Sax player Rob Dixon of Indianapolis is known as “Naptown’s Musical Mayor.”
And Warren Ward, organizer of the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic’s new and still-growing Jazz at Helen’s series, has wisely elected to bring Dixon here with a quartet for concerts at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Helen Haddad Hall, 315 Franklin St. in downtown Columbus.
Tickets are $35 and available at the cip.org or at the box office weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The ensemble will perform a selection of straight-ahead jazz compositions as well as classic jazz standards from The Great American Songbook.
A cash bar offers beer, wine, and spirits for a 21-and-older crowd.
Dixon’s background mentioned online is impressive.
After matriculating from Hampton University and Indiana University’s School of Music, Dixon moved to the top of the jazz scene in New York City years ago working with legendary and popular artists such as the Count Basie Band, The Ellington Band, Slide Hampton, Dakota Stanton, The Illinois Jacquet Big Band, Rufus Reid, Akira Tana, Jonah Jones as well as Bill Lee (composer and father of Spike Lee), Weldon Irving, Producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad (DJ of Tribe called Quest) and The Skatalites.
Returning to Indianapolis in 2003, Dixon has continued to work with internationally renowned artists such as pianist Steve Allee, drummer Steve Houghton, The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks orchestra, drummer Mike Clark, the Headhunters, guitarist Dave Stryker and seven-tring guitar virtuoso Charlie Hunter.
Dixon is an adjunct professor at IUPUI and is the artistic director for Indy Jazz Fest. He mentors the Jazz Futures, an Indianapolis Jazz foundation sponsored ensemble comprised of talented high school students. Dixon also continues to perform and tour frequently in the United States and abroad.
