Big band unwrapped

The Spokane Jazz Orchestra’s holiday concert, an annual tradition, features two familiar names: Charlotte Carruthers and Duke Ellington.

The late Ellington, of course, will be present only in spirit, as Spokane’s premier big band performs his famous and whimsical “Nutcracker Suite.” This 40-minute piece features Tchaikovsky’s well-known themes set to jazzy rhythms.

“It’s a creative way of handling all of these melodies,” said SJO music director Dan Keberle. “It’s like a window into the minds of Ellington and (composer and arranger) Billy Strayhorn.”

The second half of the show will belong to Carruthers, a well-known Seattle jazz singer with roots in Spokane. The daughter of local pianist Arnie Carruthers, she has performed many times with the SJO, including several of the group’s holiday shows.

“Every time I get to sing with the SJO, I think, ‘What did I do to get so lucky?’ ” said Carruthers, by phone from Seattle.

“I really like the way she sings, because she’s such a natural,” said Keberle. “Her jazz style comes right from the heart.”

Carruthers will sing a number of familiar Christmas tunes, such as “Jingle Bells” and “White Christmas.” She’ll also throw in some newer Christmas music, including Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas” and a swinging number called “(Everybody’s Waitin’ For) The Man With The Bag.”

The 17-piece orchestra will provide a wide range of settings for these numbers – some will have a Latin feel, some a swing feel, some a ballad feel. SJO pianist Brent Edstrom has written an original arrangement for one tune, “A Christmas Love Song.”

“People will recognize a lot of these songs, but they’ll be saying, ‘I’ve never heard it like that before,’ ” said Keberle. “In fact, that would be a great title for this concert: I’ve Never Heard it Like That Before.”