About The Big Band Sound

The Big Band Sound 20-piece jazz orchestra recreates the swinging sounds of the big band era and beyond, performing compositions that span more than a century of music, including classics made famous by Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, Frank Sinatra, and more. In the tradition of these great orchestras, The Big Band Sound is a 20-piece jazz band consisting of six saxophones, four trombones, four trumpets, guitar, bass, piano, drums, and vocalists.

The Big Band Sound has an active library of hundreds of compositions, from jumping jive to romantic ballads, all to bring the brassy big band experience to life. The band's repertoire includes classic swing, the full catalog of the Great American Songbook, and a wide variety of music that continues in the tradition of the stirring, full-bodied sounds of the big bands. The Big Band Sound performs the greatest music in the world in the most exciting setting of a live big band!

The Big Band Sound is based in Poughkeepsie, New York and has received rave reviews while performing throughout the Hudson Valley ever since 1975, including concerts, dances and shows at the Paramount Center for the Arts, Mohonk Mountain House, Sharon Playhouse, Vanderbilt Mansion, Mills Mansion, Boscobel, Locust Grove, Bard College, Vassar College, Marist College, SUNY New Paltz, Dutchess Community College, the Culinary Institute of America, West Point, Millbrook Vineyards & Winery, and local parks and festivals, in addition to appearing at private events and on local radio stations. Please visit our Home/Schedule page here to find out where you can listen live to the swinging sounds of The Big Band Sound. We hope to see you soon!

Notable appearances of The Big Band Sound include being the only big band ever invited to perform at the world famous Clearwater Festival, being featured on nationally syndicated radio shows, accompanying singing star Julius LaRosa, being the on-stage big band for a local production of the Broadway musical "The 1940's Radio Hour", and producing our own original stage shows: "Solid Gold!, Big Band Style", "Ella, Nat, and Frank, Big Band Style", "Swingtime!, Big Band Style", "Ella and Frank, Big Band Style", "Swingin' in the Holidays!, Big Band Style", "Showtunes!, Big Band Style", "More Sinatra, Big Band Style", "Broadway's Best, Big Band Style", "Sinatra Sounds, Big Band Style", "All-American, Big Band Style", "Hollywood, Big Band Style", "Broadway, Big Band Style", "The Best of the Big Bands", and "Glenn Miller and Count Basie Centennial". Please visit our Video page here to enjoy our past "Big Band Style" shows.

In addition, The Big Band Sound was recognized by the Dutchess County Executive's Arts Awards with their Special Citation Award. The Big Band Sound is run as a cooperative orchestra.

If you'd like to inquire about having The Big Band Sound jazz orchestra perform at your function, please contact the Director of The Big Band Sound, Dave Cole, at dave@thebigbandsound.com