“We’re really looking forward to this. What’s nice about our Christmas show is everybody contributes and gives music suggestions,” said Todd Stoll, SSJO director.
The full group will perform along with special guests including trombonist Michael Dease, multiple trombonist of the year recipient from Downbeat Magazine poll and who Stoll calls a “monster musician” while Lexi Hamner will do vocals.
Among the music, Stoll is excited to do Ellington’s take of “The Nutcracker, calling it a beloved seasonal favorite filtered through a genius jazz arranger, then two versions of “Jingle Bells,” one from Ellington and the other from fellow jazz giant Count Basie.
“They’re different, but incredible,” Stoll said. “This is a way to find the familiar through fresh, new ways.”
Other surprises will be Wynton Marsalis’s version of “White Christmas”; a gospel version of “Go Tell It on the Mountain”; Vince Guaraldi’s “Christmas Time is Here” from the cartoon classic “A Charlie Brown Christmas”; along with the SSJO’s takes on “Sleigh Ride,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and others.
While the SSJO can be found at the John Legend Theater for concerts in the fall and spring and the National Road Commons Park for the annual Springfield Jazz and Blues Festival, this winter stop is always special as it gives some who have never seen the group a chance to see them for free. The Busch Family Foundation that supports local music made the show admission-free in the name of Carol Busch, who was a local music supporter.
“It’s about coming together and the date is close enough to Christmas that a lot of families may be visiting and Mother Stewart’s has this casual and engaging atmosphere,” said Stoll. “This is a great time of year. Springfield has been through a lot lately and this is the moment we put everything aside to celebrate the season with family with this, our gift to Springfield.”
For more information, go to www.motherstewartsbrewing.com/events.
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