The Analog Jazz Orchestra is excited to welcome Dawning Holmes as our featured guest vocalist on Thursday, July 6th, as we perform compositions and arrangements of National Endowment of the Arts winner and Downbeat Magazine Award winning educator Jeff Holmes.

Jeff Holmes is the Director of Jazz and African American Music Studies at UMass, a nationally commissioned and published composer/arranger, and recipient of multiple NEA Jazz Composition Grants. He has toured around the world and was a featured artist on the Jazz at the Kennedy Center series in Washington D.C. with the Billy Taylor Trio.

Dawning Holmes has sung in jazz clubs from New York City to London and Germany. She is the featured vocalist with the Jeff Holmes Big Band, and has guested with Paul Winter, the UMass Studio Orchestra/Jazz Ensemble I, the Jeff Holmes Quartet at the Springfield Jazz and Roots Festival, and opened for comedian Bob Newhart.

Analog Jazz Orchestra

‍Comprising the region's most accomplished jazz musicians, composers and arrangers, the AJO is a sight to be heard. With a commitment to original jazz compositions in an improvisational environment, these players shine while creating "Big Sound" musical moments for their audiences.

AJO brings together the seasoned veterans of the West Point Jazz Knights, the Count Basie Big Band, the Arturo O'Farrill Latin Jazz Orchestra, and the Artie Shaw Orchestra, among others.

Saxophones: Nathan Childers, Wayne Tice, Geoff Vidal, Dave Loy Song, Brad Hubbard

Trumpets: John Castleman, Fred Maxwell, Rich Johnson, Chris Melito

‍Trombones: Jason Miller, Brian Bonvissuto, Alex Slomka, Matt Wozniak

‍Rhythm: Scott Arcangel - piano, Rob Helsel - guitar, Lou Pappas - bass, Scott Drewes - drums