“To call the (David Sanford’s) Pittsburgh Collective a big band is a bit like calling the New York Philharmonic an opera outfit…A new kind of fusion is going on in [their] music, but also, perhaps, a new kind of analysis, in which the origins of jazz – the fusion music of a century ago – are being creatively explored.” – Paul Griffiths, Miller Theater program notes, October 2007
David Sanford Big Band
The New York-based David Sanford Big Band (formerly the Pittsburgh Collective) was formed in 2003 and comprises twenty musicians specializing in jazz, avant-garde, classical, funk and Latin genres.
Members and soloists have included Hugh Ragin, Jon Irabagon, Anna Webber, Josh Roseman, Mike Christianson, Steven Bernstein, Bruce Johnstone, Chris Washburne, Adam Kolker, Ted Levine, Tony Kadleck, Hiro Noguchi, Dave Ballou, and players from the Meridian Arts Ensemble, Boston Musica Viva, the Knights, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, the International Contemporary Ensemble, Talea Ensemble, the Denver Neophonic Jazz Orchestra, and most of the prominent big bands in New York City.
Along with presenting original works written expressly for the ensemble, the group performs big band literature that draws heavily on classical idioms (Stravinsky), classical works (Tomkins, Mahler) and popular music (Nick Cave, Sia), as well as jazz standards (Gillespie, Mingus, Elvin Jones).
Members of the Big Band *Original members (2002)
Alto Sax: Kelley Hart-Jenkins*, Ted Levine*, Tony Barba, Ken Kuriscak, Stephanie Schraier
Tenor Sax: Adam Kolker*, Geoff Vidal*, Caleb Curtis, Jon Irabagon, Danny Meyer, Steve Moran, Kurt Moorehead, Marc Phaneuf, Wil Swindler, Peter Sommer, Brian Tervo, Anna Webber, Andy Weinzler
Baritone sax: Steve Moran*, Bruce Johnstone, Mark Harris, Brad Hubbard
Trumpets: Wayne J. du Maine*, Brian McWhorter*, Ed Nelson*, Jon Nelson*, Hiro Noguchi*, Lane Anderson, Dave Ballou, Thomas Bergeron, Steven Bernstein, John Carlson, Dominic Derasse, Shan Edmonds, Gareth Flowers, Brad Goode, Rick Grassler, Sam Hoyt, Tony Kadleck, Jean Laurenz, Tim Leopold, Sycil Mathai, Hugh Ragin, Dave Rajewski, Darryl Shaw, Dave Trigg, Dan Urness, Theo Van Dyck, Tom Verchot, Kevin Whalen
Trombones: Mike Christianson*, Ben Herrington*, Jim Messbauer*, Mike Boschen, Nelson Hines, Josh Roseman, Mike Seltzer, Tim Sessions, Chris Washburne
Bass Trombones: Steve Gehring*, Amy Peterson*, Steve Traylor
Tuba: Ferran Martinez, Dan Peck, Raymond Stewart
Piano: Geoff Burleson*, John Halle, Ron Jolly
Guitar: Dave Fabris*, Dave DeMichelis, Zane Merritt
Bass: Genevieve Rose*, Marty Kenney, Brad Maestas, Dave Phillips, Myles Sloniker, Danny Ziemann
Drums: Mark Raynes*, John Bacon Jr., John Ferrari
Percussion: Theo Moore*
Misc.: Miranda Cuckson, violin; Christopher Gross, cello; Chris Komer, horn; Tomina Parvanova, harp; Adam Unsworth, horn, Elizabeth Weisser, viola
Featured guests: Matt Haimovitz, cello; Nelson Harrison, trombone and vocals; Kivie Cahn-Lipman, cello; Cherie Hannouche, vocals; Maria Tegzes, vocals; Thurman Barker, drums; Bruce Cox, drums; Mariam Adam, clarinet; Lara Downes, piano
Notable Performances
International Association for Jazz Education Annual Conference, New York, NY featuring Count Basie alum and Pittsburgh native, trombonist Nelson Harrison
The Festival of New Trumpet Music, curated by Dave Douglas, New York, NY
Composer Portraits at Miller Theatre, New York, NY featuring cellist Matt Haimovitz
Art of Jazz series at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, NY
Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Institute and Festival for Contemporary Performance, Mannes School of Music, New York, NY, performing Stravinsky’s Ebony Concerto featuring Mariam Adam on clarinet, and Charles Mingus/Jack Walrath’s Three Worlds of Drums featuring John Ferrari, Thurman Barker and Bruce Cox on drum sets
American Academy in Rome Cabaret, Angel Orensanz Foundation, New York, NY
Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY; Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA; ShapeShifter Lab, Brooklyn, NY; Dazzle Denver Jazz Club, Denver, CO; the Knitting Factory, New York, NY
The group also received a commission from the Koussevitzky Foundation for a concerto featuring the classical cellist Matt Haimovitz; the resulting work, Scherzo Grosso, was recorded on their debut disc Live at the Knitting Factory (Oxingale Records, 2007) which topped the “Critics’ Choice” list for 2007 in Jazziz magazine.
