BLACK MOUNTAIN — The Asheville Jazz Orchestra offered an amtidote to the January post-holiday blues by performing a heat-generating potpourri of swing classics with original charts during a Jan. 8 concert at the White Horse music hall.

The two-hour, two-set concert featured many Glenn Miller hits, along with a dash of songs immortalized  by Tommy Dorsey in particular, and others in general.

About 100 people attended.

The 17-piece ensemble, founded in 2006, was directed by Dr. David Wilkens, who also plays trombone with the group and writes original arrangements. He also teaches music at UNC Asheville.

A highlight of the concert was Wilkens’ commentary between songs about interesting tidbits on the music and the famous performers of the big-band era. As a result, those who attended likely left much more knowledgeable than they were when they arrived.

The AJO opened with a bang, playing a rip-roaring version of Duke Ellington’s “Take the A Train,” followed by a gorgeous version of Ellington’s “That Old Black Magic.”

Next, the group launched into “Splanky,” which was a hit for the Count Basie Orchestra, followed by “Stomping at the Savoy,” originally performed by Chick Webb.

WilkensTommy Dorsey, who was nicknamed “the sentimental gentleman of swing,” as the group blasted into “Song of India,” a big hit in 1938.

Also performed were Glenn Miller’s “Little Brown Jug” and Duke Ellington’s “Don’t Get Around Much Any More,” with the set ending with Woody Herman’s “Woodchoppers Ball.”

The second set opened with Benny Goodman’s “Let’s Dance,” followed by Goodman’s “Don’t Be That Way.”

Other second-set highlights included a rendition of Les Brown and His Band Renown’s “Leapfrog,” and Glenn Miller’s “St. Louis Blues March.”

At that point, the AJO did a mini-set of Miller songs, including “String of Pearls,” “Eager Beaver,” “Jeep Jockey Jump,” “Pennsylvania 6-5000” and an absolutely gorgeous version of “Moonlight Serenade.” 

The mini-set was capped by the rollicking “In the Mood,” which, Wilkens noted, was “the most popular song from the big-band era.” 

The AJO then left the stage to a standing ovation and returned to perform one encore — Benny Goodman’s “Sing Sing Sing,” which elicted yet another standing ovation.

— By JOHN NORTH, Daily Planet