The Miles Davis/Gil Evans collaboration resulted in a number of all-time great releases. This Jazz Garden Big Band concert celebrates these great artists with several of their classic arrangements and compositions.

The Jazzschool Studio Band, comprised of many of the finest high school musicians in the Bay Area, is a part of the Community Music School, a division of the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley, California. Students develop technique, knowledge of jazz style, and an ability to improvise through standard and contemporary big band repertoire. This ensemble performs frequently and participates in competitions throughout the U.S. Over the years, Jazzschool Studio Band has played at the Freight, Yoshi’s, the CJC, Savanna Jazz, and jazz festivals in California, New York, Seattle, Idaho, the Vienne Jazz Festival in France, the Montreux Jazz Festival, in Switzerland and the Umbria Jazz Festival in Perugia, Italy. The group has performed regularly at the Monterey Jazz Festival’s Next Generation national competition and won multiple Student Music Awards from downbeat magazine.

Website

Dave Eshelman is Director Emeritus of Jazz Studies at California State University, East Bay. Dave led the CSU East Bay Jazz Ensemble on four European concert tours (2000, 2003, 2005, 2007) as well as one tour to Brazil (2001). The band performed at the International Association of Jazz Education International Conference three times (1995, 1999, 2005). He has conducted the California CMEA All State Jazz Band, the Northern California Grammy In The Schools All Star Big Band and numerous district and county honor jazz bands.

The Jazz Garden Big Band features some of the most active freelance musicians in the bay area. Many have performed with the band for decades. Saxophones: Mary Fettig, Kasey Knudsen, Dann Zinn, Bob Kenmotsu and Bob Farrington. Trumpets Marvin McFadden, Rich Bice, Mike Olmos, Erik Jekabson. Trombones: Matt Hall, Jeanne Geiger, Dave Eshelman and Rich Lee. Piano, Colin Hogan; Guitar Randy Vincent; Bass, Dan Parenti; Drums, Kelly Fasman. 

“Conductor, trombonist, arranger, and composer Dave Eshelman has become one of the foremost champions of creative and modern music in the United States. The Jazz Garden Big Band must be considered a leader in the formation and presentation of big band music in the modern creative vein.” – Dave Nathan, All Music

Website