I will be singing with the 18-piece Mike Vax Jazz Orchestra (MVJO) for a special concert and dance at this classic 1950's art deco theater in Moraga, east of Berkekly near the Lafayette Reservoir. The current MVJO (formerly the New Oakland Jazz Orchestra) is made up of musicians from many of the most famous big bands, such as: Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Duke Ellington, Clark Terry, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Cab Calloway, Ray McKinley, and Tex Beneke. These musicians are some of the finest to reside in the San Francisco Bay Area.
PROUDLY PRESENTED BY FRIENDS OF BIG BAND JAZZ (A 501C3 NONPROFIT) AND THE MORAGA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
TICKETS: Adults $1 8, Students $10 with student ID On sale at the Box Office, or online at http://www.bigbandjazz.net/ (Sorry, no refunds)
CONTACT: Friends of Big Band Jazz = DAVID PIERCE 925-253-5424 or http://www.bigbandjazz.net/
ABOUT FRIENDS OF BIG BAND JAZZ: Friends of Big Band Jazz is the support group for MVJO and MVBB (big band - Stan Kenton band alumni). This nonprofit corporation has sent students to summer jazz camps on scholarships, donated funds to the Oakland Youth Orchestra, and raised money for Oakland Parks and Recreation and supports the Al "Jazzbeaux" Collins Memorial Scholarship Fund with proceeds from its CDs, "Alternate Route" (with Cami), "BIGBANDJAZZ.NET" (also with Cami), "LIVE...On The Road", "Sounds from the Road", "Next Stop, LIVE On The Road" and latest release "Have Band Will Travel".
The goals of Friends of Big Band Jazz, the MVJO, and MVBB are to perform meaningful music, talk about the importance of the jazz heritage in America, bring jazz music to young people, and to offer our audiences a relaxed, entertaining atmosphere. The MVJO rehearses and performs a jazz concert series at The Longfellow School For Performing Arts in Berkeley, California, as well as performing at the Woodminster Amphitheater and the Calvin Simmons Theater, also in Oakland. The MVJO has performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival, the Filoli Mansion Concert Series, Yoshi's and Kimball's, plus many other venues in Northern California. The Mike Vax Big Band performs an annual spring or summer tour of several states to support the goals of FBBJ.
HISTORY OF RHEEM THEATER: The Rheem Theatre was built in the late 50's by Donald Rheem and was originaly a single screen movie palace with a large stage and dance floor which the theatre retains and often uses to this day. It was closed during the 70's, and reopened as a performing arts venue in the 80's. During a remodel in the in the late 90's, three additional screens were added thus making the Rheem Theatre a 4-screen multiplex. Though the theatre has been consistently updated, it still retains its original art deco feel with Zodiac Style art in each house.
Adults $1 8, Students $10 with s