Grooveyard John La Barbera Big Band

• 1Grooveyard06:42
• 2My New Summer Samba06:29
• 3For Iola07:17
• 4Thanks Hank08:13
• 5Tranesome06:59
• 6Choro Para Thiago04:13
• 7K's Delight05:36
• 8Mandatory Blues06:08
• 9Sweetness06:25
• 10Keiko's Birthday March06:33
• Total Runtime01:04:35

Info for Grooveyard

With his career at the highest levels of the music industry spanning a half-century, Grammy® nominated composer/arranger John La Barbera doesn't have much left to prove, so gathering a band of equals in New York City and spending some time recording his latest & best hard-swinging arrangements, makes good sense! Along with his equally storied brothers, saxophonist Pat and drummer Joe, La Barbera fills Grooveyard with jazz royalty, including Steve Wilson, Renee Rosnes, Clay Jenkins, and the legendary bassist, Rufus Reid, for a set of four arranged tunes from Brubeck, Curtis Fuller, Elvin Jones, and the title track from pianist Carl Perkins, and six of his own original compositions. Thanks to his early career in helping to define the sounds of the Buddy Rich Band, Woody Herman, Bill Watrous and so many others, La Barbera's works have become jazz big band standards, his luminous orchestrations, contrapuntal writing, and rhythmic and textural variety combining to create unforgettable musical moments.

“John La Barbera’s well-framed charts tantalize the ears and quicken the heart…” (AllAboutJazz)

John La Barbera Big Band:
John La Barbera, leader, conductor & arranger
Steve Wilson, lead alto saxophone, flute
Erica von Kleist, alto saxophone, flute
Pat La Barbera, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
Sam Sadigursky, tenor saxophone, clarinet
Andy Gutauskas, baritone saxophone, bass clarinet
Juan Ruiz, clarinet (track 6)
John Chudoba, trumpet (lead)
Brian Pareschi, lead trumpet (tracks 7 & 9)
Brandon Lee, trumpet
Clay Jenkins, trumpet
Ryan Keberle, trombone (lead)
Mike Davis, trombone (lead, 9)
Sara Jacovino, trombone
David Taylor, bass trombone
Brandon Coleman, guitar
Renee Rosnes, piano & keyboards
Rufus Reid, acoustic bass
Frank Gravis, electric bass
Kiko Sebrian, percussion
Joe La Barbera, drums

Recorded by Chris Allen/Assistant Engineer: Steven Sacco at Sear Sound, New York City
Mixed & mastered by Chris Allen at The Mud Room, NYC
Produced by John P. La Barbera

John P. La Barbera
is a Grammy® nominated composer/arranger whose writing spans many styles and genres. His works have been recorded and performed by Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Mel Torme, Chaka Khan, Harry James, Bill Watrous, and Phil Woods just to name a few. Though his major output has been in jazz, he has had works performed and recorded for symphony orchestra, string chamber orchestra, brass quintet, and other diverse ensembles. Most recently, Mr. La Barbera was chosen from among dozens of applicants to participate in the Jazz Composers Orchestra Institute at UCLA. As a result, John was one of sixteen composers commissioned by the JCOI to compose new works that meld jazz and symphonic music. “Morro da Babilonia” was the resulting work and was presented by the American Composers Orchestra in New York City at Columbia University’s Miller Hall. His “Drover Trilogy” for string orchestra and corno da caccia was recorded by the late Dr. Michael Tunnell and has recently been released on Centaur Records. John’s Grammy® nominated big band CD “On The Wild Side“ along with “Fantazm,“ “Caravan” and his latest “Grooveyard” on Origin Records®, have been met with tremendous artistic and commercial success and are on the way to becoming jazz big band standards. As co-producer and arranger for The Glenn Miller Orchestra Christmas recordings (In the Christmas Mood I & II) John has received Gold & Platinum Records and his arrangement of “Jingle Bells” from those recordings can be heard in numerous films including the Academy Award winning film “La La Land.” John is also the co-founder of “The Diva Jazz Orchestra” the all women jazz big band established in New York City in 1992. Mr. La Barbera is a Professor Emeritus of Music at the University of Louisville’s School of Music and an international clinician/lecturer whose topics range from composing/arranging to intellectual property and copyright. Among his numerous organizational affiliations are Jazz Education Network, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, NARAS, American Composers Forum, Chamber Music America, and a writer/publisher member of ASCAP since 1971.

John’s Sunday morning big band jazz radio show, “Best Coast Jazz” on WFPK was a mainstay on public radio for over twenty years and was streamed worldwide. He is a two-time recipient of The National Endowment for The Arts award for Jazz Composition and has served as a panelist for the NEA in the music category. His career has recently been profiled in “Bebop, Swing and Bella Musica: Jazz and the Italian American Experience” and in dozens of publications and encyclopedias. John’s published works are considered standards in the field of jazz education.

This album contains no booklet.