Westchester Jazz Orchestra to Swing and Rock on Nov. 16 in Irvington
Darryl Estrine photo
Since holding their first concert in October 2003, the Westchester Jazz Orchestra has drawn national recognition for the band’s “strikingly executed performances.” The magic of WJO will be on display once again as the group “Swings and Rocks: From ‘Trane to Herbie, Stevie to the Beatles” on Saturday, Nov. 16 at 8 p.m. at the Irvington Town Hall Theater. Jazz radio personality Gary Walker, long-time music director and morning show host at WBGO, 88.3 FM, will serve as MC.
The orchestra first received national attention with their debut CD, “All In “(2007), which charted #4 nationally. The band’s sophomore release, “Maiden Voyage Suite” (2011), brought even more recognition with superlative reviews: “nearly flawless” (DownBeat), “the result is epic” (AllAboutJazz), and “as near perfection as one could wish for” (Irish Times). WJO was also a runner up for “Best Big Band” in the national publication JazzTimes.
WJO has commissioned more than 160 new arrangements of classic works by jazz stalwarts Miles Davis, John Coltrane and Herbie Hancock and by pop artists Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, The Beatles and many more. The group also commissioned a significant original work written by Artistic Director Mike Holober and has delved into Bossa Nova, Tango and Afro-Cuban jazz.
The Nov. 16 concert will feature audience favorites from WJO’s diverse repertoire including the Beatles’ “Here Comes the Sun,” Stevie Wonder’s “Creepin’,” Herbie Hancock’s “Maiden Voyage” and Tom Jobim’s “Caminhos Cruzados.”
WJO’s co-founder and Executive Director Emily Tabin is set to retire after this concert, which is WJO’s last scheduled performance for the 2013-14 season.
“We are very sad to see Emily go,” said Holober. “She is WJO’s backbone. Her nonstop efforts to raise funds and build our audience have given us the freedom to create and perform truly great music, and we thank her for all she has done.”
Reserved seating tickets are $40 for adults, $35 for seniors and $15 for students. For tickets: call the theater box office at 914-591-6602 or visit www.westjazzorch.org or call the Westchester Jazz Orchestra at 914-861-9100.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.
