BANDS BIOS

6th Annual Woodland Music Series 2010  Dates Mission, Sponsors, and Board of Directors Become a Supporter Contact and Location Links to Sponsors Bands Photos Bands Bios Colorado Springs Conservatory Faculty Jazz Concert 4th Annual Golf Tournament My Photos

2010 WOODLAND MUSIC SERIES


“Swing Factory”

 Under the direction of Craig Harms, this 18-piece big band is an all-volunteer jazz ensemble primarily from the Woodland Park Wind Symphony. The band is comprised of teachers, doctors, tax preparers, students, authors, soldiers, and retired individuals who simply enjoy playing their instruments.

 

USAFA Blue Steel
Blue Steel is the premier commercial popular music ensemble of the United States Air Force Academy Band. Various line-ups of Blue Steel have been in operation for more than thirty years, enhancing community relations and supporting the recruiting mission of the USAF Academy and the United States Air Force. Blue Steel's mission also includes deployment, military support and troop morale. Currently, Blue Steel is made up of seven elite musicians that perform high energy music from a variety of genres. Blue Steel's versatile performers capture audiences with pop music, classic rock, country music and original compositions. Whether on a flight line in the desert, high school gymnasium, large concert hall or a national sporting event, Blue Steel has the ability to
create the ideal atmosphere for any performance venue or setting.
Group Leader Master Sergeant Jeremy D. Laukhuf
Vocalist Technical Sergeant Julie A. Bradley
Guitar Senior Master Sergeant James M. Bristow
Piano/Keyboard Technical Sergeant Andrew J. Benton
Bass Master Sergeant Jeremy D. Laukhuf
Drums Master Sergeant Christopher M. Gaona
Audio Engineer Master Sergeant Michael E. Riley 
Thin Air Jazz
Thin Air Jazz  is a 12 piece big band that has its origins in the San Francisco based Collective West Jazz Orchestra which was loosely based on the
Maynard Ferguson Big Band of the late 50’s, early 60’s as well as the Gerry Mulligan Concert Jazz Band of the same time period.
The band is very strong in paying tribute to the great bands that came before it. During any given performance, compositions by Neal Hefti or Sammy Nestico are played to pay homage to The Count Basie Band. There are charts from the Ellington library as well as the Woody Herman library and of course charts from Maynard’s book and Mulligan’s book as well. Along with all this great music are original compositions and arrangements specifically written for this band.
As with the great big bands that have come before it, Thin Air is made up of musicians that are not only excellent ensemble players but also great jazz soloists. This strength of improvisation in the band keeps every performance fresh and the excitement level high.
Whether the band is playing a Swing tune, a Latin tune, a slow blues or a funk tune, the rhythm section provides the perfect foundation for the soloists as well as the full band
ensemble sections.