Swampscott’s community jazz orchestra, the Blue Big Band, will perform Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s Far East Suite on Sunday, April 12, at 2 p.m. in the Swampscott High School auditorium.
Swampscott resident and world-class jazz musician Timo Shanko will direct and conduct the band. Shanko has focused the ensemble on Ellington and Strayhorn’s work to give both musicians and audiences a deeper appreciation of the American jazz masters.
“Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn wrote this suite in 1965. Of all the great suites they wrote,” Shanko said, “this is the musician’s choice and favorite. The Far East Suite has been considered the pinnacle of Ellington’s incredible and voluminous output.”
The suite was inspired by Ellington’s tour of Asia. Jazz critic Dan Morgenstern wrote in his review that Ellington “added the colors and textures of the Orient to his brilliant palette and has given us riches on top of riches.” It is also one of the last albums recorded during Strayhorn’s lifetime to feature his compositions. The album won a Grammy Award in 1968 for Best Instrumental Jazz Performance – Large Group or Soloist with Large Group.
“This score and rendition has been given the utmost care and devotion to bring to you the most authentic read possible of this masterful score,” Shanko said. “Please join us.”
The Blue Big Band’s musicians are:
- Aria Balliro
- Owen Begin
- Mariel Cataldi
- JoE Douillette
- Deb Eames
- Sara Ewing
- Andrew Fogliano
- Clark Hubeny
- Matthew Jensen
- Arnie Krakowsky
- Joe Krell
- Caylan Laundrie
- Erik Lawless
- Terry Lorber
- Chris Mancini
- Michael McClung
- Don McElroy
- Charlie O’Neil
- Jessica Sapp
- Valerie Sweeney
- Michael Walsh
The Blue Big Band is a program of the Swampscott Senior Center, where members can participate free of charge as instrumentalists or attend rehearsals and concerts.
“The Blue Big Band project provides senior citizens a cross-generational social event with music from their generation,” said Heidi Whear, the Senior Center director. “We have several members who never miss a concert.”
Sunday’s event will open with a performance by Swampscott High School senior Aria Pace Balliro, who will study jazz voice at McGill University in the fall.
“It’s exciting to be able to bring my music to life and experience that communication with musicians that have the same love for the songs that I do,” Balliro said. “I think jazz in a live setting is so unique because of the different ways that every piece can be expressed depending on the interpretations of different musicians.”
The Swampscott Cultural Council is supporting the band this year with funding for promotion and marketing. Band members also contribute financially to help sustain the program. These funds, along with ticket sales, allow the band to hire Shanko and produce concerts.
Sunday’s event is free for seniors and youth and costs $10 for all others.
