'Sing and Swing' concert at SSU

Mar. 16—PORTSMOUTH — The Springfield Symphony Jazz Orchestra will swing and sing on March 22 at the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts at Shawnee State University.

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 at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York. 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.

Standard tickets are $37, with discounted prices available for seniors and students. They can be purchased at vrcfa.com or by calling the McKinley Box Office at (740) 351-3600.