JAZZ
FESTIVALS:
The CRAZY RHYTHM HOT SOCIETY ORCHESTRA does more than just play great music, the band actually puts on a "show!" They have costumes, a 1920's microphone, banners, megaphones, over 2,000 authentic vintage arrangements and use the standard period instrumentation. They have male vocalists and a two vocal trios within the band, the beautiful and talented vocalist Ginger Pauley and the "Last Crooner" Jeff Gilbert. Along with the music, the band adds just enough comedy and information (the CRHSO’s leader, Mike Henebry, is also the founder of the International Society of Twenties Orchestras).
This 11-piece Dance Orchestra plays the Big Band music of the Roaring 20’s. Perfect for a Jazz Festival, the music is great for both dancing and listening.
While still a form of "traditional" jazz, the music is not Dixieland (but it is certainly Dixieland’s "Kissin’ Cousin!"). The two forms coexisted in the 1920’s and share many similarities. Mainly for dancing, the Dance Orchestra evolved (during the pre-microphone days) from the smaller Dixieland band. First by adding a second cornet, then a reed or two. In fact, the instrumentation is essentially the same as the King Oliver/Lu Watters 2-cornet ensemble (+ 2 more reeds). As a result of this very close relationship, a 1920’s Dance Orchestra, such as the CRHSO, is entirely appropriate at a Dixieland festival, providing excellent variety, and yet staying within the bounds of "trad" jazz.
Even though most people have heard this kind of music (usually on movie soundtracks), very few people under the age of 85 have actually had a chance to hear a band like this "live" (since there are only about 15 known bands of this type active in the world today).
The CRHSO has played many classic jazz festivals over the last 11 years, including San Diego, Los Angeles, Monterey, Big Bear, Palm Springs, Pismo Beach, Oxnard, Costa Mesa/Orange County, Indian Wells, Santa Nella, Salinas, Sweet & Hot, Catalina, Sonoma, San Clemente, SoCal, SPDJ, Sacramento, Three Rivers, Sun Valley, Idaho; Elkhart, Indiana; Port Angeles, Washington; Spokane, Washington; and Helena, Montana.
They are always a big hit, and many times end up stealing the show!
SPECIAL SETS: A lot of Festivals promote "Special Sets." The CRHSO does several of them:
Fade-In Set: One of the highlights of most Jazz Festivals. The sound man plays the first 20-30 seconds of a pre-recorded cassette tape of the original 78 rpm recording from the 1920's and the CRHSO fades in over the recording and finishes the tune just as it was on the recording. The effect is uncanny and audiences love it!
Cotton Club Set: Wearing tuxes and using their more formal black & white banners (embroidered in authentic Cotton Club script) the CRHSO plays authentic note-for-note transcriptions of arrangements played at the original Harlem Cotton Club of 1925-1934 by each of the house bands that played there (Andy Preer, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, and Jimmy Lunceford). Between each number, the CRHSO's leader, Mike Henebry, talks about the incredibly interesting history of the famous Cotton Club (the gangsters, the music, the prohibition, the shows, the Broadway stars and dignitaries that attended, etc.). The band "fades in" over the original recordings, using the "fade-in" technique mentioned above.
Composer Set: (Ellington, Gershwin, Henderson, etc.): With over 2200 arrangements, the band can (and does) do sets devoted entirely to one composer or band leader.
Year Set: The CHRSO occasionally does an entire set of tunes strictly from one year. This can be done with any year between 1920 and 1934.
Hollywood Set: The CRHSO plays songs from Musicals from the time period. This set is often narrated by Jeff Gilbert, who is an expert on early movie trivia and information. Jeff also impersonates many of the stars from these early films... and not just the singers!
Swing (or Pre-Swing) Set: Many of the numbers that the CRHSO orchestra plays are from the libraries of Fletcher Henderson, Don Redman, and other "hot" bands that set the stage for the "Swing Era" of a decade later. One special set shows the evolution of swing from these roots (up to and including Goodman, Miller, Dorsey, etc.).
Evolution of Big Bands Set: The CRHSO starts the set with Ragtime and goes through the Big Band styles of the 1920s, 1930s and into the 1940s. Along with the music, Mike explains the evolution in terms of instrumentation and style.
Rhapsody In Blue Set: The CRHSO's leader, Mike Henebry, obtained a copy of the original 1924 score of George Gershwin's "Rhapsody In Blue," which was written for the Paul Whiteman Orchestra (which was, at the time, about the same size as the CRHSO). Along with a short narrative on the interesting story behind this important event in the history of jazz, the band recreates the highlight of the historic Aeolian Hall concert by authentically interpreting the original score. This performance by the CRHSO at Jazz Festivals has always made the audience completely spellbound. As people have pointed out, it is the only time they can ever recall being able to hear a pin drop at a jazz festival! It is a virtually guaranteed, rousing, standing ovation, every single time, without exception! Some of the typical comments we have heard are: "That made the entire trip worth while!" "I turned to my husband and said, we might as well go home, nothing can top that!"
Yes, the CRHSO is a little larger than a Dixieland band (there are 11 musicians + Ginger & Jeff), and that could be a little too much for your budget (sets, room, transportation, etc.), but we are always willing to negotiate a price that makes it possible for you to have us. So, please don't hesitate to call just because of our size.
