The SSJO show, now in its fourth year, has become one of the Holiday in the City signature events, one of the last prior to Christmas day, and SSJO director Todd Stoll is excited for a series of fresh arrangements on classic holiday tunes and a new, emerging talent to sing some of them along with the 17-piece group.
“We’re always excited for the holiday show, ready to send people swinging into the holidays,” Stoll said.
Expect new arrangements of “Jingle Bells” and “Warm in December” by alto saxophonist Sherman Irby, who has performed at the annual Springfield Jazz and Blues Festival, and Duke Ellington’s arrangement of “The Nutcracker Suite” in jazz style.
Stoll and his associates have had a good run of discovering emerging vocal talents including Grammy-winner Samara Joy and award-winning singer Tyreek McDole.
At Saturday’s show, the audience will hear a vocalist Stoll thinks could be a new Samara Joy – Jolie Demesmin, an 18-year-old student at Oberlin College he found at an arts school in Florida two years ago.
She’ll sing new arrangements of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” and “Warm in December” and will be a good chance to see an artist on her way up.
“She’s on the cusp of being a great, like Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holliday in her voice but doing her own thing,” Stoll said. “We’ve had some luck in finding singers like Samara and (Tyreek) and now Jolie.”
As this season is about family, Stoll said the audience will get that feel from the musicians as well as the music. He’s known fellow performers like Larry Griffin for 30-40 years and those like drummer Maria Marmarou, who he met as a 15-year-old student and is now 25.
“This band is very familial. We like each other and, like other families at the holidays, like being together,” Stoll said.
He added that this concert is a good way for those unfamiliar to put their toe in the water to experience what jazz is in an atmosphere that is informal and fun and where you can get a drink and talk to their friends if you choose. From there, they can check out the SSJO’s next show on March 7 at the John Legend Theater.
Stoll said he appreciates the support of Kevin Loftis of Mother Stewart’s for hosting the show and supporting local music and the Busch Family Foundation, which is presenting the season, and members will attend Saturday’s show.
For more information on the SSJO or the show, go to www.springfieldsym.org/ or www.facebook.com/springfieldsym/.
Other Holiday in the City activities in the coming week include:
-Saturday, Dec. 20, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Santa at the Enchanted Village at the Heritage Center
-Saturday, Dec. 20, 4-8 p.m. Holidays at the Hatch at Hatch Artist Studios
-Monday, Dec. 22 at 7 p.m. Free Movie Monday featuring “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “Home Alone” at the State Theater
-Tuesday, Dec. 23 at 6 p.m. Holiday Movies at Myers Market
-Wednesday, Dec. 24, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Home for the Holidays Christmas Eve Skate at the outdoor skating rink
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