FC Jazz Band Performs at the Los Angeles Jazz Institute’s Festival Honoring Stan Kenton
On November 4, the Fullerton College Jazz Band, directed by Bruce Babad, performed at the Los Angeles Jazz Institute’s event honoring the music of jazz legend Stan Kenton. People came from all over the world to attend the four-day event filled with concerts, panel discussions, film showings and special presentations.
“We have been charged with recreating Stan Kenton’s album, The Stage Door Swings.” said Babad. The album featured twelve classic Broadway musical tunes performed with jazz style. The music required extreme ranges of brass instruments from high trumpets to low trombones.
A typical jazz band has eight brass players, but the arrangements from Stan Kenton’s album required ten. To achieve the fuller brass sound, Babad enlisted new full time faculty member and brass specialist Chad Willis to play with the jazz band.
The Fullerton College Jazz Band was one of only two colleges in the nation asked to perform at this year’s festival. They have been performing for the Los Angeles Jazz Institute Jazz Festival for over ten years.
