Boston Jazz Repertory Orchestra To Showcase Music of the Duke

7 February 2002 - Boston MA - The Boston Jazz Repertory Orchestra, under the artistic direction of Carl Atkins and Bill Lowe will kick-off their 2002 Winter/Spring Series with a special tribute to the music of Duke Ellington on Monday, February 11th at the Tremont Theatre in Downtown Boston. Saxophone legend, and former featured soloist with the orchestras of Lionel Hampton and Woody Herman, Andy McGhee will be joining the BJRO as Special Guest.

Boston's answer to the repertory big bands of New York (Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall), Chicago (Bill Russo's Chicago Jazz Orchestra) and Washington DC (Smithsonian), the BJRO was created to perform large ensemble music from across the whole spectrum of African-American creative music. The orchestra's repertoire ranges from the classic jazz repertory of artists like Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, or Sun Ra; to original compositions and arrangements by the band leaders; to work by unheralded masters like Bill Barron or James 'Jabbo' Ware; to contributions by band members and special guests. The BJRO has been profiled on WGBH's Greater Boston Arts and in the Boston Herald and the Boston Globe.

The orchestra's leaders are nationally acclaimed as performers and educators. Carl Atkins' experience includes performances and recordings with Gunther Schuller, George Russell, Bill Evans, Jaki Byard, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Jimmy Owens, John Faddis, and many others, and on the faculty of the New England Conservatory of Music. Bill Lowe has worked with Frank Foster, Henry Threadgill, James 'Jabbo' Ware, Clark Terry, Thad Jones/Mel Lewis, Muhal Richard Abrams, Bill Barron, and many others, and is on the faculty of Northeastern University.

The orchestra is made up of the leading musicians from the Boston community, ranging from established stars with international reputations to the brightest young emerging talents in the city, and includes acclaimed faculty members from Berklee School of Music, New England Conservatory, and Northeastern University.

The orchestra's members include saxophonists Bill Pierce, Allan Chase, Billy Thompson, Jason Hunter and Atkins, trumpeters Scott Aruda, Phil Grenadier and Taylor Ho Bynum, trombonists Bob Pilinkington Larry McClellan, Russell Jewell and Lowe, bassist Ron Mahdi, drummer Luther Gray, and additional members to-be-announced.

The February 11th concert will be a tribute to the greatest of twentieth century master composer, Duke Ellington, and will feature legendary Boston tenor saxophonist Andy McGhee as special guest. Currently a professor in the Woodwind Department at the Berklee College of Music, McGhee possesses an impressive list of credits, among which are stints as featured soloist with Lionel Hampton and Woody Herman. In addition, he has performed or recorded with such stellar jazz artists as Jimmy Wood, Clark Terry, Alan Dawson, Harry “Sweets" Edison, Benny Golson, and Junior Mance. Andy released his first CD as leader in 1993, entitled “Could It Be".

The Boston Jazz Repertory Orchestra will continue their 2002 Winter/Spring Series on March 11th and April 8th. The concert, and the BJRO Winter/Spring Series is produced and presented by the International Society (www.internationalsociety.org) and the Equinox Music Festival (www.jcmcsite.com). The Tremont Theatre is located at 276 Tremont Street, in Boston’s Theatre District, adjacent to the Wang Theatre. Tickets for the event are $10 (Senior Citizen and Student price: $7). For tickets, Press Credentials, scheduling and booking information, please call 617-560-6877 or email [email protected]