A 20th Anniversary Year of Swing!
For its 2015-16 20th anniversary season, Jesse Cloninger and the Emerald City Jazz Kings announce a complete year of big band swing! The Swing Era unofficially began at the Palomar Ballroom in Los Angeles on August 21st, 1935 when Benny Goodman and his band went for broke and wrapped up this final performance on a lackluster tour with an evening of their hottest "late night" tunes. The audience went wild! Coined “Swing”, the new sounds coming from bands of the era electrified audiences and began a resurgence of widespread popularity for larger and smaller jazz ensembles alike. This was the big band era, the era of demanding bandleaders, flashy soloists, swinging riffs, handsome crooners, and heartbreaking lady vocalists.
Spanning 12 years, The Swing Era produced such an iconic and massive volume of hits that it has remained one of the most loved and widely celebrated genres of jazz music today. In our Jazz Kings “Year of Swing” each of the three concert series’ will be dedicated to a 4-year span of time. From each of these 4-year blocks we will draw the greatest hits from the bands of the day as well as playing some of the most loved songs of the time. Focusing on bands and vocalists alike guarantees a rich blend of swinging material with more than enough to send everyone home happy.
We kick off in the fall with GOODY GOODY (October), hit the new year with IN THE MOOD (January/February), and wrap it up in the spring with SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY (April/May).
And we’re proud and pleased to bring you once again Shirley Andress’ fabulous, heartwarming Jazz Kings Christmas--this year entitled SWINGING ON A STAR to The Shedd, Florence and Corvallis (Dec 10-17).
It will be another great year of simply awesome music. Please join us!
DISCOUNTS & TICKETING. The Shedd Institute offers individual package, group, and youth/college discounts in association with the Emerald City Jazz Kings, as well as special offers for other concerts and shows. Jazz Kings shows can also be included in our "roll-your-own" package program. Visit www.theshedd.org or call the Shedd Ticket office for more details.
The Emerald City Jazz Kings is the resident jazz & classic American Songbook ensemble of The John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts. Under the baton of music director Jesse Cloninger, the Jazz Kings produce 4 original concerts each year on various themes pertinent to the historic popular music and jazz of the 1920s through ‘50s, with performances in Eugene, Florence and Corvallis.