COLOMBUS OHIO -- The Backstage at the Lincoln concert will feature a mixture of jazz standards and holiday classics, led by organist Vernon Hairston.

Two upcoming holiday concerts will feature local jazz artists. The King Arts Complex will present the Holiday Jazz Celebration on Saturday, Dec. 1, at 7 p.m. in the Barbara R. Nicholson Auditorium, 867 Mt. Vernon Ave. The Backstage at the Lincoln Series will feature the Vernon Hairston Trio on Wednesday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m. at the Lincoln Theatre, 769 E. Long St. Columbus jazz vocalist Mary McClendon will appear in both concerts.

In addition to McClendon, the Holiday Jazz Concert at the King Arts Complex will feature Jeanette Williams and Dolly King. The vocalists will perform a selection of familiar holiday songs, with a jazzy spin. The event will be accompanied by a special tree lighting ceremony in the Amos H. Lynch Plaza in front of the King Arts Complex.

The Backstage at the Lincoln concert will feature a mixture of jazz standards and holiday classics, led by organist Vernon Hairston.

Hairston holds degrees in jazz composition and vocal performance from Ohio State, where he studied with jazz legend Hank Marr. Formed in 2006, Hairston’s jazz trio includes Reggie Jackson on drums and Dwight Bailey on bass, with Hairston on piano and vocals. The trio performed at the Tuskegee Airmen’s 50-year reunion and has been featured at the Columbus Jazz and Rib Fest.

Mary McClendon has been a regular on the central Ohio jazz scene since graduating from Marion Franklin High School and the Columbus College of Art and Design. She has shared the stage wit many jazz greats, including Sarah Vaughan, Benny Carter and Harry “Sweets” Edison. Most recently, she portrayed Billie Holiday in the acclaimed play “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill.”

For tickets and more information about the Holiday Jazz Concert at the King Arts Complex, call (614) 645-5464 or visit Kingartscomplex.com. For tickets and more information about the “Backstage at the Lincoln” concert series, call (614) 469-0939 or visit Lincolntheatrecolumbus.com.