Columbus Jazz to Open Season with ELLA AND LOUIS

Columbus Jazz will kick off its 2026-2027 season with Ella and Louis, Oct. 9-11 at the Southern Theatre. Bandleader Byron Stripling will be joined by special guest vocalist Carmen Bradford for a performance featuring music made famous by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.

Ella and Louis will celebrate the music of two influential jazz artists. Bradford's voice, paired with Stripling's trumpet and vocals, will highlight the musical connection between Fitzgerald and Armstrong and the songs they performed together.

'Bringing audiences the music, artists and traditions that have shaped jazz is at the heart of what we do at Columbus Jazz,' said Katy Coy, CEO of Columbus Jazz. 'This performance is a great example of that, bringing the music of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong to the stage through Carmen and Byron. Their experience with this music will give audiences an opportunity to hear these songs and learn more about the artists and traditions behind them.'

Bradford is a 2024 Grammy Award winner and five-time Grammy Award nominee who has established herself as a respected voice in jazz. Discovered by Count Basie at age 22, Bradford went on to serve as the featured vocalist with the Count Basie Orchestra for nine years and continues to perform with the orchestra today. She has performed and recorded with artists including Tony Bennett, George Benson, Wynton Marsalis and Frank Sinatra, and regularly pays tribute to Ella Fitzgerald through her show 'A Century of Ella.'

TOUR DATES

Ella and Louis:

• Friday, Oct. 9, 2026 | 7:00 p.m.
• Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026 | 7:00 p.m.
• Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026 | 3:00 p.m.