Authentic Swing. Repertoire and Reputation. Charts and Chops.
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| repertoire and reputation | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Over many years, the Junius Courtney Big Band has developed a top-tier level of professionalism and musical dexterity. At the core of the band is a solid and exciting array of jazz material and a formidable level of musical execution. This exciting combination of “charts and chops” makes the band especially powerful and appealing. |
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With 300 tunes to choose from, the Junius Courtney Big Band’s “book” offers a wide assortment of jazz standards, originals and Latin jazz pieces: from the early days of jazz, through the swing era, the classics of Basie and Ellington, big band blues, and into the freshness of Thad Jones, Bob Mintzer and new, contemporary writing. From the intensely up-tempo to romantic ballads and boleros, the band adds exquisite vocal numbers, attuned to both concert and dance settings. |
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Jerry Cournoyer, noted trumpeter, past manager of the San Francisco Ballet and music mentor, arranged for the Junius Courtney Big Band for decades until his passing a few years ago. His genius and creativity informs many of the band’s charts, extending an intricacy, sophistication and surprise to the tunes that set this band apart from the usual. Cournoyer’s multi-layered take on standards and lush renderings of his own originals set a new standard for big band writing. There’s nothing “stock” about the Junius Courtney Big Band arrangements, as Cournoyer’s work is augmented by contributions from other band members, including gutsy blues from Frank Fisher, clear lines from Roberta Mandel and authentic swing from the pen of Junius Courtney.
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