On Saturday, Jan. 17, students dolled themselves up for a night full of dancing, fun and jazz performed by their peers at the fourth annual Big Band Ball.
Organized and hosted by the Campus Jazz Outreach Society (CJOS), the event took place at the Valley Dale Ballroom, as it also did last year.
The Valley Dale Ballroom holds troves of history, as it was a performing space for many stars from the ‘30s, such as Frank Sinatra, Artie Shaw and many more musicians.
Students began the night with a swing dance masterclass led by members of SwingColumbus.hen, the live music kicked off. The university’s Lab Band started, and then the Big Band followed.
Billy Wolfe, director of both bands and faculty advisor for CJOS, shares a lot of connections with the venue.
“I actually play there regularly on Friday nights,” Wolfe said. “It’s a perfect fit. I know the people there, it’s very smooth, and the owners of the venue take care of us to help make it happen.”
What most students don’t know is that the Big Band Ball had an unofficial debut in the early 2000s.
“When I was a student here, I think it was 2003 that we actually had a ball as well,” said Wolfe. “I think it’s really cool to see it and what it’s become at Valley Dale over the past two years.”
Each year, the CJOS starts planning the event up to a year in advance, securing guest performers and teachers from SwingColumbus.
The ensembles begin rehearsing their music in November. Having directed the bands for the past two years at the event, Wolfe helps the band crack down on their music.
Daniel Johnson-Brewer, a seniorjazz studies and instrumental performance major, finds that this rehearsal process betters the band’s playing as a whole.
“This music is from the ‘30s, ‘40s, all of that era,” Johnson-Brewer said. “We get to learn how to play different styles than what we normally do. I honestly find that, in a lot of ways, it actually helps us to play the songs than we normally do better.”
Once the music is ready for the audience, the bands set up to perform at the ballroom, and with Wolfe conducting from the side, the musicians take the floor.
This year, three student vocalists also performed with the Big Band. First was senior Isaac Fleece, diving into a Robbie Williams classic, “Beyond The Sea.”
Junior Parker Wilkinson followed next with “All The Things You Are” by Ella Fitzgerald and Nelson Riddle.
Finally, sophomore Olivia Chaney closed off the student vocalist features with a rendition of “Sunny Side of the Street” by Jimmy McHughs and Dorothy Fields.
Every year, the Big Band brings in a guest artist to perform with them. This year’s guest was Matt Ellis, a 1978 graduate of the university and professional trombonist.
“He played with Guy Lombardo and the Royal Canadians,” said Wolfe. “When he came to us in 2003 and made us do that ball, it was huge for all of us. So when we were looking for a guest artist, and I wanted to have a trombonist, Matt was the name that came to mind … Matt has become a good friend of mine over the years.”
The fun didn’t stop at just music and dancing. This year, the CJOS had over one thousand dollars worth of goods donated for six raffle baskets to also be present at the event.
Since the beginning of the event, the Big Band Ball has drawn in bigger crowds, and has received wonderful feedback from the students and community alike.
Johnson-Brewer has gotten to see this growth in real time, having participated in Big Band Ball all four years.
“The first year we did it, it had a lot of students, but kind of felt like a prom,” Johnson-Brewer said.“I’ve noticed each year that there are more people I don’t recognize coming to the event. It’s exciting to see how many people are coming in that aren’t necessarily [university] affiliated.”
The Big Band Ball has made a positive change to the campus community and has the makings of a great tradition that will carry on for many years to come.
