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USAF jazz group in free concert at Bergenfield H.S.
The Airmen of Note, billed as the premier jazz ensemble of the U. S. Air Force, will present a free concert at 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 28 at Bergenfield High School.
The school’s music department, which is presenting the concert, said advance tickets are required.
Tickets will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis, with no reserved seating.
Those interested in attending can write for tickets to: Airman of Note Tickets, P.O. Box 204, Bergenfield NJ 07621.
There is a four-ticket limit and a self-addressed stamped envelope must be enclosed.
Bergenfield High School is located at 80 S. Prospect Ave. Ticket holders need to arrive 15 minutes before the concert begins.
The Airmen of Note is one of eight performing units of the U.S. Air Force Band in Washington, D.C. Originally created in 1950 to carry on the tradition of Glenn Miller’s Army Air Corps band, the Airmen of Note is one of today’s few touring big bands and has attracted 18 of the finest musicians in the country.
As a result, it has earned an international reputation as one of the finest and most versatile big bands of its kind in the world.
Twice yearly, the "Note" ventures across the country, bringing its Big Band sound to many communities.
The Airmen of Note also has an extensive record of international performing, with appearances in five South American countries, eight European countries and Japan.
The "Note" also appears regularly at the world’s most-famous jazz festivals, including feature performances at the Detroit/Montreux Jazz Festival, Notre Dame Jazz Festival, Jacksonville Jazz Festival, Wichita Jazz Festival, Elkhart Jazz Festival and the Pensacola Jazz Festival.
Throughout the history of the Airmen of Note, the Glenn Miller sound has remained a strong ingredient in the band’s musical heritage.
In the early 1950s, the "Note" continued the innovative course set by Miller and adopted a more contemporary style under the direction of the legendary Sammy Nestico. Beginning in the 1970s, Senior Master Sgt. Mike Crotty, the Note’s chief arranger for more than 25 years, helped elevate the band to the forefront of modern big band jazz.
Today, Master Sgt. Alan Baylock, the Note’s current chief arranger, maintains the band’s commitment to tradition and "cutting edge" innovation.
The Airmen of Note’s commitment to musical excellence and reputation for setting high standards has earned the respect of the world’s foremost jazz artists. This has led to many collaborative efforts, recordings and performances with such luminaries as Joe Williams, Sarah Vaughan and Cleo Laine.
In 1990, the Airmen of Note established its highly acclaimed Jazz Heritage Series. Since then, legendary jazz icons like Clark Terry and Louis Bellson, as well as today’s top artists like Kirk Whalum and Randy Brecker, have considered it an honor to share the stage with the Airmen of Note as it presents the series to Washington, D.C., audiences.
The Airmen of Note is a leading force in music education. Many of its members are accomplished clinicians with extensive backgrounds in music education. They routinely lead clinics at high schools and colleges across the country and are frequently invited to perform at national music conventions, including the International Association of Jazz Educators, Music Educators National Conference, and The Midwest Clinic.
The Note’s "Jazz Outreach Program," a series of educational clinics and performances, is the epitome of this commitment. The purpose of Jazz Outreach is to further jazz education by presenting young musicians with close and personal contact with the Airmen of Note via a series of clinics and concerts held at high schools and colleges across the nation.
Another sign of the Airmen of Note’s commitment to music education is the Sammy Nestico Award, initiated in 1994 and named after the former leader of the Note. The objective of the annual competition is to encourage young jazz composers writing in the Big Band idiom. The award winner travels to Washington for the performance of his or her composition by the Airmen of Note at a major concert.
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