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Highlands Today

Big Band Back To Swing Civic Center

MARC VALERO/Highlands Today

From left: Highlandaires big band members Peter Graves and Dave Naylor check an arrangement Tuesday they will perform tonight in concert at the Sebring Civic Center.

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By MARC VALERO | Highlands Today

Published: November 1, 2007

The latest version of the Highlandaires big band promises to swing and waltz through decades of musical favorites, starting with their first concert/dance of the season tonight at the Sebring Civic Center.

The band, now with a smaller complement of musicians, continues to draw from the musical greats of the big band era such as Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, Harry James, Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Glenn Miller. But, the Highlandaires also perform a variety of more contemporary tunes.

"I think we are going to surprise a lot of people with what we are calling the Highlandaires 'little' big band," said trombonist Peter Graves.

The band, which formed in 1983, had been a traditional big band with a complement of about 17 musicians, but now features about 10 musicians.

With the passing or aging of some of the players, it has been next to impossible to maintain a high level of musicianship in the band, Graves said. "It was easier for us to do the smaller band at the quality level we were looking to."

Horn player Dave Naylor added, this is a smaller and "younger" band.

A number of new musicians have moved into the area and neighboring counties. The band features members who live as far away as Lakeland, Tampa and Okeechobee.

These musicians who are from out of town, as well as here in Highlands County, are excellent players, Graves said.

"I just did an album with Barbara Streisand," he said. "I'm still traveling with the lead singer from Hootie and the Blowfish [Darius Rucker]. So there are a lot of players in this new group who are still extremely active."

The band's repertoire includes about 400 - 500 tunes from the big band era, but the song list includes about 400 additional tunes spanning the years after the big band era, which peaked from 1935 to 1945.

Along with talented musicians, the musical arrangements are key to an interesting and exciting sound.
The standard big band features a line up five saxophones, four trombones, four trumpets and a rhythm section – piano, guitar, bass and drums.

Music written for a 13-piece horn section doesn't work with the four-piece horn section of the Highlandaires, so Graves and Naylor are always checking with other musicians for arrangements. Graves reorchestrated some of his big band arrangements for the smaller band, but maintained a full sound.

With the addition of the first Heartland Idol winner, Nelly Guzman, the band will be featuring more vocals with songs by composers George Gershwin, Cole Porter, etc.

The Highlandaires personnel include:

- Dave Naylor (trumpet and flugelhorn) – master's degree in music performance from State University of New York at Stony Brook, featured soloist with the U.S. Navy Band in Washington, D.C., toured with the Les and Larry Elgart Band, Vaughn Monroe and Sammy Kay.

- Ken Faulk (trumpet and flugelhorn) – bachelor's degree in applied music from Fort Hays, Kansas State College, toured and recorded with the Buddy Rich Big Band Mercy, Mercy and Live At The Go-Go, toured with Frank Sinatra, toured and recorded with Bee Gees and recorded with Barbra Streisand.

- Donald Lunsford (sax and woodwinds) – attended Florida Southern College and studied under jazz great Nat Adderley, performs extensively with various central Florida bands including The Big Z Band and Rat Pack Too Orchestra.

- Peter Graves (trombone) – played on the Jackie Gleason Show, toured and recorded Mercy, Mercy with the Buddy Rich Big Band, toured with Frank Sinatra, toured and recorded with Bee Gees, arranging and conducting for Barbra Streisand, conducts for Darius Rucker (Hootie & The Blowfish).

- Paul Butcher (keyboards) – bachelor's degree in trumpet performance from University of Wisconsin, masters from University of Denver, played in the U.S. Air Force Academy Band, has performed with Woody Herman big band, Rosemary Clooney and Ray Charles, professor at Southeastern University in Lakeland.

- John Katsaras (bass) – bachelor's degree in medical technology from University of South Florida, attended virtuoso bassist Jeff Berlins' Players School of Music in Clearwater, performs with various bands in the central Florida area including the Lakeland Jazz Orchestra.

- Dick Maley (drums) – attended Shenandoah College and Conservatory of Music in Winchester, VA., played with the New Dixie Zing Kings in New Orleans for three years, worked with Al Hirt, Pete Fountain, Bill Alred and Connie Haines, performs regularly for the Walt Disney Company.

- Nelly Guzman (vocals) – master's degree from Florida State University in sociology, winner of the Inaugural 2004 Heartland Idol, regular performer at the Highlands Little Theatre, studied at Brooklyn Queens Conservatory of Music, works at South Florida Community College as English for speakers of other languages coordinator.

The Highlandaires concert/dance season starts today and are held in the Sebring Civic Center, located next to the Highlands Little Theatre. All the dates are on Thursday evenings beginning at 7:30. Admission is $7 and there's plenty of free parking and you're welcome to bring your own refreshments.

For reservations, call: 863- 471-1086.

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