Thad Jones Centennial + Special Guest Dave O’Higgins
Thad Jones Centennial + Special Guest Dave O’Higgins
Sun 17 November 2024
Stage time / 7:30pm
Doors / 6:30pm
Celebrating the Jazz Clubs
American trumpet player Thad Jones was one of the most influential composers and arrangers in jazz history. The US all-star line-up of Dick Oatts (alto sax), Gary Smulyan (baritone sax) and Joe Magnarelli (trumpet) pay tribute to this jazz music. The band will be joined by Dave O’Higgins.
Thad Jones was one of the most influential composers and arrangers in jazz history. As he would have celebrated his 100th birthday in 2023, Gary Smulyan approached Austrian drummer Bernd Reiter with the idea of a special ‘Centennial’ project to honour Thad with specialists of his music. And no one knows Thad’s repertoire better than Dick Oatts (alto sax), Gary Smulyan (baritone sax) and Joe Magnarelli (trumpet), who were closely associated with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra - now the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra - for more than 40 years. Thad’s music is mostly played by big bands all over the world. This project presents the music in a small group (sextet) setting, as many compositions by Thad were originally written for quintet/sextet and arranged for a big band at a later date.
Gary Smulyan -The baritone saxophonist is a four-time winner of the Down Beat Critic’s and Reader’s Poll and a multiple winner of numerous other official polls including the Jazz Journalists Award for Baritone Saxophonist of the Year. He is a six-time GRAMMY award winner for his work with B.B. King, Joe Lovano, Dave Holland and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.
Dick Oatts - Alto saxophonist Dick Oatts moved to New York City in 1977. Shortly thereafter, he joined the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra. Since then, he has toured, recorded, and performed as a sideman in small groups with Bob Brookmeyer, Red Rodney, Eddie Gomez, Mel Lewis, Jerry Bergonzi, Joe Lovano, Dom Salvador, Jon Faddis, David Berkman, Flim & the BBs, Ray Mantilla, Fred Hersch, Joe Morello, Lalo Schiffrin and others.
Joe Magnarelli - In 1986, trumpet ace Joe Magnarelli moved to New York City and joined vibes innovator Lionel Hampton’s Orchestra. That association led to tenures with organist Brother Jack McDuff’s septet & jazz singer laureate Jon Hendricks’s group amongst others. Also playing trumpet around the world with Aretha Franklin, Rosemary Clooney, Joe Williams, Mel Tormé, Johnny Mathis and the Glenn Miller Orchestra.
Thad Jones was one of the most influential composers and arrangers in jazz history. As he would have celebrated his 100th birthday in 2023, Gary Smulyan approached Austrian drummer Bernd Reiter with the idea of a special ‘Centennial’ project to honour Thad with specialists of his music. And no one knows Thad’s repertoire better than Dick Oatts (alto sax), Gary Smulyan (baritone sax) and Joe Magnarelli (trumpet), who were closely associated with the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra - now the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra - for more than 40 years. Thad’s music is mostly played by big bands all over the world. This project presents the music in a small group (sextet) setting, as many compositions by Thad were originally written for quintet/sextet and arranged for a big band at a later date.
Gary Smulyan -The baritone saxophonist is a four-time winner of the Down Beat Critic’s and Reader’s Poll and a multiple winner of numerous other official polls including the Jazz Journalists Award for Baritone Saxophonist of the Year. He is a six-time GRAMMY award winner for his work with B.B. King, Joe Lovano, Dave Holland and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.
Dick Oatts - Alto saxophonist Dick Oatts moved to New York City in 1977. Shortly thereafter, he joined the Thad Jones / Mel Lewis Orchestra. Since then, he has toured, recorded, and performed as a sideman in small groups with Bob Brookmeyer, Red Rodney, Eddie Gomez, Mel Lewis, Jerry Bergonzi, Joe Lovano, Dom Salvador, Jon Faddis, David Berkman, Flim & the BBs, Ray Mantilla, Fred Hersch, Joe Morello, Lalo Schiffrin and others.
Joe Magnarelli - In 1986, trumpet ace Joe Magnarelli moved to New York City and joined vibes innovator Lionel Hampton’s Orchestra. That association led to tenures with organist Brother Jack McDuff’s septet & jazz singer laureate Jon Hendricks’s group amongst others. Also playing trumpet around the world with Aretha Franklin, Rosemary Clooney, Joe Williams, Mel Tormé, Johnny Mathis and the Glenn Miller Orchestra.
