On first glance, Charlie Watts would seem to be a funny choice to include in a jazz book for he is the longtime drummer of the Rolling Stones. However, jazz was Watts' first love and in the 1980s he toured worldwide with a huge big band that included many of England's top musicians (giving one a chance to hear Evan Parker play "Lester Leaps... [+] Read More

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Progressive big band of Detroiters; they're mostly horn players, post-Coltrane, post-bop. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide

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A well-respected big band arranger, Frank Mantooth has written for a countless of orchestras and musicians since the early 1970's. His mother played piano and uncle was a violinist so Mantooth grew up with music. Although he played guitar a little while growing up, Mantooth eventually became a talented pianist. He earned a bachelor of music... [+] Read More

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From time to time, Gerald Wilson seems like one of Los Angeles' better-kept secrets, an unusually skillful, imaginative and charismatic bandleader who hasn't received his due outside the West Coast. His arrangements have distinctive, often complex voicings and harmonies, rooted in swing and bop yet always forward-looking and energetic in tone.... [+] Read More

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A talented saxophonist who can play most instruments and can arrange in a variety of styles, Matt Catingub has thus far not received all of the recognition he deserves for his abilities. The son of singer Mavis Rivers, Catingub was well-trained as a musician. He started playing piano when he was 7, clarinet at 11, studied arranging and composing... [+] Read More

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Although he was generally reluctant to solo, Mel Lewis was considered one of the definitive big band drummers, a musician who was best at driving an orchestra, but could also play quite well with smaller units. He started playing professionally when he was 15 and worked with the big bands of Boyd Raeburn (1948), Alvino Rey, Ray Anthony, and Tex... [+] Read More

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The Sauter-Finegan Orchestra was one of the more unusual bands associated with the Swing Era, not least because it did not even come into existence until after the Swing Era was over. The outfit's two leaders, Edward Ernest (Eddie) Sauter (b. Dec 2, 1914, in New York [Brooklyn], NY; d. Apr 21, 1981, in West Nyack, NY) and William J. (Bill)... [+] Read More

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Ted Heath was one of the most famous big band leaders in Great Britain of the 1950's. His bands played modernized swing music that was always danceable but occasionally had worthwhile solos played in the tradition. Heath started out playing tenor horn before he switched to trombone when he was 14. He spent a period playing as a street musician... [+] Read More

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