Jazz at The Loft to feature Schwob Jazz Orchestra

Columbus has a few well-kept secrets in its cultural wheelhouse. The Loft’s series of live jazz concerts is one of those things.

This week, the Schwob Jazz Orchestra will begin its concert season by playing live at The Loft as a part of its live jazz series. The concert will take place in the venue’s performance hall — a perfect and intimate setting for big band jazz.

Kevin Whalen is the head of the jazz department at the Schwob School of Music and directs the Schwob Jazz Orchestra.

“The band will be performing a sneak peak of the repertoire they will be playing as the featured jazz ensemble at the Georgia Music Educators Association Conference in January,” he said. “The SJO is honored to perform at this concert and will present a variety of historically significant works for big band.”

Whalen said Friday’s concert at The Loft will feature much of this repertoire including favorites from Quincy Jones, Count Basie, Thad Jones and Sonny Stitt. In addition to their regular players, several Columbus State University faculty members will join the ensemble for this concert. Featured faculty members include Paul Vaillancourt on drums and Robert Murray on trumpet. Whalen said he will also play the trumpet on several pieces.

The Schwob Jazz Orchestra saw very little turnover this year. Whalen mentioned that the core of the group is the same, which he said is a good thing.

“Spirits are high and focus has never been better,” he said of his ensemble this year.

Whalen said the concert will also feature two jazz singers.

“Allison Kerchner is a senior flute performance major, and Victoria Evans-Cash is a senior vocal performance major,” he said. “Both students became involved singing with the band through their enrollment in jazz courses at CSU.”

This story was originally published November 4, 2017 at 9:05 PM with the headline "Jazz at The Loft to feature Schwob Jazz Orchestra."