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John Patitucci: Celebrating Jazz Heroes
by R.J. DeLuke
As sayings go, “One man's trash is another man's treasure" is pretty straightforward, especially for those enamored with garage sales. For lovers of jazz music, it may hold a bit more significance, for it played a fateful role in the life of one of today's superlative artists in the genre. John Patitucci is one ...
"Maynard!" -- New Book About Maynard Ferguson Now Available
MAYNARD! becomes the first new book on bandleader and jazz trumpet phenomenon Maynard Ferguson in nearly a dozen years. It's 240 pages of raw MF as remembered in interviews by 30 musicians and others from his earliest U.S. gigs in the late 40s to the peak of his career on Columbia Records in the 70s. Grammy ...
Brett Favre Isn't The Only Comeback Kid
by Jack Bowers
The ink was barely dry on last month's report that trumpeter Rob Parton had decided to break up his superlative Chicago-based JazzTech Big Band after more than twenty years at the helm before Parton was back with a brand new ensemble, one whose purpose, he says, “is to mirror that of the European Radio Orchestras where ...
Jacksonville: Big City, Big Band, Big Plans
by Jack Bowers
Almost everyone who's even mildly interested knows that the big band scene in the US isn't what it used to be. On the other hand, the big bands aren't yet dead, as some alarmists have claimed, or even on life support. Thanks in part to college and armed services programs, there are perhaps as many or ...
Bob Florence Limited Edition / Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band / Dana Legg Stage Band / John Burnett Swing Orchestra
by Jack Bowers
Bob Florence Limited Edition Legendary MAMA 2009 “Legendary" is a word that is often misused and shamelessly over-used, and in this case entirely appropriate. Even though composer / arranger / pianist Bob Florence is no longer with us, and wasn't in the studio when his Limited Edition recorded ...
"Charlie O's is the Best Jazz Club in L.A." -Clint Eastwood
JULY JAZZ at CHARLIE O's Charlie O's is the coolest place to be for the hottest jazz this July. We celebrate our own John Heard’s birthday with a big celebration on the 3rd, a birthday party for Slyde Hyde on the 5th, a birthday celebration for Ron Jones on the 12th with his 22 ...
Jack Nimitz: Baritone-in-Chief
by Jack Bowers
Baritone saxophonist Jack Nimitz died June 10, 2009 at his home in Studio City, California. He was 79 years old. That's hardly headline news except to a relative handful of jazz enthusiasts who were privileged to hear and appreciate his consummate artistry over the span of more than half a century when Nimitz was at the ...
Fred Forney: Chasing Horizons
by John Barron
Phoenix, Arizona-based trumpeter/composer Fred Forney has performed with a host of jazz heavies, including Bob Mintzer, Don Menza, and Roger Kellaway, and has toured internationally with the Bobby Caldwell Big Band. Chasing Horizons is Forney's second release as a leader and debut for OA2 records. The disc is a high energy progressive jazz session featuring tenor ...
"A Swingin' Affair" Outshines Its Name
by Jack Bowers
With an appreciative bow and genial tip of the hat to the late Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra, the Los Angeles Jazz Institute named its semi-annual big-band soiree May 21-24 at the Sheraton LAX Four Points Hotel “A Swingin' Affair." Was the event able to live up to its name? In the immortal words of ...
West Valley Jazz Orchestra Renamed San Jose Jazz Orchestra
San Jose Jazz and West Valley Jazz announced a collaboration to provide enhanced performance and education programs to music fans throughout Silicon Valley. As part of the collaboration, the West Valley Jazz Orchestra will be renamed the 'San Jose Jazz Orchestra' and will continue under the leadership of Artistic Director, Gus Kambeitz. San Jose Jazz will ...
