VJC Big Band Celebrates its 21st Year w/ Vocalist Peter Eldridge
December 12 @ 7:30 pm
A gala dance to support the VJC’s Scholarship Fund!
The 18-piece Vermont Jazz Center Big Band returns for its annual swing dance gala, this year featuring the acclaimed vocalist, pianist, and composer Peter Eldridge. Eldridge is known for bridging the worlds of jazz and singer-songwriter traditions with ease and emotional depth. A founding member of the Grammy-winning vocal ensemble New York Voices, Eldridge has performed at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, and The Kennedy Center, and has recorded and toured with legendary artists including Bobby McFerrin, Michael Brecker, George Benson, Paquito D’Rivera, and Chanticleer.
Eldridge’s solo projects – including Disappearing Day (Sunnyside Records), which was called “an out-and-out masterpiece” by All About Jazz—have landed on Best of the Year lists from DownBeat, Jazziz, and NPR. Eldridge’s recent collaboration with pianist Kenny Werner, Somewhere features a 40-member orchestra and a world-class jazz quartet.
The VJC Big Band, comprised of professional musicians from the region, performs classic and contemporary big band arrangements to raise funds for the Vermont Jazz Center’s Scholarship Fund. Now in its 21st year, the ensemble thrives thanks to the steadfast leadership of Music Director Rob Freeberg and the unwavering dedication of Band Manager and baritone saxophonist Sherm Fox, who helped establish the group in 2004.
Each year, the VJC Big Band performs a dance concert on the first Friday of December that features a special guest artist. Past headliners have included Carmen Bradford, Evan Arntzen, Alexis Cole, Amanda Carr, Houston Person, Dave Stryker, Samirah Evans, Rich Greenblatt, Mark Anagnostopulos, Bella Holtz, Kevin Mahogany, Miles Griffith, Wanda Houston, and timbalero Eguie Castrillo.
2024/2025 VJC Big band
Trumpets: Don Anderson, Rick Anderson, Haneef Nelson, Bunny Saranita, Rob Freeberg (Geoff Cunningham)
Woodwinds: Michael Zsoldos, Sherm Fox, Bruce Diehl (Aedan Madden), Carl Clements, and Donna Morse
Trombones: John Wheeler, Amaranth Cole, Dave Sporny and Tim Atherton (Kim Clark)
Rhythm section: Eugene Uman (piano), Wes Brown (bass), and Steve Rice (drums).
—DownBeat
