Packard big band swings with Welch for Christmas
Christmas favorites will get a big band approach with Jingle Bell Swing on Friday.
Singer Helen Welch will be backed by the Big Band Sound of Packard, directed by Daniel Carioti, for the annual concert.
Born in England, Welch is a frequent guest vocalist with the W.D. Packard Concert Band and its big band. She also has performed with the BBC Big Band and Glenn Miller Europe and appeared in such musicals as “Hello, Dolly!,” “Barnum,” “Carousel” and “42nd Street.”
She’s released five CDs, including the 2016 holiday collection “Home for Christmas.”
She also performs tribute shows to Karen Carpenter, and her most recent release is “Superstar: The Carpenters Reimagined.”
Jingle Bell Swing starts at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Packard Music Hall, 1703 Mahoning Ave. NW, Warren. Admission is free and funding is provided by the W.D. Packard trust.

