The Springfield Symphony Jazz Orchestra will be swinging and singing at the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts on the campus of Shawnee State University on Friday, March 22. 

The group’s new show, “Sinatra Sings, Basie Swings,” is a retrospective and a reimagining of the timeless collaboration between musical legends Frank Sinatra and Count Basie. Two icons of the American songbook, Sinatra and Basie first worked together in the early 1960s and produced classic recordings like “Sinatra at the Sands” and “It Might As Well Be Swing.”

For this run of performances, the SSJO is joined by guest vocalist Robbie Lee. 

A graduate of the Juilliard School, Lee has performed at some of the most prestigious jazz festivals in Europe, including Jazz a Vienne, the Umbria Jazz Festival and the Montreux Jazz Festival. 

Wynton Marsalis presented him with the “Ella Fitzgerald Outstanding Soloist Award” at the Essentially Ellington Festival, held at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. 

A long-time student and scholar of jazz of the early-20th century, Lee is globally recognized as one of the most outstanding young interpreters of popular song on both piano and vocals.

Over the years, The SSJO has made a name for themselves as not only a hard-swinging ensemble, but one that supports great vocalists, having played recently with three of the best; Carmen Bradford, Kurt Elling, and recent two-time Grammy winner, Samara Joy. 

The audience can expect a program featuring music both familiar and beloved, representing some of our greatest composers and arrangers. From George Gershwin’s “You Can’t Take That Away from Me,” to Jimmy Van Heusen’s “Come Fly with Me,” the best of the American Songbook is on full display in Sinatra Sings, Basie Swings.

Standard tickets are $37, with discounted prices available for seniors and students. 

They can be purchased at www.vrcfa.com or by calling the McKinley Box Office at 740-351-3600.