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Ira B. Liss

Ever since the early 1970's, Ira was destined in life to be a band leader. A drum major/saxophonist at Patrick Henry High School in San Diego, California, he was voted most valuable band member his senior year. In the local, regional and national scenes, Ira acquired extensive experiences in all phases of the music and entertainment industry. From music management, retail/wholesale products, talent acquisition, concert production & promotion, to jazz education and recording production.

Ira B. Liss, at 6 feet 7 inches tall, is Southern California's most imminently watchable bandleader of San Diego’s favorite Big Band: The Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine, his 18-piece jazz orchestra which he started in 1979.

His performance credits include work with such world renowned artists as: Bobby Caldwell, Harry Connick, Sr., Rob McConnell, Barney Kessel, Stan Kenton, George Shearing, Bob Mintzer, Barbara Morrison, Peter Sprague, Charles McPherson, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Pete Barbutti, Bill Acosta, Bernie Dresel, Holly Hofmann, The Nelson Riddle Orchestra, Shirley Jones, Thad Jones, Blue Mitchell, Chuck Findley, Bob Summers, Gary Foster, Don Menza, John Guerin and The Jimmy Maxwell Orchestra, Eric Marienthal, Bruce Babad, Wayne Bergeron, Dean Brown, Bill Cantos and Gilbert Castellanos, Bob Stone, Louie Bellson, and Howie Lindeman.

His productions skills in the recording studio have produced 5 compacts discs that all have received international recognition. First Impressions in 1995; Everything Under The Sun in 1999 (Best Jazz CD - San Diego Music Awards); Symphomaniacs in 2002; It’s About Time in 2013 (Voted one of the Top Ten Jazz CD’s of 2013 by KSDS Jazz 88.3 FM) featuring Dean Brown, Gilbert Castellanos, Eric Marienthal, Bill Cantos and Wayne Bergeron; and Tasty Tunes in 2018 featuring Holly Hofmann, Bob Mintzer, Eric Marienthal and Dean Brown.

Mr. Liss is a lifetime member of Phi Mu Alpha and Kappa Kappa Psi.

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Radio & Podcasts

Don Ellis, Joe Williams & Ira B. Liss

Read "Don Ellis, Joe Williams & Ira B. Liss" reviewed by Joe Dimino


The heat of summer has Neon Jazz thinking about big bands and orchestras. For the 705th show on June 16, we start off with big band leader Ira B. Liss and the Big Band Jazz Machine with a cut from his 2020 release Mazel Tov Kocktail. We also hear from a sextet with Joseph Herbst off This is Our Environment. We also profile some talented cats (past and present) with solid outfits backing them up including Don Ellis, Ted Moore, ...

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Album Review

Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine: Mazel Tov Kocktail!

Read "Mazel Tov Kocktail!" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Any big band that has been alive and kicking for forty-two years surely deserves a Mazel Tov or two. Ira B. Liss formed his San Diego-based Big Band Jazz Machine in 1979, and it has been standing tall on the local scene ever since. Although the band puts its best foot forward at the outset on this spicy Kocktail!, producing a lively kick on guest Andrew Neu's irrepressible “Gimme That," the remainder of the session is more a mixed drink, ...

1
Album Review

Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine: Tasty Tunes

Read "Tasty Tunes" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Tasty Tunes is the fifth CD by Ira B. Liss' stalwart San Diego-based Jazz Machine, which was formed almost forty years ago, in 1979--a span that, when reckoned in big-band years, is much closer to a century or more. While other bands have come and gone the Jazz Machine has adamantly stayed the course, presenting dynamic big-band jazz to its southern California audiences without watering down the leader's guiding principle, which is to ensure that the music is always creative ...

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Extended Analysis

Ira B. Liss: It's About Time

Read "Ira B. Liss: It's About Time" reviewed by Jack Bowers


So are there any first-rate big bands worth hearing in California outside of the Los Angeles area? So happy you asked. As a matter of fact, San Diego is solidly entrenched in that position thanks to the superb Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine which, coincidentally, has recorded a spectacular new album, It's About Time. Even though the Jazz Machine is now thirty-five years old, its various working parts remain untarnished, ensuring that no mishaps or glitches arise to ...

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Album Review

Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine: Everything Under the Sun

Read "Everything Under the Sun" reviewed by Jack Bowers


The second release by the San Diego–based Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine is quite well–named. Perhaps an even better name would have been “everything but the kitchen sink.” The band is all over the map in a session that is evidently designed to showcase its many talents for the purpose of securing gigs. Along the way, the BBJM touches bases with Louis Prima (twice), Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Johnny Mandel, Kool & the Gang, Cole Porter, ...

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Recording

Ira B. Liss Big Band Machine Releases 'Mazel Tov Kocktail!' - A Celebration Of 40 Years, Coming January 15, 2021

Ira B. Liss Big Band Machine Releases 'Mazel Tov Kocktail!' - A Celebration Of 40 Years, Coming January 15, 2021

Source: Mouthpiece Music

Mazel Tov Kocktail!, the newest recording by the Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine, is a swinging, rollicking collection of new and standard big band numbers performed by a tight-knit group of top-notch musicians. The band is well known in Southern California for its fun and engaging performances that have often featured some of the top names in jazz, like Bob Mintzer, Barbara Morrison, Wayne Bergeron, Holly Hofmann, and Eric Marienthal, to name just a few. Ira Liss formed ...

Recording

The Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine Releases "It's About Time" -- Includes un-recorded Maynard Ferguson Composition

Source: Ira B. Liss

San Diego, CA: TallMan Productions is thrilled to announce the release of the latest album from The Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine, It's About Time available everywhere on August 8, 2013. It's About Time is the 4th CD release by The Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine, an 18- piece Big Band that has been swinging the Southern California music scene for the last 34 years. Featuring some of San Diego's best jazz musicians and voted Best ...

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