Big Band Report
The 29th Annual IAJE Conference: A Jazz Merry-Go-Round
by Jack Bowers
This article was first published on All About Jazz in February 2002. As always, the annual Conference of the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE for short) in January was an absolute blast and as always, there was far too much going on for any mere mortal to see, hear and experience in four swiftly passing days. But we did the best we could. This year's 29th annual event was held January 9-12, 2002 at the ...
Continue ReadingThe 27th Annual IAJE Conference: New Orleans And All That Jazz
by Jack Bowers
This article was first published on All About Jazz in March 2000. The 27th annual Conference of the International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE), held January 12-15, 2000 in the birthplace of Jazz, New Orleans, left me with mixed emotions but no visible wounds (unlike Anaheim the year before, where I managed to fall down twice, skinning a knee and splitting my forehead open). On the one hand, the yearly get-together of Jazz educators, musicians, industry ...
Continue ReadingThe 26th Annual IAJE Conference: A Memorable Event
by Jack Bowers
This article was first published on All About Jazz in February 1999. The 26th Annual Conference of the International Association of Jazz Educators (IAJE) was held January 6-10, 1999 at the Disneyland Resort Hotel and Convention Center in Anaheim, California, and if there was one meaningful lesson to be learned by these Jazz mentors about the choice of venue, it is that bigger ain't necessarily better. But more about that later. We should first report ...
Continue ReadingLos Angeles Jazz Institute Festival - Woodchopper's Ball: Part 4-4
by Simon Pilbrow
Los Angeles Jazz Institute Festival “Woodchoppers' Ball" Four Points by Sheraton at LAX Los Angeles, CA May 23-27, 2018 Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 Panel 3: Cousins -Moderated by Ken Borgers Moderated by Ken Borgers, this panel featured Woody Herman alumni from the last phase of Woody's band and life, the 1980s. These were trumpeters Ron Stout and Mark Lewis, saxophonists Mike Brignola, Jerry ...
Continue ReadingLos Angeles Jazz Institute Festival - Woodchopper's Ball: Part 3-4
by Simon Pilbrow
Los Angeles Jazz Institute Festival “Woodchoppers' Ball" Four Points by Sheraton at LAX Los Angeles, CA May 23-27, 2018 Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 Concert 8: The Herdsmen -Bobby Shew meets Larry McKenna Trumpeter Bobby Shew is a well- known alumnus of the mid-1960s Woody Herman Herd, and has had a high profile career in jazz as a trumpeter and educator. Tenor saxophonist Larry ...
Continue ReadingLos Angeles Jazz Institute Festival - Woodchopper's Ball: Part 2-4
by Simon Pilbrow
Los Angeles Jazz Institute Festival “Woodchoppers' Ball" Four Points by Sheraton at LAX Los Angeles, CA May 23-27, 2018 Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 Concert 4: Keen and Peachy: Music of the Woody Herman Second Herd -Directed by Michael Berkowitz Woody Herman's Second Herd was one of the most exciting bands of early modern jazz, and achieved a high level of performance as it ...
Continue ReadingLos Angeles Jazz Institute Festival - Woodchopper's Ball: Part 1-4
by Simon Pilbrow
Los Angeles Jazz Institute Festival “Woodchoppers' Ball" Four Points by Sheraton at LAX Los Angeles, CA May 23-27, 2018 Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 The Los Angeles Jazz Institute (LAJI), under Ken Poston, has continued for some thirty years to keep alive and celebrate jazz and its rich legacy, largely, but not exclusively, focused on West Coast Jazz, curating a large archive of recorded ...
Continue ReadingLos Angeles Jazz Institute Festival "Big Band Spectacular" 2017, Part 2-4
by Simon Pilbrow
Los Angeles Jazz Institute Festival Big Band Spectacular LAX Westin Hotel Los Angeles, CA May 24-28, 2017 Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 Jimmy Giuffre's classic, “Four Brothers," has been a much-loved anthem of the Woody Herman band since his Second Herd, and a great jazz landmark. Traditionally a saxophone tour-de-force, this performance was a recasting for big band of Brent's earlier clarinet choir arrangement ...
Continue ReadingLos Angeles Jazz Institute Festival "Big Band Spectacular" 2017, Part 3-4
by Simon Pilbrow
Los Angeles Jazz Institute Festival Big Band Spectacular LAX Westin Hotel Los Angeles, CA May 24-28, 2017 Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 Saddleback Jazz Combo The young Saddleback five piece jazz combo featured a tenor and baritone sax frontline, with a rhythm section of guitar, electric bass and and a fine young drummer. They presented a loose set of Real Book 1950s-60s ...
Continue ReadingLos Angeles Jazz Institute Festival "Big Band Spectacular" 2017, Part 4-4
by Simon Pilbrow
Los Angeles Jazz Institute Festival Big Band Spectacular LAX Westin Hotel Los Angeles, CA May 24-28, 2017 Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 Roger Neumann's Rather Large Band Roger Neumann has led this happy band for many decades. One current member, trumpeter Jack Coan, was also a foundation member in 1975. They play a repertoire of standards and classic jazz tunes, using the ...
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