The Bob Curnow Big Band kicked off the winter 2012 season playing with the University of Idaho Jazz Band 1 at Ichiban Sushi Lounge Monday night in Spokane. The Bob Curnow Big Band has been playing in the Northwest for the past 20 years and has established themselves as one of the most swinging groups in the region, often performing at regional jazz festivals and various restaurants in Spokane. The Curnow Band is a standard 29-piece big band ensemble that takes after the traditions of the big band era — as well as playing the music of a variety of artists like Stan Kenton, Pat Metheny and Buddy Rich.
Curnow is the director of the big band where he composes, arranges and conducts. In 1994, Curnow produced an album entitled, “Bob Curnow’s L.A. Big Band Plays The Music of Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays,” which received rave reviews from musicians and fans alike.
The album was a success because it combined the large big band ensemble with contemporary style and groove. Since 1976, Curnow has been the owner and CEO of Sierra Music Publications, which arrange charts for high school, college and professional bands all over the country. The big band plays mostly from the Sierra Music Catalogue but is not afraid to play new or other arrangements. Between the Big Band and Sierra Music Publications, it’s not surprising Curnow is a prominent figure in modern jazz composition and arrangement.
The Bob Curnow Big Band is comprised of local jazz musicians, music professors and some students from nearby universities. Jayson Liljenberg, a graduate trombone student at the Lionel Hampton School of Music who plays third trombone in the Bob Curnow Big Band, said it was a fun experience getting to play in a band with so much experience and talent.
Liljenberg said the focus and intensity all the musicians bring and quality of music that Bob expects from the group is great, as is the opportunity to learn from so many talented players. Liljenberg will be playing with the band in all of the upcoming Ichiban performances and the annual recording session in which the band records all of the new music produced by Sierra Music Publications that year.
The UI Jazz Ensemble 1 opened for the Bob Curnow Big Band on Monday night and second trombone, Brendan Burns, said it was a great change of pace to play in a new setting and in a bigger city. He said it was great getting to hear the Curnow Band because it gave them something to aspire to.
The Bob Curnow Big Band has shows coming up through the end of the year, sharing the stage with Washington University Jazz Ensemble on November5th and Gonzaga University Jazz Ensemble on December3rd. The Bob Curnow Big Band will also headline for a fundraising show for the Spokane All City Jazz Ensemble, which is a non-profit organization that encourages and promotes young jazz artists through ensembles, classes and private lessons December17th. All concerts take place at Ichiban in downtown Spokane. The Big Band has a local following of around 600 people and growing on their official e-mail list, according to Curnow.
Ryan Tarinelli can be reached at [email protected]