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Voted Best News for
Big-band Jazz Lovers: The Tennessee Jazz Orchestra! |
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J.Bradley Stauffer and the
Tennessee Jazz Orchestra
(TJO) have come to town - ready to swing, to play
great music, and to make you feel good. That's why the
TJO
performs, sharing its music with audiences all throughout greater Tennessee.
Bringing the music of the master jazz artists of our time to middle
Tennessee is a labor of love for the
TJO.
They have brought Duke Ellington's Nutcracker Suite and Stan Kenton's Merry
Christmas selections to the Blair Recital Hall, Vanderbilt University. Many
of the favorites of Buddy Rich, Count Basie, Walt Stuart, Sammy Nestico,
Arturo Sandoval, the Tonight Show Band and countless others have graced the
ears of our listening audience. |
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"The orchestra got its start in 1996, and
under the leadership of trumpeter J. Bradley Stauffer it has evolved into a
respected organization devoted to community and youth involvement."
...The Tennessean, July 20, 2000 |
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The
TJO
thrives on the spontaneity of live performance. They have performed at the
major Universities surrounding Nashville, and many of the local high schools
and middle schools. In the last 4 years, the
TJO has
performed at more than 50 venues ranging from the concert stage to outdoor
festivals and the classroom. |
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"For the younger people,
this is going to be a good introduction to the energy of big-band music, and
that's exciting." -- Chuck Chellman in The Tennessean, July 20, 2000
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The
TJO is
the highest quality fabric of ensemble blended from the sturdy fiber of our
rhythm section woven with the virtuosity of our saxophones, boldness of the
trombones, dazzle of the trumpets, all topped off with the vocal stylings of
Jeannie Dennis, Arnie Thies and Melissa Stauffer. Accessorize the outfit
with great custom charts and arrangements from the masters of jazz, and you
have an ensemble tailored to any occasion. |
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With each performance, each note you enjoy and move to,
the personality of the ensemble unwraps itself like a gift from a dear
friend. All the bandleaders; Kenton and Ellington in particular were well
acquainted with the effects of live performance. The work and the time spent
together let the TJO discover a common musical identity, but form a
close fellowship. It becomes a second family, and the bonds and battles of
family life enrich their musical dialogues, driving them on to new heights
of expression. |
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The arrangements performed are a mixture of the originals as
performed by the masters and those done especially for us. We hope you'll
appreciate the fresh sounds of these great pieces we have carefully put
together for this evening. Our performance will include a smorgasbord of
jazz treats from Dixieland to Funk. Bring your appetite and a fan! |
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"This band was put
together with two purposes in mind... To have a great big band, which they
have accomplished, and to introduce middle school and high school musicians
to that great experience of learning and developing with members of the
band."-- Chuck Chellman in The Tennessean, July 20, 2000 |
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"If you love Stan
Kenton, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, and the other masters of swing,
you'll dig the TJO. At their debut concert last December, they played a
knock-down version of Ellington's 'Nutcracker Suite'; the tunes were hip and
the cats were hep. An annual TJO concert would ensure a cool Yule for years
to come. Meanwhile, the orchestra has become a teaching orchestra, giving
young musicians a chance to play with the band at every gig." -- The
Nashville Scene, April 3, 1997 |
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