BuJazzO: That's German for Swinging Big Band Jazz

Jack Bowers

Senior Contributor since 1997

A former newspaper writer / editor who has been writing about big-band Jazz for more than fifteen years.

Recent articles (1,749 total)

Published: September 4, 2011

The schedule for the Los Angeles Jazz Institute's October event, "Modern Sounds: Celebrating the West Coast Sound," arrived August 15 via e-mail from the LAJI's head man, Ken Poston, and it is a humdinger. No less than twenty-six concerts (four poolside), four films, seven special presentations and a panel discussion with "the masters"—Bill Holman, Russ Garcia, Gerald Wilson, Johnny Mandel—in only four days (October 20-23) at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotel. But wait! (as the TV commercials say), there's more! On Monday, October 24, the LAJI is presenting a day-long celebration of bandleader Stan Kenton's 100th anniversary, featuring an array of Kenton alumni taking part in concerts, panel discussions and a special "meet the alumni" reception. Alumni scheduled to attend include Holman, Bob Curnow, Howard Rumsey, Peter Erskine, Carl Saunders, Steve Huffsteter, Joel Kaye, Bill Trujillo, Al Yankee, Dave Stone, Larry McGuire and John Mitchell, with more to be announced. This is an extra event not included in registration for "Modern Sounds."

"Modern Sounds" will cover many aspects of "West Coast Jazz" from the 1950s onward with concerts devoted to the music of Shelly Manne, Pete Rugolo, Shorty Rogers, Gerry Mulligan, Bud Shank, Bob Cooper, Johnny Richards, Jack Montrose, Russ Freeman, Don Fagerquist, Jimmy Giuffre, John Graas, Marty Paich and Spud Murphy. Besides Holman, Garcia, Wilson and Mandel, bands and other groups will be led by Dave Pell, Peter Erskine, Terry Gibbs (the Woody Herman Alumni Band), Fred Selden, Joel Kaye, Don Shelton, Bobby Shew, Nathan Tanouye, Carl Saunders, Duane Tatro and Lanny Morgan. For information, phone 562-200-5477 or go online to www.lajazzinstitute.org

In Case You Missed It . . .

Jazz concerts are still being held each Monday evening at the New York City Baha'i Center's Dizzy Gillespie Auditorium, 53 E. 11th St. (between University Place and Broadway). Many of these events involve big bands. If you're in the area, check these out: September 13, the Russ Kassoff Big Band with vocalist Catherine Dupuis; September 20, the Gary Morton Latin Big Band: PanAmericana!; October 11, Daoud David Williams and the Spirit of Life Ensemble; October 18, Dizzy Gillespie 94th Birthday Celebration with Mike Longo's NY State of the Art Big Band and vocalist Hilary Gardner; October 25, The Aggregation directed by trumpeter Cecil Bridgewater; November 1, Charli Persip's "Supersound" Big Band; December 13, The Frank Perowsky Big Band. For information, phone 212-674-8998.

Another Farewell

Scott Petersen, a musician we'd become accustomed to seeing and hearing at LAJI events in Los Angeles, died August 15 of complications from a lung infection. He was fifty-one years old. Petersen, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, who was a first-call saxophonist in Detroit for many years before moving to the San Francisco Bay area in 1995, was born with cystic fibrosis, a congenital lung disease that is usually fatal in childhood. Petersen defied the odds by not only living past fifty but becoming a world-class saxophonist in spite of his illness, then learning to play again after undergoing a full lung transplant several years ago. Petersen was a fixture with trumpeter Mike Vax's Stan Kenton Alumni Band and was looking forward to the band's upcoming tour. Goodbye, Scott; thanks for the memories.

And that's it for now. Until next time, keep swingin' . . . !

New and Noteworthy

1. The H2 Big Band, You're It! (Jazzed Media)
2. Captain Black Big Band, Untitled (Posi-Tone)
3. Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band, That's How We Roll (Telarc)
4. Dave Stahl Band, From A to Z (Abee Cake)
5. Fred Hess Big Band, Into the Open (Alison)
6. Tempest Little Big Band, 'Round Midnight (Tempest Jazz)
7. Knoxville Jazz Orchestra, Fleet Street (Max Frank Music)
8. Peter Tenner Jazz Orchester, 10117 Berlin (Mons)
9. Clarke / Boland Big Band, Complete Live Recordings at Ronnie Scott's (Rearward)
10. Brooks Tegler Big Band, That's It! (Maxngruber Records)
11. UNT Two O'Clock Lab Band, Under the Radar (UNT Jazz)
12. Magnetic Big Band, Repetition (Black & Blue)
13. Cal State-Long Beach Concert Jazz Orchestra, Great Northern Express (No Label)
14. Jamie Begian Big Band, Big Fat Grin (Innova)
15. University of Missouri Concert Jazz Band, Vertigo (AW Jazz)