john hollenbeck large ensemble

Ben Kono  sop/alto/ten sax,  flute
Jeremy Viner  clarinet/tenor sax
Anna Webber  tenor sax, flute
Tony Malaby  ten/sop sax
Dan Willis  ten/sop sax,  english horn, flute
Bohdan Hilash  contra-alto clar, bass sax, clar
Mark Patterson  trombone
Mike Christianson  trombone
Jacob Garchik  trombone
Alan Ferber  trombone
Tony Kadleck  trumpet, flugelhorn
Jon Owens  trumpet, flugelhorn
Dave Ballou  trumpet, flugelhorn
Matt Holman  trumpet, flugelhorn
Chris Tordini acoustic/electric bass
Matt Mitchell piano, organ, keyboard
Patricia Brennan  mallet percussion
John Hollenbeck  drums, composition
Theo Bleckmann  voice
JC Sanford  conductor

“John Hollenbeck, a drummer and composer, is one of today’s most dynamic orchestral jazz bandleaders, a fact that’s reinforced by the release of “All Can Work,” the arresting new album from his Large Ensemble.” — Giovanni Russonello, The New York Times

John Hollenbeck is one of the rare artists who have mastered the tradition of big band composition while crossing aesthetic boundaries and speaking directly to the time we live in today. His music is a daring mix of pure, heart-on-sleeve lyricism and robust rhythmic propulsion, and an audacious example of the power of big band jazz to express emotions well beyond swing-era clichés. His music for this group has earned acclaim for its rich, panoramic orchestral textures that retain the power of its members’ individual voices.

Unlike most contemporary big bands, this is no random agglomeration of freelancers – the John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble is an actual band consisting of top New York musicians. John had been writing for big band since he was in college at the Eastman School of Music and eventually formed the John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble in 1998 as an outlet to write the kind of music that wasn’tbeing written for this style of big band: “I saw some things that could be done that weren’t being done, and I thought there might be some other possibilities with a group that still has traditional instrumentation but the music itself is not traditional.”He gathered together a core group of musician friends who he had studied with at Eastman, and then selected a group of New York City musician friends and colleagues to complete the ensemble, creating a fine balance of camaraderie, integrity and talent – the perfect outlet for the creative expression of his music.

“John Hollenbeck’s 18-piece Large Ensemble can explode with rhythmic drive and technical dazzle, or it can evoke serene calm, tone poetry and even prayer. It’s a big band for a new eclectic world, building on the legacy of seminal big-band composer Bob Brookmeyer and other role models. Hollenbeck holds it together with intricate drumming, compositional acumen and searing wit as he marshals the resources of top jazz improvisers, including saxophonist Tony Malaby and vocalist, Theo Bleckmann.” — David Adler, TimeOut New York

The John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble’s third album, All Can Work, was released to critical acclaim onNew Amsterdam Records in January, 2018 and pays tribute to the Large Ensemble’s late trumpet player Laurie Frink, a key force in the group and the jazz community. All Can Workgarnered the ensemble’s third GRAMMY nomination – their second album eternal interludeand their debut release ,A Blessing, all earned GRAMMY nominations for Best Jazz Large Ensemble Album. As Downbeat Magazine’s Frank Alkyer said of the group’s latest release: ” John Hollenbeck’s All Can Workis an album of awe-inspiring majesty…Hollenbeck delivers layer after layer for listeners to explore. Shimmering horns, beautifully placed punctuations and little sonic surprises abound. It’s wonderfully complex music played beautifully, with precision and abandon, by a band that has spent a good deal of time together.”