Aug. 9th
Phil Norman Tentet

"With these great musicians and charts, this ensemble creates a cool sound that Gerry Mulligan, Dave Brubeck, Shorty Rogers and even Kenton would relish."
Chuck Niles, Jazz Disc Jockey, KLON-FM 88.1

"Phil Norman and Company marry classic jazz to millennial."
Bill Kohlhaase, Jazz Review, Los Angeles Times Calendar Section

Musicians
BOB FLORENCE (Piano)
Equally well know as a composer, arranger, bandleader, pianist and educator, Bob has garnered national and international acclaim in each of these roles. He has lent his writing skills to Count Basie, Stand Kenton, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles, Louis Bellson, Harry James, and The Tonight Show Band. He has also received one Grammy Award, thirteen Grammy nominations and two Emmy Awards. His own sensational Limited Edition big band recorded extensively and has appeared at both the Playboy and Monterey Jazz Festivals. Bob may be most recognized for his famous arrangement of Up a Lazy River as recorded by Sy Zentner. Bob is also a contributor to the Tentet's book.

DICK WELLER (Drums)
Dick is one of the most electrifying young drummers in the California area today. Having earned his degree in music from New York University, and playing in various jazz clubs in and around Manhattan with musicians such as Charles Blenzing, Andy Laverne, Jeff Andrews, Rachel Z, Chuck Loeb and Walt Weiskopt, he went on to tour with Diane Schuur and Bobby Shew. Since then he has performed with such stars as Mike Stern, Bobby Lyle, Mike Manieri, Bob Florence and Scott Henderson.

TREY HENRY (Bass)
A native of southern California, where he earned a degree in music from California State University Northridge, Trey has performed with: Andre Previn, Julie Andrews, Pete Christlieb, Mark Murphy, Bill Watrous, Brandon Fields, Jack Jones, and Lalo Schifrin. He has also recorded with Maynard Ferguson, Gerald Wilson, Jack Sheldon, Anita ODay, The American Jazz Philharmonic and Kim Richmond.

LARRY KOONSE (Guitar)
Since receiving his BM in Jazz Studies from USC, Larry has toured extensively as a member of the John Dankworth Quartet, backing up Cleo Laine. He has also toured with Mel Torme, Terry Gibbs, Bob Brookmeyer, Billy Childs, Warne Marsh and was a featured performer with the Percy Faith Orchestra. Larry has recorded with Cleo Laine, Al Hirt, Jimmy Rowles, Lee Konitz, Alan Broadbent, Bill Perkins, Mel Torme, Toots Thielemanns, Bob Sheppard and many other jazz artists. He is currently co-leading the LA Jazz Quartet, which just released their fourth CD, Conversation Piece (NAXOS Records). Larry is also a faculty member at the California Institute of the Arts and has been since 1990.

CARL SAUNDERS (Trumpet)
At age 18 Carl joined and traveled extensively with the Stan Kenton Band. Since then he has played with such big names bands as Sy Zentner, Maynard Ferguson, Harry James, Woody Herman, Louis Bellson, Benny Goodman, Buddy Rich and Tex Beneke. He has worked with such stars as: Tom Jones, Jack Jones, Julio Iglesias, Debbie Reynolds, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Belafonte and the late Sammy Davis Jr. as well as having toured extensively with Robert Goulet, Paul Anka and Frank Sinatra. As a composer, Carl has written over 125 tunes, some are part of the Tentet's book.

RON STOUT (Trumpet)
Adept as either part of a big band, a small ensemble or to accompany vocal groups or stars, Ron has a long list of name musicians he has been associated with. In Los Angeles he has been heard with Bob Florence, Bill Holman and Bill Watrous big bands as well as having toured with the last Woody Herman band. Jazz legends such as Horace Silver and Pepper Adams found him to be a great addition, as have pop sensations like the Supremes, The Four Tops, The Temptations and The Righteous Brothers. He has also toured with such stars as Lou Rawls and Mel Torme to name a few.

ANDY MARTIN (Trombone)
One of the most widely regarded jazz soloist as well as being in high demand as a studio musician in Los Angeles, Andy's outstanding solo and ensemble playing can be heard in bands fronted by Louis Bellson, Bill Holman, Tom Kubis, Les Brown, Jack Sheldon, and Matt Cattingub, Med Florys Supersax Big Band, Frank Capp Juggernaut, Bill Berry's L.A. Big Band, and Roger Neumann's Rather Large Big Band. As an artist he is the featured soloist with a variety of artists on many CDs including Dave Grusin, Poncho Sanchez, Horace Silver, Clare Ficher and Tom Talbert. He has recorded also with such notables as Neil Diamond, Paul Anka, Boz Scaggs, Barry Manilow, Lionel Ritche, Brian Seltzer and Steve Allen, just to name a few. Andy Martin's Leading Off is his first solo album. The Metropole Orchestra from The Netherlands recently featured Andy on two just released CDs.

RUSTY HIGGINS (Alto Sax)
He has been in Les Brown's Band of Renown for the last 20 years as featured alto sax soloist. He joined Captain & Tennille in 1979 and has been Toni Tennille's symphony orchestra conductor since 1984, having conducted over 60 symphonies. He recorded music for Bob Hopes TV specials for 17 years, played on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and Jay Leno and has performed with Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme, Rosemary Clooney, Liza Minnelli, Dianne Warwick, Clark Terry's Band, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Louis Bellson and Jack Sheldon. As an arranger, Rusty's work can be found in the Tentet's book.

ROGER NEUMANN (Reeds)
After receiving his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa, Roger traveled with the Jack Gillespie Band and the Lee Castle/Jimmy Dorsey Band. Always striving to improve, he studied and taught at the Berklee College of Music in Boston for 2 years at which time (1967) he joined the Woody Herman Band. As a saxophonist, he has worked for Bob Crosby, Ray Conniff, The Beach Boys, Ray Anthony and Anita O'Day. As a composer and arranger, he has written for Buddy Rich, Count Basie, Ray Charles, The Raelettes, Ray Brown and The Beach Boys. Many of the Tentet's charts are Roger's. Finally he is the leader of The Roger Neumann's Rather Large Band.

PHIL NORMAN (Tenor Sax)
Phil has made guest appearances with the Frank Capp Juggernaut, The Full Faith and Credit 19 piece Big Band, The Dave Pell Octet, and the Tom Lyles Trio. For many years Phil appeared on KMPC and KABC as those station's financial voice, appearing with such radio personalities as Gary Owens, Ken and Bob, Michel Jackson and Stu Nayhan. It's his financial success, his musical background and his desire to revive the cool contemporary sounds of Miles Davis, Gerry Mulligan, Dave Brubeck, Shorty Rogers, Dave Pell, et al, that led Phil to form his tentet, now one of the more respected jazz ensembles in Southern California.

Visit the Phi Norman website www.philnormantentet.com