All the "name" Big Bands had their own personal
composers and arrangers...
... because the arrangement is what gives the song its KICK
and gives the band its own distinguishable sound.
QUALITY ARRANGERS
MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE!
CWO C. Fred Kepner
- Prolific composer and arranger for
the Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy Lunceford, and Buddy Morrow orchestras, Fred
Kepner organized and was the first leader of the Airmen of
Note, the premier jazz ensemble of the United
States Air Force, and successor organization to the Glenn Miller Army Air Force
Band. He oversaw the Airmen of Note as
they were filmed in The Glenn Miller
Story. His composition, Forward for Peace, was premiered
by the Air Force band in President
Dwight Eisenhower's inaugural
parade. He guest conducted several of his own
compositions in Carnegie Hall. He also wrote the theme song of the
Bill Dayton Big Band - Blue
Dream.
Bill
Granville - Gifted composer, arranger, and orchestrator, as
well as talented trombone player of numerous professional bands,
Bill has arranged and adapted scores of arrangements for the Bill
Dayton Big Band, focusing mostly on the 1930s and 1940s music.
If you have enjoyed the Bill Dayton Big Band playing tunes such as
Well Get It,
In The Mood/String Of
Pearls, Little
Brown Jug, You
Made Me Love You, The Two O'Clock Jump, and so many
others, then you have heard the work of this multi-talented
mid-Western artist.
Darryl
Brenzel - Saxophonist, composer, and arranger with more than 30 years
experience in the music business. Darryl is retired from the US Army Jazz Ambassadors after
a 26-year military career. While serving with the Jazz Ambassadors,
Darryl was a saxophone soloist as well as chief arranger/composer
and associate director. Darryl has attended the Berklee College of
Music where he studied saxophone with legendary teacher Joe Viola and jazz great George Garzone. Darryl also
spent two years as a member of the prestigious BMI Jazz Composers Workshop in
New York City. There he was able to work under the guidance of such
great composers as Maria
Schneider, Jim
McNeely, and
Michael Abene. Many of
his compositions and arrangements are published by UNC Jazzpress. In
addition to performing with the Jazz Ambassadors, Darryl has
performed with many internationally known acts such as The Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra,
The Nelson Riddle
Orchestra, The Beach
Boys, The Four
Tops, Dan
Akroyd, Little Anthony
and The Imperials, The
Drifters, and many
more.
Ralph Ingalls - While a
student at Towson University, Ralph Ingalls studied composition with
Hank Levy, former
arranger for the Stan
Kenton and Don
Ellis orchestras. It was during this same time
that Ralph and Steve Richwine were both members of the great Ed
William's Orchestra. Ralph continues to play trombone
with and contribute arrangements to many Baltimore/Washington area
big bands.
Craig Dayton - Former arranger
to 17-time Grammy
Award winning Jimmy
Sturr Orchestra. Voting member of ASCAP, NARAS, and NSAI. Craig's
arrangements have been performed on radio, TV, Carnegie Hall, and Avery Fischer Hall. Some
examples of Craig's original composition-arrangements for the Bill
Dayton Big Band are Will You Love Me (arrangement by C.
Fred Kepner), Cathy (arrangement by C. Fred Kepner),
Guess It Looks Like Spring, Again and Without
You. Along with original arrangements of his
compositions, he has written arrangements of standards such as
Goodie Goodie and adaptations of standard arrangements for
the band such as Sunny Side Of The Street. Craig is
also studying to write music for the
movies.
