Premiere big band makes their Rubber City return with a swingin' & spirited show featuring the music of revered jazz educator, trombonist & composer, Chas Baker!
The Jazz Heritage Orchestra (JHO) is a professional not-for-profit performance and education ensemble. Composed of outstanding jazz performers who are also music educators, JHO and has performed and conducted youth education workshops throughout all of Northeast Ohio. Formed in 1998, it was soon invited to be in residence at Cleveland State University‘s Black Studies Department. Jazz Heritage Orchestra works to preserve and perpetuate the musical heritage of the great jazz masters while also creating a platform for current jazz composers and musicians. The band has had the pleasure of making music with such artists as Benny Golson, Clark Terry, Nancy Wilson and many others.
"In a thoroughly contemporary twist on the classic jazz lore tradition of the territory band, the Jazz Heritage Orchestra reflects the contributions of an impressive range of musicians from several points on the Midwestern map..." - Willard Jenkins (journalist for JazzTimes, Downbeat, BET On Jazz, WPFW)
Get your tickets now as we showcase this incredibly polished jazz orchestra in their return to BLU! Featuring Brad Wagner, Chris Coles, Chris Burge, Johnny Cochran, David Kay, Chris Anderson, Jimmy Redmond, Zach Warren, Aaron Thornberry, Mike Wade, Scott Mckee, Matt Bott, Jim Rupp, Glen Holmes, Bobby Ferrazza, Paul Johnston, Evelyn Wright, Dennis Bradley Reynolds (artistic director), Chas Baker (conductor).
––
About Chas Baker
Trombonist Chas Baker recently retired from Kent State University where he was an associate professor of Jazz Studies and led the KSU Jazz Ensemble. His background includes experience as a soloist for the Austrian Radio & TV Network Big Band in Vienna, Austria. In 1968-69, as a U.S. Army band man, he was trombone soloist with the 1st Air Cavalry Division Band, Viet Nam. Chas has been a very active player with the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra and in that capacity has performed behind guest artists including Bob Brookmeyer, Joe Lovano, Maria Schneider and John Hollenbeck. He also has worked in concerts starring the likes of Tony Bennett and David Sanborn. In 1997, the KSU Alumni Association and the KSU Foundation honored him with its Distinguished Teaching Award.