Big Band Opus78 A Profile Big Band OPUS78 www.opus78.lu Since its start in 1978 years, the music style has evolved into a mixture of traditional big band swing, touched up by some modern arrangements. Today, it can be said, without any exaggeration, that the accumulated skills in the area of Jazz, Swing, Rock and Pop, positively influenced the music scene in Luxembourg. In 1993, the first Opus 78 CD called Jalousie was produced. The second album followed two years later: Setting the StandARTS, featuring the American vocalist Joan Orleans. Gasty Meyer, arranger and composer, has largely contributed to the success of this production. 20 years were celebrated by a concert under the direction of the great German bandleader, composer and arranger Peter Herbolzheimer featuring Silvia Droste. Beginning 2003, the meanwhile third album had been produced. So far unpublished studio and live recordings, together with new titles reflect an Opus 78 musical Big Band Opus78 a.s.b.l. Page 1
retrospective. This CD includes tunes in conjunction with Karin Melchert, Gasty Meyer, Silvia Droste, Joan Orleans, Peter Herbolzheimer, Jean-Lou Vanoli, Ernie Hammes and others. It was equally a great honor and occurrence for Opus 78 to perform as support band for Maynard Ferguson and his Big Bop Nouveau Band. As part of their 2003 European tour a gig had been performed in Luxembourg-City. In February 2004, Opus78 performed a concert together with the great Mike Mainieri, founder of the pioneering jazz/ fusion group Steps Ahead and NYC RECORDS (USA). Primarily recognized as an award-winning, jazz vibraphonist, Mike Mainieri s equally remarkable talents as producer, arranger, and composer have contributed to shaping the cutting-edge in music. Throughout his fruitful career-- now spanning almost five decades-- Mike has collaborated with the world s most formidable jazz players produced numerous albums, and discovered a host of innovative, young talent. During spring 2004 the live recording of the 2003 Let it Swing event had been published as a CD under the name: Let me entertain you. In 2003 a unique event Let it Swing had been produced by Opus 78. For the very same reflections as conceived by the superstar Robbie Williams, Opus 78 re-launched the tunes of the great Frank Sinatra and the big band era, arranged by Paul Dahm and George Letellier. A philharmonic ensemble complemented the band. End of March 2004, on demand of the Ville d Esch/Alzette, the great production Let it Swing - 2003 was reperformed at the Théâtre Municipal de la ville d Esch/Alzette. The entire income of this particular concert was donated to Télévie a charity organization. Big Band Opus78 a.s.b.l. Page 2
In June 2004, exactly one year later, Opus78 had again the chance to produce the pre-program for Maynard Ferguson and his Big Bop Nouveau Band. This time, the concert took place on the open air stage at the castle of Wiltz. Finally the highlight of the season 2004 took place on December 4th: The big show event hosted again by the Commune de Differdange, at the Hall Sportif de Differdange, Let s talk about music. This time, the great monuments of music, of the 1970 th, 80 th and 90 th had been performed with full orchestration and numerous soloists from Luxembourg. The arrangements had again been especially written for this event. The event had been entirely recorded and broadcasted several times on TV. The video material as well as the audio recording had been reworked and compiled under the form of a music DVD production, a premiere in Luxembourg. At the beginning of 2005, Opus78 had been approached by the Ville de Luxembourg to perform a compilation of the two unique events Let it Swing and Let s talk about music in the frame of the presidency of the European Community by Luxembourg. In June this concert took place right at the City- Centre on a huge open-air stage. The event was again live-recorded and broadcasted on TV. In the frame of Live at Vauban a Luxembourg music festival, a jazz concert had been performed together with Barbara Dennerelin in the Atelier at Luxembourg-Hollerich on October Big Band Opus78 a.s.b.l. Page 3
21 st, 2005. Born in Munich in 1964, Barbara Dennerlein started playing organ at the age of eleven. Just a few years later, aged fifteen, she performed regularly at local jazz clubs. There she laid the foundations for her future career as a professional musician and became the leading representative of her instrument, the legendary Hammond B3. With her brilliant playing technique as well as her arrangements and compositions, she created an innovative and distinctive style that opened up totally new musical dimensions for the Hammond organ. Phil s First Final Farewell Tour. Together with Dave Whitehouse living close to London, recommended singer by Phil Collins himself, Opus78 covered the entire musical career of Phil, from Genesis, over the Phil Collins Bg Band to Phil Collins today. Once more, Opus78 convinced the audience by an outstanding misical and technical performance. Over the years she has recorded and performed with exceptional musical personalities. December 2005 One more night Best of Phil Collins at the Centre Sportif Differdange- Oberkorn. After having met Phil Collins in person in November 2005, Opus78 performed a gigantic show based on Big Band Opus78 a.s.b.l. Page 4
Big Band Opus 78 In Concert 06 23.06 21:00 Place Guillaume 20.07 20:00 Dudelange Summer Stage Soloists: Ernie Hammes (Tp), Pascal Schumacher (Vb), Daliah Scholl (Fl), Romain Nosbaum (Pi), Al Ginter (Pc), Carole Weber (PC) 25.07 19:30 Place d Armes 15.10 16:00 Sanem Journée Big-Bands 23.12 20:00 Differdange Let it Snow Soliste: Joan Orleans Gospel & Chrismas Show 30.06 20:00 Sanem Centre Culturel Soloist: Ernie Hammes (Tp) 05.07 20:00 Beringen/Mersch Hall Irbicht Soloists: Karin Melchert, Fränz Meisch (Vocals) 15.07 22:00 Jazz-Ralley Luxembourg-Grund Soloist: Barbara Dennerlein (Organ) For additional information, please contact: Big Band Opus78 a.s.b.l. PO Box: 2527 L-1025 Luxembourg G.D. of Luxembourg www.opus78.lu Big Band Opus78 a.s.b.l. Page 5