazz singer in the mid-Sixties, touring with the Quincy Jones and Bob Crosby bands and cutting an album for Impulse!, producer Bob Thiele’s celebrated jazz label. Both Payne and Whigham joined the Columbus Jazz Orchestra to produce an unforgettable evening filled with swinging rhythms and rockin’ riffs. Program selections were announced from the stage.

 

Performers:

Artistic Director – Ray Eubanks

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

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

Trumpets
Wes Orr, Bob Everhart,Bob Birkhimer, Brad Goode

Rhythm Section
Hank Marr – piano | Derek DiCenzo – Guitar | Al Berry – Bass | Bob Breithaupt – Drums

Big Band On Broadway

Featuring Kristen Eubanks, Mary McClendon, and Tony Monaco
The Great American Songbook Series
January 19- 20, 2002 | Southern Theatre

Audiences from far and wide joined the Columbus Jazz Orchestra in a grand theatre hop through New York City’s Theatre district to discover the origins of the Great American Songbook. Since the 1920’s, Tin Pan Alley has been churning out hits from composers like Rogers and Hammerstein, Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, Leonard Bernstein, Harold Arlen, and Johnny Mercer. The CJO covered it all from classic Broadway and on with featured vocalists Kristen Eubanks and Mary McClendon as well as multitalented Tony Monaco on organ and vocals. Program selections were announced from the stage.

Performers:

Artistic Director – Ray Eubanks

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

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

Trumpets
Wes Orr, Bob Everhart, Bob Birkhimer, Dwight Adams

Rhythm Section
Hank Marr – Piano | Derek DiCenzo – Guitar | Al Berry – Bass | Bob Breithaupt – Drums

Battle of the Bands: Basie vs. Kenton

Featuring Byron Stripling, Harold Jones, John Von Ohlen, and Mary Ellen Tanner
Swingin’ at the Southern Series
February 13-17, 2002 | Southern Theatre

The Columbus Jazz Orchestra handled split personalities when they joined forces with former drummers of the Basie and Kenton bands. In the Basie corner was Harold Jones; a man who put the swing in Swingin’ at the Southern. In the Kenton corner, John Von Ohlen, who played with a drive and style that moved the boisterous sounds from the brass right to the audience’s seats. The night was filled with favorites from these two great bandleaders including a costume change from the band! This performance was also the first time that future artistic director, Byron Stripling, led the CJO. Program selections were announced from the stage.

 

 

Performers:

Artistic Director – Ray Eubanks

Guest Conductor – Byron Stripling

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

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

Trumpets
Wes Orr, Bob Everhart, Bob Birkhimer, John Harner

Rhythm Section
Hank Marr – Piano | Mark Flugge – Piano | Derek DiCenzo – Guitar | Lou Fischer – Electric Bass

Swing! Swing! Swing!

Featuring Dick Johnson, Dena DeRose, and Ken Peplowski
Swingin’ at the Southern Series
March 20-24, 2002 | Southern Theatre

Round two of the Columbus Jazz Orchestra’s Battle of the Bands took place just a month after the first slug-fest. This time, however, they featured deuling clarinets rather than dueling drummers. Ken Peplowski (leader of the Benny Goodman Orchestra) and Dick Johnson (leader of the Artie Shaw Orchestra) duked it out on stage to prove who was the best clarinet player in the land. Dena DeRose also joined the stage to add some beautiful vocals to the lineup. 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, Dwight Adams

Rhythm Section
Hank Marr – Piano | Derek DiCenzo – Guitar | Lou Fischer –Bass | Bob Breithaupt – Drums

Nat King Cole and Cole Porter

Featuring Kelly Crum-Delaveris, Bobby Floyd, and Dwight Lenox
Swingin’ at the Southern Series
April 24-28, 2002 | Southern Theatre

One of the original superstars of the pop music world, Nat King Cole was a pianist by trade. Although more famous for his vocal stylings, Nat’s piano trio innovations were recreated by Bobby Floyd for this special event. Cole Porter, the other half of the dual tribute, was one of the quintessential songwriters of Broadway, penning such hits as Anything Goes and Kiss Me Kate. CJO favorites Kelly Crum-Delaveris and Dwight Lenox breathed life into Porter’s most intimate vocal selections. Program selections were announced from the stage.

 

 

Performers:

Artistic Director – Ray Eubanks

Saxophones
Burdette Green, Byron Rooker, Sonny McBroom, Kris Keith, Steve Genteline

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

Trumpets
Wes Orr, Bob Everhart, Bob Birkhimer, Dwight Adams

Rhythm Section
Derek DiCenzo – Guitar | Al Berry – Electric Bass | Bob Breithaupt – Drums

Return to the Cotton Club

Featuring Ty Stephens, Evan Christopher, Straight No Chaser, and Roslyn Burrough
Swingin’ at the Southern Series
May 29- June 2, 2002 | Southern Theatre

This concert, while having the same name as the prior year’s revue, was bound to stun the audience and make the first Return to the Cotton Club look like just a warm-up. Ty Stephens; singer, dancer, and comedian extraordinaire from New York City, put in another appearance as the unforgettable Cab Calloway with some new tunes under his belt. Clarinetist Evan Christopher brought back his rollicking New Orleans style playing reminiscent of Barney Bigard, and the Columbus Jazz Orchestra also packed in a few surprises. 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, Dwight Adams

Rhythm Section
Hank Marr – Piano | Stan Smith – Guitar | Al Berry – Electric Bass | Bob Breithaupt – Drums

An Evening With Jack Jones

The Great American Songbook Series
June 29-30, 2002 | Southern Theatre

With two Grammys to his name, and over fifteen Top 20 hits, Jack Jones returned to the stage one more time to celebrate his long history in American song. The Columbus Jazz Orchestra’s huge extravaganza of song marked the final concert Ray Eubanks took the stage as the Columbus Jazz Orchestra’s Artistic Director. This grand finale was a perfect farewell to thirty wonderful years leading the band in countless phenomenal concerts. Program selections were announced from the stage.

 

 

 

 

Performers:

Artistic Director – Ray Eubanks

Saxophones
Burdette Green, Byron Rooker, Sonny McBroom, Pete Mills, Steve Genteline

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

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

Rhythm Section
Hank Marr – Piano | Lou Fischer- Acoustic Bass | Al Berry – Electric Bass | Bob Breithaupt – Drums