RJO Blog

When Nina Simone passed away on April 21, 2003, her funeral service was attended by Miriam Makeba, Patti Labelle, poet Sonia Sanchez, actor Ossie Davis, and hundreds of others. Elton John sent a floral tribute with the message, "You were the greatest and I love you."

And the legacy continues…

Yes, her legacy continues through the voice of Morgan James. Join the Reno Jazz Orchestra and Ms. James celebrating the music of Nina Simone on August 24 at UNR's Nightingale Hall and August 25 at the Sand Harbor Trepp Amphitheater. She has seen success on Broadway, jazz clubs, and a solo career embracing soul music in all its forms. In middle school her grandmother paid for her singing lessons which developed a dream of attending Julliard. 

Join the Reno Jazz Orchestra (RJO) on May 10 at 4pm at UNR's Nightingale Hall featuring Matt Mauser to experience big band swing at its finest. Reno has a rich history of big band swing as a part of its casino showroom legacy. So many great singers from Sammy Davis Jr., Rosemary Clooney, and Tony Bennett graced the casino showrooms but none held sway more than Frank Sinatra. I had the pleasure of backing all those artists but there was a special electricity when Sinatra hit the stage. We are familiar with the "tabloid Frank" who made his private life public for fifty years. But it is his voice that commands attention and is his true legacy.

Lately, I've been pondering, why teach jazz? Is it in part because one needs a job to pay the bills? Perhaps teaching jazz was an additional requirement from a school administrator. Maybe, you chose to teach jazz for personal fulfillment. Of course, it might be as simple as it's SO DANG fun!

The Reno Jazz Orchestra (RJO) is presenting two concerts at our new home, the Note-Able Music Therapy Services building on Orovada Street in Reno, on November 16 at 7:30pm and November 17 at 2:00pm. The Note-Ables did a wonderful job converting the former Montessori school into a music space for all abilities. This includes our office and an intimate theater space seating approximately 80. RJO Music Director Greg Johnson chose the program Timeless Reimagined Standards for our inaugural event in the theater...

Gifted saxophonist and vocalist Camille Thurman takes the stage with the 17-piece Reno Jazz Orchestra (RJO) August 25 th at UNR's Nightingale Hall and August 26 th at Sand Harbor's Warren Edward Trepp stage. Thurman is a unique interpreter of the jazz idiom with a distinct musical approach to classic and original repertoire...

This weekend the Reno Jazz Orchestra (RJO) will present Fuego on July 20 in Reno’s Wingfield Park and again July 22 in the Warren Edward Trepp stage at Sand Harbor. My last blog I shared my love for Latin music and gave you background on the music and those that made it flourish in America. Today let me introduce to you the artists joining the 17-piece RJO and the material we will be performing...

While going to college in San Francisco during the seventies, as a musician, the cultural diversity of the city introduced me to a wealth of music styles I would not have experienced otherwise. Back then, I would take my trombone to church to perform at a morning service. In the afternoon, I would play in a marching band in Chinatown for a Chinese funeral where the band performing hymns would lead a parade of mourners in trucks and cars. Then it was off to Mission Street at night to play Salsa. Those, along with performing in rock bands, big bands, and orchestras were all great experiences. It was in 1975 that the Salsa band’s conga player invited me over to listen to some of his new records. When he put on The Sun of Latin Music I was blown away with what I heard and have been a fan ever since...