Columbus Jazz Society
Off To A Great Start
The year has begun as a momentous one for culture, arts, and of course jazz in our city.
The Annual CJS Soiree 2024 was a huge success as we were joined by our community in celebrating our often overlooked “Giants of Jazz.” The Cavaliers Orchestra, Columbus’ premier 17-piece jazz group led by Maestro Jim Evans, made a spectacular display of force with their thundering horns and tightly orchestrated harmonies.
Hosts Jimmy “Swan” Swanigan Jr. and CJS board member and singer C. Lafaye were both highly engaging, energetic, and show-stopping.
The lovely audience of 120+ guests, along with the brilliant artists – Howard Willis, Lakendra Huckaby, and Julie Umberger (each generously donated an art-piece to be raffled), photographer Wanda Youngblood, event coordinator Tallacy Fuller, AV tech Nick Williams, and the rest of the first-class staff at The Loft Green Room were all essential parts of one incredible evening. Although they were not able to attend, Mayor Skip Henderson and Executive Assistant Kim Tharp expressed their congratulations towards the successful event.
This year’s winners were presented with crystal trophies (courtesy of Crown Trophy) by Noah Herrera of Everything Musical. The remaining honorees were Mitch Barron, Jan Hyatt, and The Cavaliers Orchestra’s David Morgan and Stan Murray.
The evening’s winners:
Dr. David Banks
Hailing from a Liberian family in West Africa, Dr. David Banks followed his adoptive father’s footsteps as a teacher at Tuskegee University. He is a classically trained musician who devoted his life to the ministry of the Gospel, educating the community, and of course, to jazz. He has opened for or played with such greats as the Yellowjackets, Ramsey Lewis, BB King, Shirley Caesar, The Hawkins Singers, the Duke Ellington Orchestra (Mercer Ellington), Roy Ayers, Eric Essix, Stanley Jordan, and the Staple Singers.
Currently, he is the head of The David Banks Gospel Jazz Revue which incorporates his love for Gospel, Jazz, R&B, Country, and even top-40 hits. The band performs all over Georgia, Alabama, and Florida with up to 15 musicians. In fact, my first jazz gig in Columbus was with this very group. At the time, I had just joined the Army and was stationed in Ft. Moore (previously Ft. Benning) and did not have any aspirations in gigging or music. Dr. Banks decided to take a chance by allowing me the opportunity to learn from him and jam with his band.
Who knows what I would be doing now, or if I would even be playing music today, had he not graciously allowed me to share the stage with him and his musicians? I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Dr. David Banks and The David Banks Gospel Revue. He is truly a pillar of hope and a source of inspiration in our community.
Elwood Madeo
If you love jazz music and are from Columbus, you may have heard about Elwood “Jr” Madeo’s original music with his band Solar Quintet, recorded on their albums “Simply Said” and “Solar Clock.” You may also have read about when Elwood and his band “The Ramblers,” in San Diego circa 1956, had to drive across town because their drummer Frank Zappa forgot his drumsticks. Elwood ended up firing Frank for “riding the cymbals too much” but made such an impression on him that he included Elwood on the list of names on his album “Freak Out.”
After studying classical guitar and theory at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and attaining a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from Georgia State University, Elwood went on to perform at many famous jazz clubs. Recently, he has been teaching and directing music at St. Anne, Our Lady of Lords, and at our very own Everything Musical.
In fact, I took my very first formal guitar lesson with Mr. Madeo only a few weeks ago. After what feels like a lifetime (20+ years) of performing, I might just have learned more about music in a 30-minute lesson with Elwood than I did during my entire gigging career. Elwood is a gem in our city and his impact on the world of jazz and music is unmatched.
Dr. George Corradino
Dr. Corradino has been an active musician for longer than some of us have been alive. He received his bachelor’s degree in music from Florida State University and a master’s degree in music education, as well as a doctorate in educational leadership from Auburn University, before leading a stunning career of service to music
Dr. Cardino supervised the Music Department of The Muscogee County School District for more than 20 years, oversaw 60 teachers and advised the Superintendent, his staff and all school principals regarding curriculum, finances, teacher recruitment, mentoring and evaluation, employment, and community, state and national activities and relations. He became Associate Professor Emeritus of Education at Troy University after leading music programs there for many years
Dr. George Corradino was one of our earliest attendees and supporters. When the probability of growth in our meager organization was bleak, Dr. Corradino was one of our first and brightest signs of hope. I don’t believe jazz in our city and the South in general would be where it is today if it were not for Dr. George Corradino and his tireless devotion to future generations of jazz musicians. The entire city and our community salute you.
The Columbus Jazz Society – Musician of the Month: Josiah Toussiant
My name is “Josiah Toussiant” Dawson. I am a poetic lyricist. I call it Abstract Jazz Rap. I believe I am the first poet/ lyricist in the Columbus Jazz Society, so you can imagine it has been an adventurous ride.
TL: What got you into Jazz?
JT: My mother, Sandra Tyler, has been a church organist all my life, so classical, jazz, and gospel were all that played in my house. However, I didn’t discover jazz for myself until I was in college working at Mellow Mushroom. There used to be a restaurant in front of it called the Olive Grove. When they closed, they put a bunch of crates of CDs out for the trash. And that’s where I found it – The Best of Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Ella, Herbie … it was all jazz! And for the next few years, so was I.
TL: What makes you excited about playing jazz in Columbus?
JT: Columbus was the first place I could call home after moving a lot as a child, so I’m biased. But, Columbus is a perfectly southern mid-size city with incredible big-city potential and a deep heritage in music. The city as a whole feels like an undiscovered artist. Personally, I’m looking forward to the day we all make it big.
TL: Where can people hear you play?
JT: On January 30th, I released my first solo album. It’s called Grown Man. I’m excited about that. I’ve taken the last couple of months away from the stage to complete this project. It is also available on all streaming platforms.
Find more music by “Josiah Toussiant” on streaming platforms like Spotify and Facebook and Instagram @josiahtoussiant.
By Miguel Juarez