COLUMBUS – This summer, WFIU Public Radio is bringing Jazz in July, a free outdoor summer concert featuring Indiana jazz musicians, to Columbus.
The Al Cobine Big Band will perform at Jazz in July on Friday, July 19, at 7 p.m. at the Bartholomew County Public Library. The concert will be moved indoors to the Columbus Commons in the event of rain.
David Brent Johnson, host of two of WFIU’s long-running jazz programs, Night Lights and Just You & Me, will emcee the performance. Guests may bring lawn chairs or blankets to the concert. Food trucks will also be available at the event.
Musical guest, the Al Cobine Big Band, was founded in 1956 and continued after the death of its esteemed bandleader in 2009. The band has toured with legends such as Elvis Presley and John Denver and is well-known for the quality established when Cobine was alive.
A native of Richmond, Indiana, Al Cobine came to Bloomington in the 1950s to pursue a political science doctorate but became a renowned prominent band leader. He assembled orchestras and arrangements for Henry Mancini, Johnny Mathis, and many other famous artists. Cobine’s compositions and interpretations of songwriters such as Hoagy Carmichael form an essential part of the saxophonist’s contribution to the legacy of Indiana jazz.
Support for Jazz in July comes from presenting partner Greene & Schultz Trial Lawyers and supporting partner Columbus Area Visitors Center.
For more information about Jazz in July, visit wfiu.org/jazzinjuly.
