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Touring Big Band in San Diego
6/1/01 Press release: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The Jazz Project Big Band is “on the road!" The new aggregation of local musicians who started rehearsing two years ago in a back room saved for food collection for the homeless at All Hallows Catholic Church in La Jolla are making a debut “tour" of San Diego area restaurants. They will be appearing at Victor's Restaurant in Mission Bay area Monday, June 11th and at Humphrey's Backstage Lounge on Shelter Island, Monday, June 18th starting at 7:30 PM. They will complete their local travels at Dizzy's, 344 7th Ave., their home base for several packed performances, on Monday, June 25th beginning at 8PM. For fans of “real" big band jazz and powerful brass styles, the band provides the excitement of yesteryear and the sock of rock.
The jazz players enjoy getting together weekly, reading new music and playing for KICKS on Monday and under the organization and leadership of Michael Smith, recently retired music teacher from the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts. The band is comprised of some of the area's finest amateur and professional jazz musicians in the San Diego region. Many of the players lead their own commercial bands, but get together to play “big band" music for jazz fans who listen and enjoy the fun of fine jazz playing.
The soloists include such area favorites as trumpeter, Bruce Cameron, sax specialists, Dick McGuane, David Castel de Oro, and Gaspar Constantini. The music library includes arrangements by Tom Kubis, Dave Wolpe, Lennie Neihaus, and Sammy Nestico, the Basie band arranger for many years. Lead trumpet, Marty Conley provides the musical genius and many of the band's original arrangements. Clark Gault has recently joined the band and added his unique style to the music mix.
They are looking forward to playing in some public places to promote America's classical music, now made more important by Ken Burns's landmark PBS TV series, “Jazz." As we learned from watching the series “Live" jazz is rare and big bands are almost extinct because of commercial influences, but the opportunity to hear fine jazz in San Diego is on the ROAD even if the “miles" between stops is short and sweet.
For more info: Contact Mike Smith at 858-274-0139
The jazz players enjoy getting together weekly, reading new music and playing for KICKS on Monday and under the organization and leadership of Michael Smith, recently retired music teacher from the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts. The band is comprised of some of the area's finest amateur and professional jazz musicians in the San Diego region. Many of the players lead their own commercial bands, but get together to play “big band" music for jazz fans who listen and enjoy the fun of fine jazz playing.
The soloists include such area favorites as trumpeter, Bruce Cameron, sax specialists, Dick McGuane, David Castel de Oro, and Gaspar Constantini. The music library includes arrangements by Tom Kubis, Dave Wolpe, Lennie Neihaus, and Sammy Nestico, the Basie band arranger for many years. Lead trumpet, Marty Conley provides the musical genius and many of the band's original arrangements. Clark Gault has recently joined the band and added his unique style to the music mix.
They are looking forward to playing in some public places to promote America's classical music, now made more important by Ken Burns's landmark PBS TV series, “Jazz." As we learned from watching the series “Live" jazz is rare and big bands are almost extinct because of commercial influences, but the opportunity to hear fine jazz in San Diego is on the ROAD even if the “miles" between stops is short and sweet.
For more info: Contact Mike Smith at 858-274-0139
For more information contact All About Jazz.
