EMERALD CITY SWING ORCHESTRA
614-209-4297
BAND BIOGRAPHY
Emerald City Swing Orchestra
The Emerald City Swing Orchestra (ECSO), originally named the Emerald City Orchestra, was formed in Dublin in 2001. It was originally formed to perform in the musical stage production “The 1940’s Radio Hour”, presented by Emerald City Players, Dublin’s community theater company. It was the company’s best-attended production in its history. ECSO performed multiple years in Dublin’s September Arts and Music Festivals, and was given the honor of performing at the 20th anniversary celebration of the city’s Sunday’s at Scioto summer concert series in 2003.
ECSO was selected to open for Chicago and for Earth, Wind & Fire at the City of Dublin Independence Day Celebration. ECSO has produced its own concert and variety show series at venues such as the Abbey Theater in Dublin and the Garden Theater in Columbus, and self-produced numerous swing dances in Dublin. The band has performed for charitable events throughout Dublin and Central Ohio, and with student jazz bands in the Dublin school system. The band has also performed for numerous weddings and other private events.
In 2014, ECSO began a residency at the Emerald City Ballroom in Dublin, where it plays from 8:00 to 11:00 pm the last Friday of each month. Dance styles performed include Cha Cha, Rumba, Tango, Samba, Mambo, Waltz, Viennese Waltz, Foxtrot, Quickstep, West Coast Swing and East Coast Swing. The Emerald City Ballroom is a full service dance studio and event center open to all dancers, of all ability, with a spacious unobstructed cushioned dance floor, with plenty of open seating, and offers both private and group dance instruction. For more information about ECSO's appearances at the Ballroom.
ECSO is a member of Dublin Community Bands (DCB), a tax-exempt organization formed in 2010. DCB is a collection of performing groups that includes the Dublin Cornet Band, the Dublin Silver Band and the Dublin Wind Symphony. DCB has received public funding from the City of Dublin and the Dublin Arts Council, as well as private contributions.
The Emerald City Swing Orchestra provides musical entertainment to the Dublin and Central Ohio communities, while endeavoring to contribute to the preservation of the quintessential American art form, big band music.
We showcase the original big band form that represented popular music in the era before, during and after the Second World War, as well as several variations that have evolved in the decades since.
TOM CARR
Founder and Director
Tom is a native of Columbus, Ohio. He has been a resident of Dublin since 1993. His son, Christopher, and daughter, Cassandra, both graduated from Dublin Coffman High School and participated in Coffman’s music programs, before earning degrees from The Ohio State University and Miami University, respectively. While they were in high school, Tom served for three years as Treasurer of Dublin Music Boosters. He then served as treasurer on the board of Dublin Community Bands (DCB). A trumpet player, Tom has played in several bands in Central Ohio.
Tom graduated from Columbus West High School and earned a B. S. degree in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration from The Ohio State University. Since 2006, he has been the Principal of CCT Enterprises, engaged in business consulting and real estate development.
In addition to serving on the boards of for-profit businesses in Central Ohio, Tom has also served on the boards of other not-for-profit arts organizations, including The Moving Arts Company and Dublin’s community theater company, Emerald City Players (ECP). In 2001, while serving on the board of ECP, Tom organized and directed a jazz big band to play onstage as part of the company’s musical production, The 1940’s Radio Hour. It was the company’s best-attended production in its history. Due to the popularity of that show, Tom and several other cast members elected to continue performing as a big band, and called themselves the Emerald City Orchestra (ECO).
In 2011, ECO moved under the umbrella of Dublin Community Bands and updated the name to Emerald City Swing Orchestra (ECSO).
ECSO Featured Vocalist
MEG MURPHY
Meg Murphy has been singing since her college days at the Ohio State University. Although she has sung in many venues in Central Ohio, she is perhaps best known for her years at Stouffer's Top of the Center Restaurant. Weekdays she sang with pianist extraordinaire Don Haines, and on the weekends, the duo expanded to a quintet (featuring saxophonist Sonny McBroom). She subsequently performed at the Top of the Center with the Ben Lepley Quartet (featuring trombonist Vaughn Wiester), followed by her own group (Ron Beaver, Ed Cottle, Vince Evans, Jim Curlis, Doug Richeson, Jim Rupp, Chuz Alfred, Sonny McBroom).
Over the years, Meg has performed with some of the best musicians in Central Ohio, in groups ranging in size from duos to big bands, and in musical styles ranging from pop and rock to jazz and standards: the Visit, Trilogy, the Majestics, Tom Battenberg (in a variety of his groups), New Remnants Dance Orchestra, the Jazz Arts Group (now known as the Columbus Jazz Orchestra), Vaughn Wiester's Famous Jazz Orchestra, and presently the Emerald City Swing Orchestra.
Meg enjoyed a long association with Michelle Horsefield Carney, who was not only Meg's vocal coach, but also her friend and mentor. In addition to performing with the Emerald City Swing Orchestra, Meg continues to perform a mixture of folk/gospel/old rock and roll with her brother's group, Murphy's Law.