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The Charlotte Jazz Orchestra is the latest morph of a series of big bands that began with Bill Hanna's Sunday Night band back in the 1970s. The interim bands were kind of cooperative groups, assembling some of the Charlotte area's finest jazz musicians, rehearsing in various venues such as UNC Charlotte, Jon Thornton's rehearsal space, and finally-through the efforts of Arts & Communications Director Scott Bauer (himslf a very fine jazz trumpet player!), the group took up residence at Central Piedmont Community College, and assumed the respectability of being listed as a course there--The CPCC Community Jazz Band. CPCC has an excellent jazz program, featuring classes in Instrumental and Vocal Improvisation, Jazz History, and featuring another student big band led by Bill Hanna. The Jazz Orchestra gives at least one performance each semester in the beautiful Halton Theater-adjacent to the Music Building, and has in the past performed at events like an IAJE Conference in Atlanta, and more recently for a function in Leesburg, VA. Currently, the CJO includes sixteen musicians, drawn from a wide variety of professional players, several of whom are also educators from the ranks of colleges and universities, public schools.
This spring, May 5th, the band will bring a nationally-known west-coast star Bobby Shew here to perform with the band. Bobby is one of the best-known jazz trumpet players in America. His credits includes stints with the NORAD Band, Tommy Dorsey and Buddy Rich, and regular playing in tv and movies. It is hoped that Bobby will include an open clinic for high school and college students during his visit in May.
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