Joshua Jern Jazz Orchestra - Lockdown (2021)

Lockdown is a collection of all original compositions and arrangements written by Joshua Jern, and it features some of the finest players from the Chicago scene. The trumpet section is an all-star line-up of longtime Chi-Town favorites, with contributions from Rob Parton (current head of Jazz Studies at University of North Texas), Roger Ingram (Maynard Ferguson, Woody Herman, Harry Connick, Jr.), and Art Davis (Chicago Jazz Orchestra, Frank Mantooth, Kurt Elling). Trombone solos by Luke Malewicz (Heritage Jazz Orchestra, Chicago Jazz Orchestra) and Russ Phillips (Rob Parton Big Band, Chicago Jazz Orchestra) round out a stellar offering of brass solos. Lockdown also features vocalist Amanda Wolff (The Flat Cats, Alan Gresik’s Swing Shift Orchestra), saxophonists Aaron McEvers (M-13, Psycles) and Andy Schlinder (CRISP, The Flat Cats), guitarist Chris Siebold (Kick The Cat, Psycles), keyboardist Rob Clearfield (Matt Ulery’s Loom, Persona), bassist Kurt Schweitz (George Freeman, Rockford Symphony), and drummer Greg Fundis (Fareed Haque, Led Zeppelin 2).

The music on Lockdown is varied in style- funk/rock fusion grooves and original compositions live comfortably alongside hard swing and classic standards in the Joshua Jern Jazz Orchestra. Jern’s writing draws upon a rich and wide heritage of many different styles of American music while faithfully keeping intact the essential traditions of the big band genre.