Jazz concert series coming to Richland Academy of the Arts

MANSFIELD - Paul Martin is trying to jazz things up at the Richland Academy of the Arts.

Martin, who started as music director in August, is helping to plan a four-concert series that will focus on jazz, the Majestic Theatre Jazz Concert Series.

The first show will feature the Paul Martin Jazz Quintet at 3 p.m. Sunday in the Discovery Room.

"We can create something that people will really take pride in," Martin said. "That's kind of what happened in Columbus in the 1970s."

The Mansfield Jazz Orchestra started in February. Martin will continue that endeavor while also looking to expand the academy in other areas.

One of those areas is the addition of a Mansfield Youth Jazz Ensemble for high school students. Martin describes it as an honors ensemble. Auditions are scheduled for the fall, with rehearsals taking place after the first of the year.

Martin, who grew up in Ashland, learned from a number of talented jazz musicians in his community. He wants to share that knowledge with the next generation.

"When I started playing jazz in junior high school, I had never heard it before," Martin said.

He quickly fell under the music's spell, noting he learned swing, Latin music and funk.

"I have played professionally or semi-professionally since high school," Martin noted. 

He also was one of the founding members of Ashland's Big Bands & All That Jazz Society. Martin currently is the vice president and program director of the society.

Martin says he is excited to bring attention to the former Majestic Theatre, which was built in 1916, by including it in the title of the concert series. It once stood at the academy's location, 75 N. Walnut St.

"The more we thought about it, the more we thought hardly anybody remembers anything about it," he said. "We wanted to honor it."

The second concert in the series will be at 3 p.m. Nov. 18 and feature the Mansfield Jazz Orchestra. 

"We have a lot of local folks playing," Martin said.

Those include Lanny Gooding on piano, Steve Berry on drums, Erik Gimble on trumpet, Tom Reed on alto saxophone and Eric Snyder on tenor sax.

As for the first concert, Kelly Knowlton will provide vocals for the Paul Martin Jazz Quintet. Tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for seniors and veterans, $5 for children 12-and-under and free for academy students.

Refreshments will be served.

The Richland Academy of the Arts is just one of Martin's gigs.

Martin plays bass guitar and saxophone, as well as piano and guitar on the side. He also composes and arranges music.

Martin also plays in a nine-piece band called Stardust and a 20-piece band named the Artistic Jazz Orchestra.

His groups play mainly in Mansfield and Ashland.

In addition, Martin is the minister of worship and music at First Lutheran Church in Shelby. 

"I wasn't really looking for something else to do," he said about his job at the academy.

The Majestic Theatre series will continue in 2019 with Bonafide Swing, a Columbus band with five trombone players, on Feb. 24 and another performance by the Mansfield Jazz Orchestra on April 28.

"We hope people will take advantage of these concerts," Martin said. "We want to see it continue and grow."

mcaudill@gannett.com

419-521-7219

Twitter: @MNJCaudill