JazzMN Big Band Features Grammy-Winner Bob Florence in 'Jazz Writing at Its Best'

JazzMN Big Band Features Grammy-Winner Bob Florence in 'Jazz Writing at Its Best'

Saturday, January 21, 2006, 7:30 PM Hopkins High School Performing Arts Center

"Florence's arrangements are among the most colorful (and challenging) in jazz." -- Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Grammy-winning composer-arranger Bob Florence will be the guest artist with the JazzMN Big Band in "Jazz Writing at Its Best" on Saturday, January 21, 2006, at 7:30 PM, under the direction of Dr. Douglas Snapp at the Hopkins High School Performing Arts Center, 2400 Lindbergh Drive, one half-mile off Highway 169, west on Cedar Lake Road.

Tickets are $25.00 main floor, $23.00 balcony. Student Rush $10.00 at the door. Twin Cities Jazz Society and KBEM Jazz88 members receive $5.00 discount for series tickets. Call Ticket Works at 651-209-6689 or visit http://www.ticketworks.com/ .

The program will open with the Count Basie classic In A Mellow Tone, the New York Voices arrangement of Smack Dab in the Middle, the exciting salsa Rompe Cabeza, and closes the first half with Gordon Goodwin's Jazz Police (similar to Peter Gunn). Bob Florence compositions and arrangements performed in this concert include Night Train, Sugar, Emily, and The Limited Edition Express.

Bob Florence has garnered national and international acclaim as a jazz composer, arranger, bandleader, keyboardist, accompanist, and educator. Florence began his lifelong study of music before he was even four years old. At age 19, he abandoned his classical studies in order to devote his time to playing shows, accompanying singers, and jamming with jazz groups. As one of the premier bandleaders of his age, Bob Florence and his orchestra, the Limited Edition, show no signs of slowing down or taking the easy way out.

The five-piece vocal jazz group, MSU Jazz Singers from Minnesota State University, Mankato, will be the featured vocalists for this concert.

The JazzMN Big Band personnel: alto saxophone, Brian Grivna and Dave Milne; tenor saxophone, Dave Karr and Dale Mendenhall; baritone saxophone, Kathy Jensen; trombone, Michael Nelson, Dave Graf and Ethan Freier; bass trombone, Wade Clark; trumpet, Bob Hallgrimson, Bernie Edstrom, Dave Jensen and Tim Sullivan; guitar, Dave Singley; piano, Mary Louise Knutson; bass, Ron Evanuik; drums, Joe Pulice. For further information go to http://www.jazzmn.org/ .

Source: JazzMN Big Band

CONTACT: Georgia Gould-Lyle for JazzMN Big Band, +1-763-546-8715

Web site: http://www.jazzmn.org/

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