Great American Songbook Series: The Music of A Charlie Brown Christmas with Lori Mechem

Embrace the festive season with the timeless jazz tunes from the Vince Guaraldi Trio’s cherished “A Charlie Brown Christmas” soundtrack, brought to life by Lori Mechem on December 17th at the historic Franklin Theatre! Lori is a distinguished jazz pianist, educator, and composer who, along with her husband Roger Spencer, has been a part of the Nashville community since 1988. Besides her role in directing production shows and leading musical theater, she has collaborated with notable artists like Dizzy Gillespie, Red Holloway, Jimmy Smith, Cal Collins, Roy McCurdy, Terry Gibbs, Pete Christlieb, Ed Thigpen, Houston Person, Kevin Mahogany, Everett Greene, Kirk Whalum, Anthony Wilson, Oscar Castro Neves, Bobby Millitello, Marvin Stamm, Ann Jillian, Edie Gorme, and the McGuire Sisters. Hailing from Anderson, Indiana, Lori earned her Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. In 1997, her album “Welcome to Brazil” received a nomination for “Best Jazz Album of the Year” at the Nashville Music Awards. Together with her husband Roger, she co-founded Nashville’s first jazz school, The Nashville Jazz Workshop, where she currently serves as the Director of Education. In 2011, Lori and her quartet released a Christmas project titled “Christmas is Coming,” produced by Green Hill Production, which pays homage to the Charlie Brown Christmas. This album showcases Lori on piano, Roger Spencer on bass, Chris Brown on drums, and Andy Reiss on guitar. The GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK SERIES is a tribute to the diverse heritage of American music and the individuals and cultures that have shaped and preserved it.