Stan Kenton Legacy Orchestra to Oskaloosa
Band Leader Mike Vax
The Oskaloosa Band Program is excited to bring the Stan Kenton Legacy Orchestra to Oskaloosa. Join us on April 11 at 7:00pm at George Daily Auditorium to welcome this historic group. The band includes alumni from the 1956-1978 Stan Kenton Orchestra. They perform some of the well-known music of the Grammy winning Stan Kenton Orchestras; plus in keeping with Stan’s insistence on not just performing nostalgia type music, they also perform fresh new material written in the Kenton style, as well as original material written by members of the Band. Kenton was well known as a jazz educator in his later years and pioneered many jazz festivals and the concept of clinics at schools. It was this opportunity that initially grabbed the attention of Oskaloosa Director of Bands, Rich Waddington. “To be able to combine a world-class educational offering for our students and a fundraiser for the program seemed like an opportunity to good to pass up.” The high school jazz students will work with members of the band earlier in the day and then have the chance to mingle with the band members during a dinner provided by C. L. Barnhouse Publishing of Oskaloosa. Tickets are available for the concert at Brown’s Shoe Fit in Oskaloosa. ($25 for adults / $20 for students).
The band has the blessing of Leslie Kenton, Stan’s eldest daughter, who represents the interests of her father. She approves of all the band is doing to keep the Kenton Legacy alive.
Band Leader Mike Vax is a product of the City of Oakland, CA, and the Oakland Public Schools, having graduated from Oakland High School in 1960. He has led a big band off and on since his days at College of the Pacific over 45 years ago. A few of his credits include being first trumpet, soloist and road manager of the Stan Kenton Orchestra, as well as being co-leader while Mr. Kenton was recovering from surgery; leading the Dukes of Dixieland in New Orleans; producing and/or music directing for over 40 jazz festivals; and performing workshops for more than 2500 high schools, colleges and universities all over the world. He
is an International Artist for the GETZEN COMPANY. Mike now lives in Northern Arizona and still travels on the road many months a year.
The goals of the band are to perform meaningful music, talk about the importance of the jazz heritage in America, bring jazz music to young people, and to offer our audiences a relaxed, entertaining atmosphere.
The concert is sponsored in part by Cablevey, Mahaska Bottling, Mahaska Drug, and Hy Vee.
