Excellence In the Community

Big Band Swing Dance Under The Stars

excellence — Mon, 20 May 2013 03:37:12 +0000

Big Band Swing Dance

Wasatch Jazz Project

Every Tuesday, 7:30 pm at the Gallivan Center – Free Admission

Tuesday evening, May 28th, the dream continues. Even the weather won’t stop the fun. The dance will be indoors at the Gallivan Plaza. When we began the Excellence project in 2005 we talked about presenting regular big band swing dances in downtown Salt Lake City. May 21st this concept becomes a reality with the Wasatch Jazz Project, a 19 piece band performing live on Tuesday evenings at the Gallivan Center throughout the summer and into September. (For a few Tuesdays the Gallivan Center was already booked before we got this project on the books).

We hope you will come. Bring your dancing shoes and bring the kids. These events are free. They start at 7:30 and end between 9:30 and 10. We are delighted to be working with Carol Steffens and her colleagues on this project.

These dances are in addition to regular Excellence concerts. More information below.

The Wasatch Jazz Project

A Big Band, founded in 2004 and under the artistic direction of Carol Steffens, is comprised of some of the finest musicians from across the Wasatch Front.

This 19 member big band ‘s large repertoire of music includes swingin’ vocal tunes and big band favorites from Cole Porter to hard swinging Buddy Rich. The Wasatch Jazz Project Big Band also takes the big band tradition into the new millennium by playing contemporary compositions by some of today’s top American composers.

Red Rock Hot Club

excellence — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 04:46:17 +0000

June 27, 7:30 pm at the Gallivan Center ~ Free Admission ~ Gypsy Swing

The Red Rock Hot Club is recognized as one of the top American based Gypsy Jazz Ensembles. Founded in 1999, and led by the swinging guitar styling’s and vocal growl of Rich D’aigle, the group specializes in Gypsy Jazz; a European take of an American Art form. With the added help of Pat Terry and Dave Bowen, on guitar and bass, the core of this Jazz group skillfully deliver the sound of Paris ala 1930’s and 40’s, with the added tastes of Bourbon Street in New Orleans, served up with a side of Western Swing, San Antonio style.

Rich D’aigle has spent almost 40 years with a guitar in his hand. After years of study, including a Bachelors Degree in Jazz and Contemporary Music from the University of Maine, Rich has played and sang with a multitude of musical groups including numerous musical genres ranging from Rock, Blues and Jazz, and has shared stages with the legendary James Brown, plus a long list of Jazz greats. He has recorded and received numerous awards as a guitar player and a bass player as well. Twenty years ago his focus turned to all things that Swing, focusing heavily on the Guitar genius, Django Reinhardt, who, along with violinist Stephane Grappelli, formed the original Hot Club of France in 1937. Rich is also a confessed worshipper of the Charlie Christian guitar sound and tone, and can often be heard playing his collection of 1930’s vintage guitars and amps, and in doing so, gives his Hot Club the sound of Django’s later years, and final recordings, when he too had “gone electric” and added the use of a guitar pickup and amplifier. Somehow, between studying music, playing live and teaching a full roster of students, Rich has found the time to become a serious Luthier, and has started D’aigle Handcrafted Instruments, building replicas of the Selmer/Maccaferri style guitars made famous by Django Reinhardt.

Pat Terry is originally from Pocatello, Idaho, Pat has made his home in Utah for nearly 30 years. A noted area educator, he is a professor of Jazz Studies at the University of Utah. With decades as a professional performer, Pat has an extensive list of artists that he has appeared with live, recorded and toured with, such as Irie Heights, Mambo Jumbo, John Flanders & Double Helix and PurdyMouth, VA. A true Musicologist, he is adept at numerous world music styles. Even though an excellent Banjo player due to his family’s strong Bluegrass tradition, Pat is quite comfortable in settings as varied as Afro-Cuban, Soukous, Zouk, Latin, Salsa, Rhumba styles.

Dave Bowen Is the newest member of The RRHC and is a versatile multi-musician/entertainer who is into a wide range of musical styles on just about any instrument he can get his hands on. He makes hundreds of performances yearly with various groups and is a regular at many popular upscale clubs and Five Diamond resort hotels, & restaurants in the Salt Lake and Park City areas. A highly sought after instructor and session player, Dave has performed on TV, film, radio, and in commercials and has shared stages with The Bacon Brothers, Chris Young, Jim Cullum, John Stowell, Chuck Findlay, Planet Asia, TC Izlam, and Deva Mahal.

Thurl Bailey

excellence — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:44:35 +0000

Thurl Bailey

Jazz

July 4, 2013 Fillmore and Richfield – Free Admission

Charley Jenkins

excellence — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:09:55 +0000

July 10, 2013 7:30 pm at the Viridian Center – Free Admission

Nashville

Rumba Libre

excellence — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 04:53:32 +0000

Rumba Libre

Salsa, Latin Jazz and More

July 18, 7:30 pm at the Gallivan Center – Free Admission

Red Rock Hot Club

excellence — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:50:36 +0000

Red Rock Hot Club

Gypsy Jazz

July 27, 2013 Hyrum, Utah – Free Admission

Josh Wright

excellence — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 19:12:51 +0000

Josh Wright

Classical Piano

August 10, 2013 7:30 pm at the Viridian Center – Free Admission

Six Miles Ahead

excellence — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 16:29:38 +0000

Six Miles Ahead

Salsa, Latin Jazz and More

June 8, 7:30 pm at the Viridian Center – Free Admission

Red Rock Rondo

excellence — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 05:03:54 +0000

August 29, 2013 7:30 pm at the Gallivan Center ~ Free Admission ~

Emmy Award-winning chamber folk ensemble

Lark & Spur

excellence — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 05:10:32 +0000

Lark & Spur

September 26, 2013 7:30 pm at the Gallivan Center – Free Admission