A CJC exclusive event, Dave Eshelman brings his Jazz Garden Big Band together to celebrate his 75th Birthday. The evening will showcase the music of jazz pianist Chick Corea. This will be the only Bay Area concert, so don’t miss this event!

“The Jazz Garden Big Band must be considered a leader in the formation and presentation of big band music in the modern creative vein.” – All Music Guide

“As big bands go this must rank as one of the best around today…” — Jazz Journal International

“Consistenty satisfying…” JAZZIZ

The Jazz Garden Big Band features an all-star roster of musicians from the Bay Area. Current players and longtime members include the first female instrumentalist to become a member of the Stan Kenton Orchestra Mary Fettig, Director of Jazz Studies at CSUEB Dann Zinn, Former DVC Jazz Director Rory Snyder, saxophonist and recording artist Bob Kenmotsu, woodwind specialist and former De Anza College director Bob Farrington, trumpeter Chris Marquis, lead trumpeter Marvin McFadden, in demand trumpeter Mike Olmos, leader of the ESO trumpeter and composer Erik Jekabson, Jeanne Geiger trombonist-arranger for Deltron 3030, virtuoso jazz trombonist Matt Hall, bass trombonist Rich Lee, pianist Colin Hogan, guitarist Randy Vincent, bassist Dan Parenti and drummer Kelly Fasman.

Band Members & Instrumentation

Mary Fettig – saxophone & woodwinds

Dann Zinn – saxophone & woodwinds

Rory Snyder – saxophone & woodwinds

Bob Kenmotsu – saxophone & woodwinds

Bob Farrington – saxophone & woodwinds

Joe Rodriguez – trumpet & flugelhorn

Marvin McFadden – trumpet & flugelhorn

Mike Olmos – trumpet & flugelhorn

Erik Jekabson – trumpet & flugelhorn

Jeanne Geiger – trombone

Matt Hall – trombone

Rich Lee – bass trombone

Colin Hogan – piano

Randy Vincent – guitar

Dan Parenti – bass

Kelly Fasman – drums

Artist Bios

Conductor, trombonist, arranger and composer Dave Eshelman has become one of the foremost champions of creative and modern music in the United States. 

2023 marks the 45th anniversary of the 1978 Jazz Garden Big Band premier to a standing room only audience at the Eulipia Café in downtown San Jose. Over the four decades since, it has performed in dozens of bay area jazz clubs, concert halls and festivals. The band has backed guest artists such as Mel Torme, Joe Henderson and Bruce Forman in concert and on critically acclaimed cds: The Jazz Garden (1982), Deep Voices (1988), When Dreams Come True (1993), and Milagro’s Journey (2001). The band recorded and performed the suite Temperature Rising (1998), commissioned by San Jose Jazz. In 2018 the band celebrated its 40th year with a series of concerts. Learn more at www.jazzgarden.com

COVID-19 POLICY (8-23-22): In the interest of providing the best possible health and safety conditions for our campus community, all in-person participants are required to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19. This includes staff, faculty and students in classes and workshops, and performers and audience members at concerts. Participants who are exempted from receiving the COVID-19 vaccination for medical reasons only, must provide the California Jazz Conservatory with verification of exemption from a licensed medical professional, and proof of negative COVID-19 test results within 72 hours of each event, to participate. 

Concert attendees must wear masks regardless of vaccination status.

The California Jazz Conservatory kindly requests that anyone feeling unwell refrain from attending in-person events of any kind.