Big Bands of Today.

Vanguard Jazz Orchestra...Keeping the long time tradition of the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra alive Monday night at the Village Vanguard.The band became a focus for Bob Brookmeyer's writing and now has a life of it's own.
Maria Schneider! The new reincarnation of the Gil Evans Orchestra.The Mingus dynasty,now an ad hoc "ghost" band with lots of fire and imagination.
Gordon Goodwin big phat band.A bit more mainstream and prone to excessive energy and high cardio workout.
Just a few mentioned here and I lament the demise of the powerful,imaginative and distinct Toshiko Akiyoshi- Lew Tabackin Big Band that won every Grammy for years.After relocating to New York it Became the Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Orchestra,not sure where Lew fit into the frame work of this later band.Not sure if there even IS a version of this band now?
Truth be told...impossible to write,arrange,rehearse and then get gigs for a big band.Not to mention getting everybody together at the same place and same time...Pay? Think labor of love!
Anything less then 12 players would be hard to consider a big band in my estimation to properly execute brass,reeds and rhythm.
It is a dying and almost dead tradition,roadkill,sadly.

Czarivey, have you heard Lavay Smith? Her and the band she sings with are remarkable. She is from the SF area and plays around the country as Lavay Smith and Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers!

Don Scaletta and the Jazz Project Salutes Stan Kenton. Great music, great recording and sonics. Very "first row" in terms of clarity and macrodynamics without becoming overly hot or artificial.