The swing of things

When one door closes, another one opens. For Artie Barsamian, the door that closed was an almost gig with the Stan Kenton Orchestra. When the sax and clarinet player was to start with the band, his father died, so the young musician returned to Boston to take care of his family. A door opened when Barsamian formed a six-piece band to play his native Armenian music, dubbing him "King of Armenian Swing." Another door opened more than 30 years ago when the bandleader formed Artie Barsamian's Boston Big Band in the style of Benny Goodman and Stan Kenton. 8 p.m. $25. Arsenal Center for the Arts Charles Mosesian Theater, 321 Arsenal St., Watertown. 617-923-8487. www.arsenalarts.org