with Walter White Big Band at Detroit Jazz Festival

From Walter White:   “My focus as a bandleader, composer, arranger, centers around cultivating an uplifting transference of energy between the band and audience; something I experienced first on stage as a kid trumpeter at Interlochen, and later, more vividly and upfront, on the bandstand of Maynard Ferguson, one of the true ‘Jedi-Masters’ of Leader-Band-Audience connectivity.
My hope for our DJF 2024 performance is that we’ll be successful transmitting and sharing a magnetic, magical, and moving musical energy-experience with the audience. During the pandemic-hampered DJF 2020, although we knew thousands were listening online, performing to a completely empty ballroom TV-studio was surreal and it was difficult just ‘imagine’ the very-real energy transference a live audience provides, so It’s a great honor and pleasure. for me personally, to get a chance to perform this music with eighteen of the finest musicians anywhere, in front of the great, sophisticated, high-energy, soulful Detroit Jazz Festival audience. LIVE!
The music I’ve been writing lately seems to be equally challenging and fun for the band and only hints at the typical, traditional, swing big band fare. Of the new original pieces, I’m particularly looking forward to playing Kin Of The Castle, (Kin, as in seen). It’s a tribute to my friend, bassist Joaquin Garcia, who lives in a small Spanish ‘castle’ he refurbished on a hilltop overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in Noia, Galicia, Spain. Kin Of The Castle has a double-time swing feel going on in the drums, with slower harmonic rhythm, a soaring melodic theme, and some engaging ensemble passages. We’ll also be repeating a couple tunes from our closed 2020 set, including my original, Atlantic Bridge, and Blue Rondo a la Turk, written for DJF’s tribute to Dave Brubeck a few years back, that will give the band a chance to stretch out on some jazz blues in F. A brand new arrangement of the iconic Christopher Cross hit, Sailing, is also on the set list, as is The River and The Way Up, two pieces from a five-movement suite recently recorded for the upcoming release of Walter White BBXL II. Thanks, in advance, for the reciprocal energy! ~Walter White, July 2024″