Click here to purchase the CNY Jazz Orchestra's album Then, Now & Again.
The exciting debut CD/DVD release by the CNY Jazz Orchestra is now available! This world-class big band has been cutting it up for 12 seasons behind the very best guests in the jazz world, and amassing fans and acclaim:
“Look out—this band is on fire! The CNYJO weaves through intricate pieces with precision, dynamics and phenomenal musicianship—a masterpiece!” — Tony Monaco
“The CNY Jazz Orchestra is groovy, modern, abstract and sassy!” — Marcus Printup
“World class soloists and arrangements. I love this CD. It’s been in my car for a week!” —Bobby Watson
“This new CD features wonderful soloing, composing and arranging.” — Shelly Berg
“This long-awaited CD is a treasure that documents for the world the stories that guest performers have been taking away from their appearances with CNY Jazz. The legend now becomes reality. The CNY Jazz Orchestra is the real deal.” — Dick Carr, Big Bands Ballads & Blues, WCNY-FM
"Having been fortunate enough to hear this band for the last 12 years, I can say unequivocally that they are more than just a regional orchestra....they are a bunch of world class musicians who are deserving of wider recognition. Ask any of the special guests they have accompanied and I think they would definitely agree. This album from top to bottom showcases their swing and sophistication and will be truly enjoyable for jazz fans of all ages." - Eric Cohen, Program Director, WAER-FM88
Under the direction of Music Director, composer, and trombonist Bret Zvacek, the band has written and arranged a blockbuster set representing their continuing evolution, featuring music written since their creation in 1996.
The recording consists exclusively of arrangements and compositions by its members. The CD lives up to its title by paying tribute to the past with tunes dedicated to two late music directors: Ray Shiner, Sauter-Finegan alumnus and founding director, and Calvin Custer, best selling composer for Hal Leonard Publications. The present incarnation of the band provides new compositions and arrangements by Zvacek and band members Rick Montalbano, Sr. and John Jeanneret. And, the two-disc package reprises five studio CD titles on the DVD disc of a concert recorded live at the Persian Terrace of the historic Hotel Syracuse. The DVD also includes a Behind the Scenes special features reel. The result is jazz played with an extraordinary breadth of style, genre, and vision, providing a strong foundation for the internationally competitive soloing, arranging, and composing heard throughout.