(Above: Duke Ellington and his orchestra at the Los Angeles train station in 1934; photo courtesy of The Shedd Institute for the Arts)
By Randi Bjornstad
The rundown of performances and other events for this year’s Oregon Festival of American Music at The Shedd is as mind-boggling as usual, but it might be helpful to start out with the fact that the general theme is a thorough look at “Swing” as a musical genre.
The first mention of Swing as an entity unto itself originated in the 1920s as the “Lindy Hop,” which of course reflected the exploits of pilot Charles Lindburgh, who made his famous trip from New York City to Paris in 27 hours, generating the newspaper headline, “Lindy Hops the Atlantic.” The dance itself started in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood the following year and became the social dance of the 1930s and on into the ’40s.
Its main influences come from jazz, tap, Charleston and “breakaway” dancing as well as traditional African-American dance routines. The music itself grew out of distinctive rhythm arrangements paired with strong melodies, solo riffs, and danceability, perfected by musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Earl Hines — and their favorite vocalists — and often performed by Big Bands. Swing could be “sweet” or “hot,” depending on the performers and their audiences.
In the case of the Oregon Festival of American Music’s 2019 iteration, known as Might As Well Be Swing, it’s all of the above, with 10 concerts on the schedule ranging from the origins of the genre during the Harlem Renaissance in the late 1920s to the smooth bandleaders who arose and thrived during the 1930s to the World War II years with its distinctive vocals, among them many female swing trios.
Left to right: Chuck Redd, Byron Stripling, and Jesse Cloninger performing in the 2018 OFAM lineup; photo courtesy of OFAM
This year’s cast of performers includes music director and drummer Chuck Redd with guest director/musicians Jesse Cloninger (reeds), Byron Stripling (trumpet and vocals), and Ted Rosenthal (piano).
The vocalists are Shirley Andress, Evynne Hollens, Lynnea Barry, Tracy Tooze, Siri Vik, Bill Hulings, Michael Stone, Dylan Stasack, Matthew Leach, and Ian Whitcomb.
The principal instrumentalists include Will Anderson (sax and clarinet), James Zollar (trumpet), Howard Alden and Frank Vignola (guitar), Katie Thiroux and Tom Wakeling (bass), and Matt Witek (drums).
Most days at OFAM include several events — films, lectures, matinees, evening performances — according to the following schedule:
Oregon Festival of American Music
When: July 24 through Aug. 3
Where: 868 High St., corner of Broadway and High streets in downtown Eugene
Tickets: $25 to $45, depending on performance (discounts available for students through college age, groups, and ticket packages); available at The Shedd ticket office, 868 High St., 541-434-7000, or online at theshedd.org
Schedule of events:
Wednesday, July 24
10 a.m.: Film — The Benny Goodman Story (1956); Sheffer Room; free
1 p.m.: Community Sing Along #1 — The Andrews Sisters & more! with Amy Adams & Singing Road Scholars; Jaqua Concert Hall; free
5 p.m.: Talk — The Age of Swing: Intro to OFAM 2019 with Jim Ralph; Sheffer Room; free
8 p.m.: Opening Gala — IN THE AGE OF SWING with Chuck Redd, director; Jaqua Concert Hall
Thursday, July 25
10 a.m.: Film: — The Fabulous Dorseys (1947); Sheffer Room; free
1 p.m.: Concert: CHASING SHADOWS: The Dorseys with Jesse Cloninger, director; Jaqua Concert Hall (repeats at 8 p.m. on Aug. 1)
5 p.m.: Talk — Duke Ellington & the Roots of Swing; Sheffer Room; free
8 p.m.: Concert — IT DON’T MEAN A THING: Swinging with Duke with Chuck Redd, director; Jaqua Concert Hall (repeats at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, July 31)
Friday, July 26
10 a.m.: Film — Hollywood Hotel (1937); Sheffer Room; free
1 p.m.: Concert: BENNY! The Palomar Ballroom to Carnegie Hallwith Chuck Redd, director; Jaqua Concert Hall (repeats at 8 p.m. on Aug. 3)
5 p.m.: Talk: Everybody Dance! Swinging with the bands with Ian Whitcomb; Sheffer Room; free
8 p.m.: Concert — DRUM BOOGIE: The Swing drummers with Chuck Redd, director; Jaqua Concert Hall (repeats at 1 p.m. on Aug. 1)
Saturday, July 27
10 a.m.: Film — Orchestra Wives (1942); Sheffer Room; free
1 p.m.: Concert: — SLIPPED DISC: Small Group Swing with Chuck Redd, director; Jaqua Concert Hall (repeats at 8 p.m. on July 31)
5 p.m.: Talk — Bing Crosby & the Rise of Crooning with Ian Whitcomb; Sheffer Room; free
8 p.m.: Concert: MOONLIGHT SERENADE: Swing & the war years with Jesse Cloninger, director; Jaqua Concert Hall (repeated at 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 3)
Sunday, July 28
4 p.m.: The Jazz Party — SWING’S THE THING with Chuck Redd, director; Jaqua Concert Hall, cabaret-style seating
Tuesday, July 30
8 p.m.: Concert — SATCHMO SWINGS! with Byron Stripling, director; Jaqua Concert Hall
Wednesday, July 31
10 a.m.: Film — Hellzapoppin’ (1941); Sheffer Room; free
1 p.m.: Concert: — IT DON’T MEAN A THING: Swinging with Duke with Chuck Redd, director; Jaqua Concert Hall; (also at 8 p.m. on July 25)
5 p.m.: Talk — The Rise of Western Swing with Ian Whitcomb; Sheffer Room; free
8 p.m.: Concert — SLIPPED DISC: Small Group Swing with Chuck Redd, director; Jaqua Concert Hall (also at 1:30 p.m. on July 27)
Thursday, Aug. 1
10 a.m.: Film — Las Vegas Nights (1941); Sheffer Room; free
1 p.m.: Concert — DRUM BOOGIE: The Swing drummers with Chuck Redd, director; Jaqua Concert Hall (also at 8 p.m. on July 26)
5 p.m.: Talk — Ian’s Top 10: Swing Era Classics with Ian Whitcomb; Sheffer Room; free
8 p.m.: Concert — CHASING SHADOWS: The Dorseys with Jesse Cloninger, director; Jaqua Concert Hall (also 1:30 p.m. on July 25)
Friday, Aug. 2
10 a.m.: Film —The Glenn Miller Story (1954); Sheffer Room; free
1 p.m.: Community Sing Along 2: The Mills Brothers & more! with Amy Adams & The Shedd Singing Club; Jaqua Concert Hall; free
5 p.m.: Talk — Piano Swing; Sheffer Room; free
8 p.m.: Concert — ONE O’CLOCK JUMP: The Great Pianists of Swing with Ted Rosenthal, director; Jaqua Concert Hall
Saturday, Aug. 3
10 a.m.: Film — Stormy Weather (1943); Sheffer Room; free
1 p.m.: Concert — MOONLIGHT SERENADE: Swing & the war years with Jesse Cloninger, director; Jaqua Concert Hall (also at 8 p.m. on July 27)
5 p.m.: Talk — Benny Goodman & The Age of Swing with Ian Whitcomb; Sheffer Room; free
8 p.m.: Grand Finale: — BENNY! The Palomar Ballroom to Carnegie Hall with Chuck Redd, director; Jaqua Concert Hall (also at 1:30 p.m. on Jul 26)
The Benny Goodman Orchestra is one of many whose classic “Swing” music is recreated in this year’s Oregon Festival of American Music; photo courtesy of PhotoFest
