Vanguard Jazz Orchestra - Riverside Live!
Saturday, May 07, 2011; 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM
Presentation Hall
On Sale to general public August 23, 2010; 10:00am
Tickets: $21.00/$15.50
The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra is the current title for a band that began life as the Thad Jones-Mel Lewis Orchestra in 1966 and has performed continuously ever since.
The story is familiar but bears repeating, that in 1966, cornetist/composer/arranger Thad Jones and drummer Mel Lewis founded a band in New York. Having settled in New York after leaving their respective touring jobs with Basie and Kenton, Thad and Mel along with many of their colleagues needed an outlet for their creative energies and relief from the tedium of the studio work. With a handful of arrangements they approached legendary club owner Max Gordon and were booked at the Village Vanguard for 3 Mondays in February. Critical acclaim, awards and international success followed, but in 1979, tired of frequent traveling and the economic uncertainty that even great jazz musicians endure in America, Thad left the band to accept leadership of the Danish Radio Orchestra in Copenhagen.
Mel decided to continue the band, now billed as Mel Lewis and the Jazz Orchestra, and enlisted the talents of his old friend and former band member Bob Brookmeyer who, miraculously, was just returning to active playing and composing in New York. The band not only survived, but with Brookmeyer's writing, continued the innovation and influence that Thad and Mel had began. Bob moved on to other projects and ultimately also settled in Europe, the new material coming from within the band now. In 1990, the band would endure a terrible blow when Mel Lewis died after a 5 year battle with cancer. For the members, all of whom had been there 5 years and several over 10, losing Mel was a deep family tragedy, for great bands invariably become families. They are also teams; and in this spirit decided to continue the band as a cooperative effort. (When asked who was "fronting" the band one of the veterans was heard snapping "...the music".)
So three weeks has become a permanent gig spanning over four decades and another name change; to the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. Several of the current key members played for Thad, so the original precepts of sound and swinging are proudly held and displayed while the other original precepts of creativity and experimentation are nurtured and encouraged. The Village Vanguard is still a great place to be on a Monday night no matter which side of the bandstand you're on.
The orchestra's recording titled The Way - Music of Slide Hampton won a Grammy® in 2004 for "Best Arrangements for Jazz Orchestra". Their 2005 recording Up from the Skies, the music of the ensemble's pianist, composer and arranger, Jim McNeely, was nominated for two Grammy® awards including "Best Jazz Ensemble". Their last new recording, Monday Night at The Village Vanguard, received a Grammy® nomination for "Best Instrumental Arrangement" (Bob Brookmeyer for "St. Louis Blues") and won the Grammy® Award for the "Best Large Jazz Ensemble".
This 16-piece modern big band established by Thad Jones and Mel Lewis continues its Monday night tradition at the world famous Village Vanguard night club in Greenwich Village.
BOX OFFICE
Located in the Mayo Civic Center at 30 Civic Center Drive in Rochester Minnesota.
Tickets purchased in person incur no convenience fees.
| Box Office Hours |
How To Buy |
Event Information |
Monday - Friday
10:00am to 5:30pm
Saturday
10:00am to 2:00pm
Sunday Closed
Open also one hour before ticketed events. |
Charge by Phone
800-745-3000
Ticketmaster Retail Outlets
(No Rochester Location)
See Seating Chart & Buy Online
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507-328-2222
In State Toll Free
1-800-422-2199 |
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