5 cool ways to spend your Jazz Appreciation Month
Jazz Appreciation Month is almost here, and local venues will provide plenty of ways to show — and grow — your appreciation. Here are just five of the events that are well worth your time.
April 12: The Manhattan Transfer at Jesse Auditorium
Going more than 50 years strong, this vocal ensemble set a standard for tight harmonies and colorful melodic swings. With 10 Grammys and a wide repertoire, the quartet — which features one founding member and two singers who have been around since the 1970s — commends itself to audiences, then lives up to the hype. Tickets are $56-$68. https://concertseries.missouri.edu/
April 16: Glenn Miller Orchestra at Missouri Theatre
Continuing after the fashion of the pride of Clarinda, Iowa, the current version of Miller's big band dives deep into the historical record. Tickets are $37-$45. https://concertseries.missouri.edu/
April 18: Joel Ross Good Vibes Quartet at University of Missouri Whitmore Recital Hall
Vibraphonist Ross — who trustworthy NPR scribe Nate Chinen labeled "the breakout jazz star of the moment" in 2019 — will lead his quartet, which also enfolds piano, drums and bass, through a vibrant and ever-flowing repertoire. Tickets are $20-$40. https://www.wealwaysswing.org/season/2022-2023/
April 20: Jazz Jam at Compass Music Center
Each third Thursday, this local music hub gathers jazz lifers and aspiring players to work out the music on the bandstand. Register in advance — this is preferred — or sign up at the door and find your band for the evening. A $5 to $15 donation is suggested for attendees. https://compasscolumbia.org/events/
April 23: Tia Fuller Group at Murry's
Fulfilling the very word "dynamic," the saxophonist, songwriter and professor dances across musical worlds with ease. Fuller has more than earned her opportunities, assisting luminaries such as Beyonce, Erykah Badu and Chaka Khan — and her reputation as an "expressive, forward-thinking musician with a bent toward soulful, expansive jazz," in the words of AllMusic. Tickets for the two-show engagement are $20-$47. https://www.wealwaysswing.org/season/2022-2023/
Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. Find him on Twitter @aarikdanielsen.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Five cool ways to spend your Jazz Appreciation Month
