Fun, friends, music, and dance from 2016 - 2017

 

FREE ~Very~ Hot Jazz for Music Educators at OMEA!

To thank and entertain hard-working music educators in Ohio, COHJS brought in Dave Kosmyna's Original Downhome Jazz Band just a block from the OMEA (Ohio Music Education Association) Annual Conference. This powerhouse lineup - Dave Kosmyna cornet, Ray Heitger clar+vocals, Chris Smith tbn, James Dapogny piano, + Pete Siers drums, pulled together to celebrate the 1917 recording by the Original Dixieland Jass Band that's widely recognized as the first jazz recording.
No cover, no admission - just GREAT MUSIC - FREE from COHJS!
What a show! Check out this sizzlin' stuff ...
"You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me" . . . . . . "Cakewalkin' Babies From Home"

 

Fall Harvest 2017 Festival of Bands & Charity Event

First ... Thank You!   Lots of peep's of all generations seemed to have a wonderful time at the Fall Harvest Fest & Charity Event and that's a good thing. Before anything else we just really want to thank everyone who brought food gifts to the event. As it always does, it added up! We delivered 103 pounds !!! of food to the Holy Family Soup Kitchen + Food Pantry in Franklinton.
food gifts at Fall Harvest
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! What a blessing the day was to those who were there, and what a blessing you brought to others who were not. Thank you!!!

We had 3 great bands for the day representing 3 generations of musicians!
The Cakewalkin' Jass Band from Toledo celebrated the 50th anniversary of their first gig at Tony Packo's in Toledo ... here playing "Knee Drops" - the last song recorded by Louis Armstrong's Hot Five. And the Cincy River Rats added another generation of talent, schooling, and energy:

And the Ohio State University Trad & Swing Combo brought another yet younger perspective to this great American music - here playing Margie arranged by their own Michael Cloonan on trumpet:

And then folks from all the bands, all the generations, jam and dance together to our shared American musical heritage!

 

Dave Greer's Classic Jazz Stompers

Dave Greer's Classic Jazz Stompers always put on a fabulous show wherever they play - and they did their usual top-shelf job for COHJS. Check out this smokin' version of "Jubilee" - a wonderful Hoagy Carmichael song from the 1937 film "Every Day's a Holiday" that doesn't get played much. Then settle back and enjoy their beautiful "Louisiana Fairytale" including a real pretty solo by Bill Gemmer on a rare double-bell euphonium ... THAT's a special treat in classic jazz!

  "Jubilee"                   "Louisiana Fairytale" with Bill Gemmer, double-bell euphonium:

Personnel: Dave Greer- banjo, tenor guitar + vocals; Chris Moore- cornet; Erik Greiffenhagen- clar; Greg Dearth- sax's; Bill Gemmer- trombone; Mike Darrah- piano; Chris Berg- bass; Jim Leslie- drums.

They usually play the 1st Tuesday of the month at Jimmy's Ladder 11 in Dayton.
Hit up their YouTube Channel or their facebook page for more!

 

Sunset Stomp Jazz Band

"Panama" at the Suncoast Jazz Classic:       "Royal Garden Blues" at Naptown Stomp Lindy Hop:

A rare treat in these parts – The Sunset Stomp Jazz Band from Indianapolis!
Founded by Robin Hopkins + Kathleen Miller in 2010, and named after the often overlooked Louis Armstrong tune, The Sunset Café Stomp, they've taken the jazz community by storm, playing at venues across the region (Decatur Jazz Fest, Grugelfest, ...) and as far away as the Suncoast Jazz Classic in Clearwater Beach, FL. They also play dances like the Naptown Stomp Lindy Hop Society, Indiana University, and Rose-Hulman's swing dance clubs. All that in addition to their regular gig at the Jazz Kitchen at 54th + College in Indianapolis.
Personnel: Kathleen Miller, vocals; Robin Hopkins, banjo + vocals; Larry McWilliams, trumpet; Mike Lucas, piano; Bill James, clarinet; Dan Hughey, trombone; and John Valdez, drums. Jesse Wittman is the regular on bass, but Steve Woerner will sub for our show. Visit Sunset Stomp's website for more!

 

Ragtime Rick and the Chefs of Dixieland

A room full of fun, friends, music, dance, and SUNSHINE! at the Clintonville Woman's Club -
    New Orleans Stomp   ... ...         and Yama Yama Man, Ben Herrick on 'bone + vocals:


and the SwingColumbus peep's did a rollicking "Big Apple" -

Ragtime Rick Grafing and the Chefs of Dixieland have been a great favorite from the Toledo area for decades, and they put on a great show at the Clintonville Woman's Club. They also play Grugelfest - which is a ball, don't miss it! ... along with a steady gig at the Sodbuster Bar.
The lineup: "Banjo" Betsy Grafing on ... um, banjo. Tom Strohbeck on drums, Wes Linenkugel on the string bass, and of course Rick himself on piano are the rhythm section. John Grafing on trumpet/cornet, Ben Herrick on the 'bone, and Jan Mudica on the soprano sax (aka "fish horn") fill out the front line.
Hit up the band's webpage for all the dirt, including how they came to the band name and chef's uniform.

 

Coon Sanders Dixieland Fan Jam

A great opportunity to try your own hand at making this great music with a friendly, relaxed group of fans. Or come and listen + dance. 2 full nights! Fri + Sat, 6-11pm - FREE and open to the public for playing, dancing, and listening. Usually in late spring / early summer - we'll let you know when the next one's scheduled. Held at the Pullman Plaza Hotel, 1001 3rd Av, Huntington WV.
This thing's been going since 1971 with a great turnout of musicians, dancers + fans. Check out Wikipedia and RedHotJazz.com- the Coon Sanders Nighthawks Orchestra formed in 1919 and was at its peak from 1926-1932. Listen to their official anthem Nighthawk Blues – great bari sax solo work!

COHJS Coon Sanders dixieland jazz jam session

 

2016 Fall Harvest of Bands and Holiday Charity Event

Headlined by the Buffalo Ridge Jazz Band from Cincinnati, and the Cakewalkin' Jass Band from Toledo ...

... with special guests, the OSU Trad + Swing Combo, dance lessons by our friends at SwingColumbus, and a swingin' jam session ...

COHJS dixieland jazz jam session dance

The jam session featured members of all 3 bands plus Jim Masters from OSU (tbn); Aaron Jackson (tuba), Phil Stone (tbn), + David Steele (piano) from the North Side JB, and Tom George from the Toll House JB.
COHJS' Fall Harvest Festival is a benefit for local charities ... thanks to our members + guests for bringing non-perishable food items!

 

Kerry Price & Friends

A powerful band from metro Detroit with a hot sound – sometimes straight-ahead New Orleans, sometimes ragtime and sometimes bluesy, always FULL of soul and ALWAYS worth showing up for!

 

North Side Jazz Band

A great favorite for 25 years with long-running gigs at places like the Florentine and Mozart's.

 

High Street Stompers

One of Columbus' longest-running and most polished trad jazz bands:

High Street Stompers at COHJS

 

Cincinnati River Rats

This sizzlin' young band kicked off our year on a cold March day by serving up "Ice Cream" about as hot as I think you can serve it. Inside a' 30 seconds, a bunch of people began feelin' this crazy Shim Sham thing comin' on, and that started to kinda rock the joint ...

 

And reaching WAY back, here are COHJS shows from 1998 and 1984.
First the Last Chance Jazz Band from Columbia Maryland playing on March 14, 1998. Then the New Reformation JB from Saginaw Michigan playing in September 1984 when COHJS was just 3 years young!

The Central Ohio Hot Jazz Society is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation dedicated to enjoying and sharing traditional American jazz of the early 20th century. Comes in many styles and called by many names - traditional jazz, Dixieland jazz, classic jazz, hot jazz, New Orleans style jazz ... or San Francisco, Chicago, Kansas City, New York style jazz.
We LISTEN, PLAY, + DANCE to it, especially LIVE and NEAR HOME!

© 2012-2020, Central Ohio Hot Jazz Society