Jazz Ambassadors Released a New Album Celebrating Keene
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SOUNDTRACK OF THE a note from the AMERICAN SOLDIER commander The United States In 2018, the Concert Band and Soldiers’ Chorus released THE ARMY FIELD BAND IS BACK from the recording studio! The Army Field Band The Legacy of Leonard Bernstein, a tribute album to the Concert Band and Soldiers’ Chorus Fall Tour 2018 included a week at the famed has had an exciting great American icon, and recorded Soundtrack of the Skywalker Sound studios in Marin County, California, where they recorded year filled with American Soldier, an album featuring new music from Soundtrack of the American Soldier, the upcoming album featuring music from opportunities. The leading composers in the industry, produced by the leading the most beloved military-themed films, TV shows, and video games. u n i t p e r f o r m e d audio technicians and producers at Skywalker Sound. Six- The Commander of the Army Field Band, Colonel Jim Keene, has long believed hundreds of inspiring String Soldiers recorded exciting new music from the best that music from film, TV, and video games is a great vehicle for reaching wide live programs for the songwriters in America at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio audiences. “With this project, we’re thrilled to be building real collaborative American people and in Nashville to serve their loyal and growing fan base. partnerships with composers, engineers, producers, and executives,” said Colonel throughout the West The Jazz Ambassadors released a new album celebrating Keene. “These are people who are able to reach the public en masse, and influence Coast, Southeast, and its 50th anniversary as America’s Big Band, rolled out its the perception of our great military.” Colonel Jim R. Keene upper Midwest of the new concert program “The Greatest Generation” in a PBS United States, represented America in the Norwegian broadcast from Topeka, Kansas, and is busy preparing for Soundtrack of the American Soldier features many audience concert favorites like Military Tattoo, and performed for the people of Puerto an exciting year of performances at iconic venues. “March from 1941” and “Hymn to the Fallen,” new arrangements of such well- Rico. The Army Field Band has performed with the known movies as Patton, The Great Escape, and American Sniper, and several Cleveland Pops Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Thank you for supporting The United States Army Field newly-commissioned works by leading film and TV composers. These were true Cover art for Soundtrack of the American Soldier, by National Symphony Orchestra, been featured at the Band. We will continue to serve America’s Army with collaborative relationships, with countless phone calls, illustrator Kyle Lambert. Heartland Choral Festival, the International Trombone great commitment and a spirit of service in keeping with emails, and video chat sessions between performers, Festival, and the 50th International Horn Symposium. all the Soldiers who have protected this nation since 1775. conductors, and composers. One such work is “Brass With the help of innovative multimedia concert programs Ceiling” by Grammy award-winning composer like “The Army Story” and “America the Beautiful,” the Laura Karpman, which is a musical portrait of the Army Field Band’s outreach and audience engagement Army’s first female four-star General, General Ann is becoming one of the Department of Defense’s most Dunwoody. The band and chorus also recorded an effective tools in connecting with the American people. arrangement of Jeff Beal’s music fromThe Long Road Home, the National Geographic miniseries chronicling the events of “Black Sunday,” an ambush on Soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division in Sadr City, Iraq in 2004. The Army Field Band continues to find new, more effective ways to bring the Army Story to the American COMMANDER DESIGN & PRODUCTION The U.S. Army Field Band people, and looks forward to the upcoming release of 4214 Field Band Drive, Ste. 5330 Soundtrack of the American Soldier. Follow the Army ! Colonel Jim R. Keene Master Sergeant Brian Spurgeon Field Band on social media for updates! Left, recording engineer Leslie Ann Jones and producer Dan Merceruio at Skywalker Sound; Fort Meade, MD 20755-7055 right, Staff Sgt. Trent Urquhart operates video at an Army Field Band concert in Folsom, CA. PHOTOGRAPHERS (301) 677-6586 e CHIEF EDITOR Sergeant Major John Altman Sergeant First Class Phillip Johnson Sergeant First Class Ben Hilgert Staff Sergeant Sean Casey or EDITORIAL STAFF Master Sergeant Ward Yager WRITERS Sergeant First Class John Blair Sergeant Major Andrew Layton Sergeant First Class Todd Sturniolo Master Sergeant Brian Sacawa Staff Sergeant Jennifer Zhou Sergeant First Class Lauren Curran nc Sergeant First Class Phillip Johnson Sergeant First Class Charis Strange Ms. J. Elizabeth Peace The Army Field Band records music for Soundtrack of the American Soldier at Skywalker Sound in Marin County, CA. 2 ArmyFieldBand.com Encore! Spring 2019 3 ArmyFieldBand.com Encore! Spring 2019 Years Jazz AMERICA'S Ambassadors BIG BAND AMERICA’S BIG BAND, the Jazz Ambassadors is proud to announce the release of its latest album: Jazz Ambassadors-50 Greatest Generation” grew out of a multimedia program introduced by the Concert Band and Years, a commemorative album celebrating the band’s 50-year legacy of service. A World War II Veteran and a Korean War Veteran Soldiers’ Chorus, “The Army Story.” It’s a more speak at a Jazz Ambassadors concertThe Concertin Greely, Band CO. performs at the 2015 Midwest In 1968, the Army Field Band’s commander instructed Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Almeida to form a new performing narrative style of program, with video elements, Band & Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, Illinois. component that could fill local performance requests while the Concert Band was on tour. Rather than form a second concert World War II newsreels, live and pre-recorded narration, and of course, music that epitomizes the band, Almeida founded “The Studio Band,” an expanded big band that performed Big Band Era. It offers a new way to tell the Army story that audiences have responded to with jazz and popular music. The Studio Band recruited some of the top talent in the overwhelming approval. jazz and studio recording industries, ultimately becoming America’s Big Band, the Jazz Ambassadors. Recorded between 1969 and 2018, the selections from “I’ve never seen as many people moved to tears in a Jazz Ambassadors performance as I have with the Jazz Ambassadors-50 Years offer snapshots of the Jazz Greatest Generation program,” said Staff Sergeant Hamilton Price, bassist with the Jazz Ambassadors. Ambassadors throughout its history, as well as two new “It’s a beautiful and effective way to illustrate the American experience during World War II, and recordings that feature the current group. has helped us connect with the Veterans in our audience. Even better than playing for our Veterans is meeting them, listening to them. Their stories of perseverance and bravery are always inspiring Also in celebration of its 50th Anniversary, the Jazz and uplifting.” Ambassadors took a new program on tour in Fall 2018: “The Greatest Generation,” a themed concert The members of the Jazz Ambassadors, past and present, are proud to have served you as America’s GREATEST Big Band for the last 50 years, and look forward to serving you for another 50 and beyond. Visit that celebrates Veterans of World War II and the G GENERATION The original Studio Band, 1969. music of the Big Band Era. The concept for “The ArmyFieldBand.com to hear the Jazz Ambassadors online, or to find a concert near you! Staff Sgt. Hamilton Price gives an U.S. ARMY impromptu bass lesson after a Jazz Ambassadors concert. The Jazz Ambassadors perform their latest program, “The Greatest Generation,” on Veterans Day at the Touhill Performing Arts Center at the University of Missouri – St. Louis. “ ’’ [VETERANS'] STORIES OF PERSEVERANCE AND BRAVERY ARE ALWAYS INSPIRING AND UPLIFTING. SPONSOR A CONCERT HONORING CHARLES KETTLES As the performing components of The U.S. Army Field Band tour the nation, interactions with our Veterans ARMYFIELDBAND . COM / SPONSOR remain a highlight. The Concert Band and Soldiers’ Chorus recently had the opportunity to meet and perform for Lieutenant Colonel Charles Kettles, who received the Medal of Honor in 2016 for his heroic actions during the 2018 MARKED THE 100TH birthday of one SPONSOR PROVIDES Vietnam War. As a UH-1 pilot, he rescued 44 Soldiers of America’s greatest cultural icons, Leonard Bernstein. • CONCERT VENUE under intense enemy fire on May 15, 1967. Musical organizations from all around the world celebrated • MEDIA MARKETING CAMPAIGN “The concert was probably one of the most memorable events Bernstein with performances of his music, and The U.S. • PRINTING/DISTRIBUTION OF FREE TICKETS I’ve attended in my life,” said Lieutenant Colonel Kettles. Army Field Band was certainly no exception. • PRINTING OF PROGRAMS “It’s great to see that the military has the support of the On Bernstein’s birthday, August 25th, the Army Field American people today, as opposed to how it was [during Band released The Legacy of Leonard Bernstein, an album WE PROVIDE Vietnam]. I was older, so it didn’t impact me the way it did featuring such timeless works as "‘Symphonic Dances’ • PUBLICITY PHOTOGRAPHS the 18-year olds, but it was hard to see. The support I see now from West Side Story," selections from MASS, "Glitter and • FEATURE NEWS STORIES is a welcome change, and an appropriate change.” • OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASES Be Gay," "Slava!," "Overture to Candide," and many more. • ONLINE TICKET DISTRIBUTION Charles Kettles passed away in his hometown of Ypsilanti, The Concert Band and Soldiers’ Chorus performed many • PRE-RECORDED CUSTOM PSA Michigan on January 21, 2019, at the age of 89. Our of these works on their Spring and Summer concert tours, power and potential of using the reach of the Broadway • ARTWORK thoughts and prayers are with his family, and we are • POSTERS as well as in joint concerts in Oslo and Skien, Norway, stage, television, and the movies to communicate to new honored to have gotten to know this American hero.