MOUNT VERNON — Whether swinging, crooning, bopping, or just playing it cool, the sounds of jazz always add joy and warmth to the holidays. This year the Knox Community Jazz Orchestra will brighten the start of the holiday season with a Christmas-themed concert on December 2. The concert, titled “Christmas Time Is Here,” will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Memorial Theater in Mount Vernon.
Tickets, which will be available at the door, cost $5 per person, $3 for seniors and students. Admission is free for anyone presenting a ticket stub from the performance by the Cantata Choir earlier in the day at the theater. Half of all proceeds from the Jazz Orchestra concert will be contributed to Food for the Hungry.
County Commissioner Thom Collier will serve as emcee for “Christmas Time Is Here,” introducing the numbers as the 18-member big band brings its swinging style and rich melodic sound to arrangements of classic carols and holiday favorites. Joining the band on several numbers will be vocalist Alison Cline.
“From upbeat versions of ‘Deck the Halls’ and ‘Jingle Bells’ to a zydeco ‘Joy to the World’ and a chorale-like “First Noel,” we’ve got something for everyone,” said band leader and trumpet player Ted Buehrer. “We’re especially excited about performing arrangements written by and for jazz greats like Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Ella Fitzgerald, and Diana Krall.
“For many people, these songs are the soundtrack of the season,” added Buehrer. “We’ll be performing all of those pieces and many others, including, of course, ‘Christmas Time Is Here,’ the Vince Guaraldi tune that everybody knows from the Charlie Brown Christmas Special.”
The Jazz Orchestra appearance will be part of a festive day at the Memorial Building. Events include the Cantata Choir performance at 3:00 p.m., followed by an open-house holiday reception in Veteran’s Hall. The Knox Community Jazz Orchestra made its debut earlier this year, reviving a big band tradition in Knox County that goes back to the 1960s. An inaugural performance at Ariel Foundation Park during Memorial Day Weekend was followed by an appearance at the Dan Emmett Festival in August. The musicians include active and retired public school band directors, professionals, and recent college graduates from the area.
Buehrer, who teaches music at Kenyon and directs the college’s jazz ensemble, recruited a volunteer board of trustees to run the nonprofit organization. In its initial year, the jazz orchestra has received generous grant support from the Community Foundation of Mount Vernon and Knox County as well as the Ariel Foundation.
