Caleb Chapman's Crescent Super Band
| Caleb Chapman's Crescent Super Band | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Utah |
| Genres | Jazz, big band |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Labels | Big Swing Face Records, Ear Up Records, R Legacy Entertainment |
| Website |
crescentsuperband |
| Past members | Chase Baird, Jaydon Bean, Andrew Tolman |
Caleb Chapman's Crescent Super Band is a music group directed by Caleb Chapman. It consists of 25 musicians aged 15–18 and is the flagship ensemble for Caleb Chapman’s Soundhouse, an after school professional musician training program based in Utah.[1]
With a standard big band instrumentation of trumpets, trombones, saxophones, guitar, piano, bass, and drums, the group also often features vocalists. Its primary mission is to reinvent the Great American Songbook by performing hip arrangements of popular songs of the past and present.[1]
Founded in 2001, the group regularly performs locally and worldwide, having played with guest artists from groups such as Dave Matthews Band, Journey, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Tower of Power, The Rolling Stones, and the Saturday Night Live Band. They have also shared the stage with over 200 top-tier jazz artists including GRAMMY-winners Joe Lovano, Nicholas Payton, Gordon Goodwin, Dave Weckl, Brian Lynch, Poncho Sanchez, Dave Samuels, Jeff Coffin, Esperanza Spalding, Randy Brecker, Ernie Watts, Christian McBride, Bob Mintzer, and Peter Erskine.[2]
Members may join the group through a rigorous audition process and are in the group as long as they are in high school. The members rotate each year. Former members of the group have enjoyed admission to top music schools as well as numerous scholarships and awards.[3]
Founder
The group's founder Caleb Chapman is an educator, musician, producer, and entrepreneur who is widely recognized for his contributions to music education worldwide and has received numerous honors for his work as an educator.[3] He is heavily involved in a variety of music and education activities, including nonprofit work, and serves as the Vice President for the Jazz Education Network.[4]
Performances
Caleb Chapman's Crescent Super Band has been featured at top music festivals around the world, including the Montreux Jazz Festival (Switzerland), Fiesta del Tambor (Cuba), Jazz a Vienne (France), MusicFest Canada, the Umbria Jazz Festival (Italy), the North Sea Jazz Festival (The Netherlands), the Berklee Jazz Festival (Boston), the Midwest Clinic (Chicago), the Park City Jazz Festival (Utah), and the Telluride Jazz Festival (Colorado). They had a headlining concert at the 2014 Jazz Education Network conference in Dallas, TX with special guests Randy Brecker and Ed Calle. In their local state, the group regularly performs for the NBA's Utah Jazz and is the only live music act to be invited to perform at the basketball team's halftime show. They have also performed at the Utah Governor's mansion and the Utah State Capitol for multiple gubernatorial events.[3]
In May 2013, the group was invited to perform a headlining set at Carnegie Hall in New York City. Their packed concert featured guest spots by GRAMMY-winning saxophonist David Sanborn and GRAMMY®-nominated trumpeter Wayne Bergeron.[5]
Awards
Having received local and national honors, the group has won Utah's Best of State awards for Best Instrumental Group in 2013 and 2014 and Best Vocal/Instrumental Band in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014.[6]
Over the last eight years the band has also been honored with 7 DownBeat Student Awards, a prestigious honor given by DownBeat Magazine, a popular jazz industry publication.[7]
2013 Kickstarter Fundraiser
In the fall of 2013, they launched a Kickstarter campaign to help crowd fund their next album, titled "Don't Look Down." The album was recorded and released in time to be considered for nomination for the 2015 GRAMMY awards.[8] The campaign raised the necessary funds from a national community of supporters.[8]
Discography[9]
It Is What It Is, Big Swing Face Records, 2011
A Crescent Christmas Vol I, R Legacy Entertainment, 2013
Don’t Look Down, Big Swing Face Records, 2014
The Inside Of The Outside, Ear Up Records, 2015
Current Members[9]
Saxophones: Amaya "Dr. Sparkles" Bickmore, Josh "Stoneface" Zabriske, Bryson "Birdie" Vanderwell, Spencer "Willith" Walgren, Carter "C-Ross" Madsen
Trumpets: Nik Clark, Brandon Chamberlain, Micah Willis, Tyler Webb, Nathan Peterson, Abraham Smith-Driggs
Trombones: Mick Simkins, Joseph Laudie, Almendra Vasquez, Peyton Wong
Guitar: Jaxon Garrick
Piano: Max Holm
Bass: Peter Hanaman
Drums: Matt Wilson, McKay Johnson
Percussion: Abby Draper
Notable Alumni[9]
Andrew Tolman – Member of Imagine Dragons (previous) and the Moth & the Flame (current)
Jaydon Bean – Member of Redlight King
Chase Baird – Recording Artist
References
- 1 2 Casey, Adams (May 1, 2014). "Caleb Chapman's Crescent Super Band defies labels". Daily Herald. Daily Herald. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
- ↑ Mann, Court (Feb 4, 2004). "SCERA Star Awards honor influential artists statewide". Herald Extra. Daily Herald. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
- 1 2 3 Parish, Matt (Sep 20, 2011). "Younger Lions: Caleb Chapman Makes World Tour Pros Out of Utah Teens". JazzED Magazine. Timeless Communication. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
- ↑ "Jazz Education Network Board". Jazz Education Network. July 1, 2014. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
- ↑ Williams, Jeffrey (May 21, 2013). "Caleb Chapman’s Crescent Super Band in Review (DCINY)". New York Concert Review Inc. New York Concert Review Inc. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
- ↑ "Best of State". Best of State Awards. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
- ↑ "DownBeat Student Awards". DownBeat Magazine. Maher Publications. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
- 1 2 "Don't Look Down Kickstarter Campaign". Kickstarter. Retrieved May 10, 2014.
- 1 2 3 "Caleb Chapman's Crescent Super Band iTunes Page". Caleb Chapman Music. Retrieved May 10, 2014.