FRIDAY 4/17: ESO Live Presents Jazz Band Swing Project

ESO Arts Center presents ESO Live! with Swing Project on Friday, April 17, at 8 p.m.
Swing Project is a guitar-driven jazz band consisting of two guitars, upright bass, flute, and vocals.  Several band members are seasoned professional musicians, with a couple of talented amateurs thrown in for good measure. ​Swing Project mixes it up and cooks in the intimate, nightclub-like setting at ESO, located at 15293 King Street in Belle Haven.  Admission is just $10. Doors will open at 7:30; liquid refreshments are available. To reserve a table, please call 757-442-3226 or go to esoartscenter.org.​​

The band draws its inspiration from swing favorites such as “Lady Be Good,” “Pennies from Heaven,” “I Can’t Give You Anything but Love,” and “All of Me.”

Ray Tate spent years as a studio musician, arranger, composer in Chicago, and then moved on to Texas and Europe.  He and his wife wanted to retire on the East Coast and on the way south stopped here and never left.  He loves Occohannock Creek!

Dan Lawrence passed a misspent youth as a rock-and-roll drummer.  He learned to play the flute in college, and then took it up again 10 years ago after moving to the Shore.  He is a soloist with the Orchestra of the Eastern Shore and a member of a classical quartet.  As an avid jazz fan, playing flute with Swing Project is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

Austin Riopel started playing guitar at age 11, taking weekly lessons from Pooh Johnston at the ESO Arts Center. More recently, he has enjoyed a variety of musical experiences, from composing a string quartet to playing in dingy dive bars from Norfolk to Nashville with rock band Fat Tuesday and the New Custards. New to Swing Project, Austin is glad for the chance to try his hand at unfamiliar styles of music with the help of such talented and interesting fellow band members.

Andrea Benda has sung her way through church choirs, choral societies, and even Carnegie Hall (Vivaldi’s Gloria!).  She especially enjoys the clever lyrics in several languages that color so many of the artful tunes in Swing Project’s repertoire.

Pooh Johnston has written and performed in several original musicals that played in major cities around the country.  He is ESO’s original guitar teacher and has performed at numerous ESO functions in the past. Pooh is happy to be back with former student Austin Riopel, and our mutual mentor Ray Tate, for an evening of music like it never was!