Headed by Music Director/Drummer Sherrie Maricle, DIVA As if the list of settings in which DIVA has performed isn’t impressive exudes the excitement and force found in the tradition of the historic enough, in 2017 the band performed at the NEA Jazz Master’s Awards big bands but with an eye towards today’s progressive sound and Ceremony at the Kennedy Center. From 2013 to the present day, originality. With New York as their home base, DIVA performs all the band tours and is featured in Maurice Hines’s autobiographical over the world playing contemporary, mainstream big band jazz, musical Tappin’ Through Life, performing extended runs at New composed and arranged to fit the individual personalities and styles World Stages in New York City, Arena Stage in Washington, DC, of the players. the Alliance Theater in Atlanta, the Wallis Performing Art Center in Los Angeles, Cleveland Playhouse, and Delaware Theatre Company. The inspiration forDIVA came from Stanley Kay, one-time manager DIVA has also shared the stage with Nancy Wilson, Joe Williams, and relief drummer for Buddy Rich. In 1990, Kay was conducting Diane Schuur, Carmen Bradford, Marlena Shaw, Dee Daniels, a band in which Sherrie Maricle was playing the drums. Stanley DeeDee Bridgewater, Rosemary Clooney, Ann Hampton Callaway, immediately picked up on her extraordinary talent and began to Jack Jones, Clark Terry, Dr. Billy Taylor, Terry Gibbs, Tommy wonder if there were other women players who could perform at the Newsom, Randy Brecker, Dave Brubeck and more. same level. The search was on and through nationwide auditions, the foundation for DIVA was poured in June 1992, and what emerged is The band has also made several notable television and film the dynamic musical force that holds forth to the present day. appearances, including performing the soundtrack for the 2014 NBC/Macy’s Firework Spectacular, a feature in the award-winning Since their premiere performance over 25 years ago (March 30th, documentary film The Girls in the Band, multiple appearances on 1993 at New York University), DIVA has toured the world to critical CNN Arts Break, a dedicated segment on CBS Sunday Morning, and and popular acclaim. To fully grasp how wide the appeal is of this musical features as part of The Kennedy Center’s 25th Anniversary incredibly gifted ensemble, one has only to read the catalog of Special, the Japanese television network NHK, and Metropol prestigious venues in which the band has performed. Here is but TV in Germany. a partial list: Carnegie Hall with the New York Pops Orchestra, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, Verizon DIVA boasts of a very impressive series of recordings. Their most Jazz Festival at Lincoln Center, Blue Note, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola at recent release, The DIVA Jazz Orchestra’s 25th Anniversary Project Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland and the Apollo Theater in New York. (ArtistShare, 2018) was preceded by the critically-acclaimed Special Add to that the Jazz Showcase in Chicago, Manchester Craftsmen’s Kay (2016), original music of DIVA founder Stanley Kay, and A Guild in Pittsburgh, and Symphony Halls in St. Louis, Philadelphia Swingin’ Life (2014), featuring Grammy Award winner Nancy Wilson and Cleveland, plus the Playboy Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl and the soulful Marlena Shaw. Other DIVA recordings include: and Cinegrill in Hollywood. International appearances include Le Johnny Mandel: The Man and his Music, recorded live at Dizzy’s Meridien Hotel in Paris, France; Teatro de Sistina in Rome, Italy; Club Coca-Cola and conducted by Mandel himself; Live from Jazz Berlin Jazz Festival in Germany; Salzburg Music Festival in Austria; at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, featuring supremely Bern Jazz Festival in Switzerland; Montreal and Ottawa International swinging vocalist Carmen Bradford (2008); TNT – Tommy Newsom Jazz Festivals in Canada; Bogota International Jazz Festival in Tribute, a compilation of charts the late Mr. Newsom arranged Colombia; Jamaica Jazz Festival; Zagreb Jazz Festival in Croatia; and exclusively for DIVA (2005); Live in Concert (2002); I Believe in You the Pori Jazz Festival in Finland. (1999); Leave It to DIVA (1997); and Something’s Coming (1995). This 25-year milestone inspired Music Director/Drummer, Sherrie Maricle, to reflect deeply about the rich history of the band, the profusion of outstanding players who helped create their unique style and sound, and the multitude of extraordinary composers and arrangers who provided the band with magnificent, original music to channel their skills, creativity, and passion. To honor the legacy of the band and their founder Stanley Kay, Sherrie wanted to come up with a special way to capture the diverse and dynamic history of the band and recognize their ever-evolving approach to presenting and performing mainstream jazz. In the current edition of The DIVA Jazz Orchestra, 12 of the extraordinary 15-member ensemble are also gifted composers and arrangers. It was that realization that sparked Sherrie’s vision for D I VA’s 25th Anniversary Project: an all-original DIVA plays DIVA recording. Since most of the band members have been in the band 10+ years, and the newer members were once young fans, it was thrilling to imagine and realize a recording created by band members who have played together for years, who helped forge DIVA’s style and sound, who know the band’s history, who know and respect each other musically, and who genuinely like each other. This CD offers our listeners 10 original compositions by 9 remarkable composers, writing for 15 friends in 1 amazing band. It’s DIVA’s mission to continue to swing hard and grow, through the exceptional individual talent within the band and their extraordinary composers and arrangers. Track Names - Composer - Time 1. East Coast Andy - Leigh Pilzer - 6:04 2. Middleground - Janelle Reichman - 6:40 3. See Saw - Noriko Ueda - 6:59 4. Jami’s Tune - Barbara Laronga - 6:37 5. Square One - Alexa Tarantino - 6:19 6. Darkness of the Matter - Sara Jacovino - 7:40 7. La Americana - Tomoko Ohno - 5:31 8. A Quarter Past the Last Minute - Jennifer Krupa - 5:47 9. Forever in My Heart - Sherrie Maricle - 7:12 10. The Rhythm Changes - Sherrie Maricle - 5:37 Sherrie Maricle - Music Director/drummer Noriko Ueda - bass Tomoko Ohno - piano Leslie Havens - bass trombone Sara Jacovino - trombone Jennifer Krupa - trombone Rachel Therrien - trumpet, flugelhorn Barbara Laronga - trumpet, flugelhorn Jami Dauber - trumpet, flugelhorn, manager Liesl Whitaker - trumpet, flugelhorn Leigh Pilzer - baritone saxophone, bass clarinet Erica von Kleist - tenor saxophone Janelle Reichman - tenor saxophone, clarinet Mercedes Beckman - alto saxophone, flute, clarinet Alexa Tarantino - alto saxophone, soprano saxophone Artist: The DIVA Jazz Orchestra Press and Radio Contact: CD Title: 25th Anniversary Project Label: ArtistShare Add Date: February 5, 2018 Street Date: March 30, 2018 Website: divajazz.com 706.993.2223 One sheet by: Available at divajazz.com/sights-and-sounds/ [email protected] recordings/25th-anniversary-project/ and fine retailers everywhere. www.karigaffney.com.