As the JOI Jazz Orchestra wraps up a year of outstanding performances in 2023, all of us at Jazz Outreach Initiative wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Wednesday, December 20, 2023,the JOI Jazz Orchestra performed its "JOI to the World" concert at Notoriety. The concert featured all Christmas music, including several original arrangements and commissioned works for the band, classic big band Christmas music, and a couple of surprises.
The house was packed with an estimated 225 thrilled jazz lovers. JOI was excited to see younger people continuing to build our audience and a few of them even got up and danced throughout the evening. Our good friends at Las Vegas Jazz Society were also attending along with several of our own JOI Jazz Alliance volunteers who both attended and helped manage the merch table.
The evening kicked off with a surprise guest, JOI Advisory Board Member and honorary JOI Jazz Orchestra band member, Nathan Tannenbaum performing solo flute with the orchestra. A local master trumpet maker, Mike Del Quadro of Del Quadro Custom Trumpets paid for JOI to commission an arrangement of "Oh Tannenbaum" by JJO member/composer/arranger Nathan Tanouye.
The resulting piece written exclusively for legendary local news icon and "Tooty Flutey" favorite on Channel 8 News Now, Nate Tannenbaum is titled "Oh 'Nate' Tannenbaum" and is a huge hit with audiences, the band, and Nate himself. A couple days later, on Nate's Channel 8 News Now morning broadcast, he performed his solo live on air and later showed a clip of his performance with the JJO. Thank you Nate for all your heart, dedication, support, and love!
The evening also featured a special presentation of music from the Glenn Miller Orchestra's platinum selling 3-album set, "In the Christmas Mood." JOI supporter and volunteer Dale Thompson was a member of the GMO and producer on the albums and generously donated the original scores to the JOI Jazz Orchestra. It was wonderful seeing this great big band classic music brought to life on stage!
Three primary JOI team members ensure these Notoriety performances are a hit twice monthly. A special thank you is in order for JOI co-founder and VP Education & Programming, Gary Cordell who works tirelessly to ensure these performances are successful, music and equipment are transported and set up, theater staff is engaged, musicians are scheduled, and countless other duties that make the JOI Jazz Orchestra possible. Also thank you to JOI Board President, Curt Miller for his thought leadership and support and for his entertaining emcee work at these performances. And JOI Executive Director, Donny Thompson who personally and through partnerships ensures marketing and publicity puts butts in seats, coordinates volunteers with the merch and donations, and more. Thank you also to the entire team at Notoriety for their hard work and great service to our guests, including owner Ken Henderson, manager Chris Racine, and his whole team of bartenders, sound, and lighting crews. We'd also like to thank the JOI Board of Directors, Pres. Curt Miller, VP Linda Woodson, MD, Sec. Juliana McRae, Treas. Daniel Philippus, CPA, Trustee Linda Marvin, and especially JOI founder and Artistic Dir., Kenny Rampton, JOI Co-founder/VP Education & Programming Gary Cordell, and Exec. Dir., Donny Thompson. Each of these dedicated individuals have unique qualities and skill sets which combined are a tour-de-force in the meteoric success of Jazz Outreach Initiative.
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