Big Bands of Today.

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.

Big Phat Band....not too many albums but alot of great players and performances when they do get together.

Glenn Miller Big Band is being kept alive and still puts on one hell of a show.

NDR (Germany) Big/Swing Band: want to hear what this monster ensemble is capable of, check out "21 Spices" from Trilok Gurtu.

If you don't know Trilok Gurtu, amazing Jazz Fusion drummer from the Far East, I suggest you grab 21 Spices and some other works of his that are more recent and check him out too....

Many others, no means an exhaustive list;

Len Phillips Big Band, Mike Lewis Big Band, Steve King Big Band, Steve Walker's Big Swing Band, Legends of Swing Big Band, Bobby Sanabria and his various ensembles, Bob Mintzer and his crew, Tommy Igoe and the BIrdland BIg Band....and many others!

Heard Bob Mintzer at the San Jose Jazz Fest a couple of years ago ... good stuff. Also, though he left us recently, Gerald Wilson was still producing great music right up 'til the end. I'm listening to his "The Mini Waltz" right now. Wynton's Jazz at Lincoln Center orchestra is more of a large ensemble (vs traditional Big Band), but still quite good; and it's usually well recorded.

Some really good choices already!

Joe Sullivan Big Band out of Canada, has very interesting music.

Another large ensemble that is fun is the Phil Norman Tenet.