WFIU Public Radio and the Department of Jazz Studies at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music will partner to co-host the Swing in September concert series.
Four free, family-friendly jazz concerts will be held every Friday in September at 6:30 p.m. in Dunn Meadow on the Indiana University campus.
The concert series kicks off on Friday, September 3 at 6:30 p.m. with the Midcoast Swing Orchestra, followed by Organism on September 10, Rachel Caswell on September 17, and the IU Jazz Faculty on September 24. The concerts will be emceed by WFIU hosts Mark Chilla, David Brent Johnson, and William Morris.
Attendees may bring a chair, blanket, or food to the concerts. In the event of rain, the concerts will be moved indoors to Recital Hall.
Swing in September is made possible with support from presenting partner Greene & Schultz Trial Lawyers and supporting partner IU Credit Union Investment Services.
For more information about Swing in September, visit wfiu.org/swinginseptember.
About the artists:
The Midcoast Swing Orchestra, founded by Brent Wallarab and Mark Buselli in 1999, specializes in “authentic” swing music from the 1930s and ’40s. Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Jimmy Lunceford, Mary Lou Williams, and Erskine Hawkins make up the inspiration behind this dynamic 10-piece group. The Midcoast Swing Orchestra was a featured band every Tuesday night at Indianapolis’ Jazz Kitchen for 12 years and at Cincinnati’s Midwest Swing Festival. They performed for over 10,000 people at Conner Prairie and more than 6,000 students through their educational outreach program.
Organism is a new quartet that explores the great sound, repertoire, and tradition of hard bop and organ jazz. The band channels members’ diverse backgrounds into a shared passion for the music. Organism members include trumpet player and bandleader Pat Harbison, Professor of Jazz Studies at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music; Meghan Pund, clarinetist and saxophonist; Steve Snyder, Director of Jazz Studies at DePauw University; and Sean Dobbins, Associate Professor of Jazz Studies at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
Jazz vocalist Rachel Caswell is known for her improvisational prowess, her pinpoint accuracy of pitch and rhythm, and her depth of delivery and interpretation of popular song. Her most recent recording, We’re All in the Dance (2018), features some of New York’s top performers including Dave Stryker, Fabian Almazan, Linda May Han Oh, Johnathan Blake, and Sara Caswell.
The IU Jazz Faculty at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music is a group of nationally and internationally recognized musicians. Individually, they have participated in numerous Grammy-nominated and Grammy-winning albums and have performed or recorded with jazz icons such as Dr. Lonnie Smith, the Count Basie Orchestra, Benny Golson, Chris Potter, and Kurt Rosenwinkel, among others. Outside of the jazz world, they have worked with artists such as Santana, Earth, Wind & Fire, Kirk Franklin, John Legend, Lupe Fiasco, and more.
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