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Mile High Jazz Band

External Links
Carson City Symphony
David Bugli website
Carson City Arts &
Culture Coalition
Sacramento Traditional
Jazz Society (STJS)
The Mile High Jazz Band Association formed in 2001 as a nonprofit corporation
to support the MHJB and its subgroup, the Millennium Bugs (jazz combo), promote
live jazz performance in northern Nevada, educate the public about jazz, and
enrich the cultural life of the community.
Member benefits include mailings, discounts on admissions, and
invitations to special events, plus the satisfaction of helping big-band jazz to thrive!
To book the Mile High Jazz Band (big band)
or Millennium Bugs (jazz combo),
call 775-883-4154.
Mile High Jazz Band Association Updated Mission Statement - Adopted March 4, 2012, by the
Board of Trustees:
Our mission is to enrich the cultural life of our community by promoting live
jazz performance in and around Carson City; enhancing arts education in collaboration
with other organizations and school programs; and supporting our resident big band,
the Mile High Jazz Band, and its affiliated combos.
MHJB Assoc. Board and Officers
The MHJBA board, July 1, 2020:
- Trustees class of 2021: Kelly Dodge, Jennifer Simkins, Doug Conner
- Trustees class of 2022: David Bugli, Rita Geil, Clay Cooper
- Trustees class of 2023: Ellie Bugli, Steve Hayes, Randy Seeber
Officers (elected at 2019 Board Meeting):
- President: David Bugli
- Vice President: Kelly Dodge
- Treasurer: Ellie Bugli
- Secretary: Jennifer Simkins
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Mayor Bob Crowell Has Died
Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020
Carson City Mayor Bob Crowell and his wife were great supporters of the arts in Carson City.
In particular they supported the Jazz & Beyond Music & Art Festival for many years. Bob died this
morning. We will miss his warmth, dedication, and smile. Click HERE for a beautiful photo montage
prepared by photographer Cathleen Allison. I feel it captures so much that we loved about Mayor Bob.
- David Bugli
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Revised Jazz & Beyond Schedule
Updated Thursday, August 27, 2020
The Jazz & Beyond Music and Art Festival is posting a revised schedule of events. This schedule has been adjusted from the
original schedule in response to the coronavirus situation. We are attempting to maintain the festival
site at https://jazzcarsoncity.com, but we have
experienced a few technical glitches. We hope this additional listing will be of benefit.
EVENTS
- Wed., Aug. 19 – "High Society" drive-in movie at Brewery Arts Center parking lot. Parking starts
at 7:30. Movie starts around 8:30. FREE.
- Thur., Aug. 20 – "High Society" drive-in movie at Brewery Arts Center parking lot. Parking starts
at 7:30. Movie starts around 8:30. FREE.
- Sat. Aug. 22 and Sun. Aug. 23 – Open Studios Tour - 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. For essential
information, see https://jazzcarsoncity.com/openstudio or call 775-883-4154. FREE.
- First live-streamed event – Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020 – 3:00 p.m. PST (This was originally scheduled
for Aug. 29) – The Jazzettes – Their Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/TheJazzettes.
Link to the live-streamed event will be live on Aug. 30 (just prior to the event) at
https://www.facebook.com/jazzcarsoncity/. FREE.
- Second live-streamed event – Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020 – 7:00 p.m. PST – Josh D. Reed Quartet.
Link to the live-streamed event will be live on Sept. 1 (just prior to the event) at
https://www.facebook.com/jazzcarsoncity/. FREE.
- Bill Rose & Laurie Blue – Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2020 – 7:00 p.m. PST – Streamed event, pre-recorded
at Melodee Music in Virginia. Link to the streamed event will opened on Sept. 8 (just prior
to the event) at https://www.facebook.com/jazzcarsoncity/. FREE.
- Tues. Sept 15 – Live-streamed event with Tom Stryker & Impromptu at 7:00 p.m. FREE. Link to the
live-streamed event will opened on Sept. 15 (just prior
to the event) at https://www.facebook.com/jazzcarsoncity/.
- Sun. Sept. 13 – Jazz Brunch at Empire Ranch Golf, with Niall McGuinness & New World Jazz
Project, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Reservations required. Link to the live-streamed event will opened on Sept. 13 (just prior
to the event) at https://www.facebook.com/jazzcarsoncity/.
- Sun. Sept. 20 – "A Day at the (little) Ranch" – An event with Sagebrush Rebels, 4:00 p.m. (new
time). Reservations required for the live event. FREE. will opened on Sept. 20 (just prior
to the event) at https://www.facebook.com/jazzcarsoncity/. (Originally this was going to be "A Day at the Silver Saddle Ranch,"
but plans had to be changed due to the coronavirus situation.)
- Sun. Sept. 27 – Second Jazz Brunch at Empire Ranch Golf, with Cherie & Take This!
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Reservations required. Link to the live-streamed event will opened on Sept. 27 (just prior
to the event) at https://www.facebook.com/jazzcarsoncity/.
For further information, check JazzCarsonCity.com or call 775-883-4154.
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Jazz & Beyond Music and Art Festival Releases Revised Plan
Media Release - Aug. 5, 2020
The Jazz & Beyond Music and Art
Festival is taking a new direction in response to the coronavirus
pandemic. The festival was founded in 2004. This is the first year in which gathering of
large crowds at musical events has been restricted due to health concerns. The festival,
originally planned to start on August 7, now has events starting on August 19 and continuing
into September. It will include drive-in movies, small in-person concerts, live streamed
concerts, and pre-recorded events made available to the public through the festival's
website at JazzCarsonCity.com.
"Back in the middle of March, we had a fairly complete schedule with a few dozen performances
planned for the festival in August, but all that changed as the pandemic spread," said David Bugli,
President of the Mile High Jazz Band Assoc., sponsor of the festival. "With this new approach,
we hope to share with the people in our community some of the great talent from our area,
and perhaps reach a wider audience outside Carson City through our live-streamed and pre-recorded
events. With few exceptions, admission to events will be free through the generosity of our
grantors, advertisers, sponsors donors and Association members."
The first event will be a free, jazz related drive-in movie, "High Society,"
on Wednesday,
August 19, and Thursday, August 20, in the parking lot at the Brewery Arts Center. The movie
is presented in cooperation with the Carson City Classic Cinema Club. The 1956 movie, based
on the earlier "Philadelphia Story" movie, is moved to a high-class setting near the
Newport Jazz Festival. It features Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, and Grace Kelly
in her last movie role before becoming Princess Grace of Monaco. Robin Holabird, film critic
and former Nevada Film Commissioner, will introduce the movie and provide commentary. The event
is supported in part by a generous grant from the Great Basin Consulting Group (Mike Drews).
Reservations are required for each vehicle, and information will be posted on the festival
website JazzCarsonCity.com.
The second annual Carson City
Open Studios Tour (OST), part of the festival, will be on
Saturday, August 22, and Sunday, August 23, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at ten studios throughout
Carson City. This admission-free, contemporary cultural event will showcase more than 25 local
artists, presenting a wide variety of exceptional visual art and art demonstrations, from
painting, sculpture, and 3D art to jewelry, photography, and pottery in ten individual and
shared spaces. The Wa-Pai-Shone Gallery at Stewart Indian School Cultural Center & Museum will display
works of several Great Basin Native Artists. Individual musicians will perform at six of the locations.
OST brochures, which include a map of the locations and list of artists and musicians, are available
at the Carson City Culture and Tourism Authority, the Nevada Artists Association, and Carson City
Chamber of Commerce, and may be downloaded from the OST page at JazzCarsonCity.com/openstudio.
The Festival plans to start live
streaming music events on August 29 and on subsequent dates
in September. Bands will perform with a very limited audience at A to Zen, and will be live streamed
over the Internet and recorded for later access via the festival website. These will mostly feature
musicians who were previously scheduled to perform live in mid-August.
The Day at
the Silver Saddle Ranch will be on Sunday, September 20, with the Sagebrush Rebels and
Sierra Sweethearts. Reservations are required.
An outdoor Sunday Jazz Brunch featuring Niall McGuinness and the New World Jazz Project is planned
for Sunday, September 13, at Empire Ranch Golf, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Reservations, at
$10 per person, include a mimosa or soft drink, and guests can order from the Mallard's menu.
Due to the nature of the pandemic, these plans are subject to change. For up-to-date
information, check out the festival website at JazzCarsonCity.com or the Facebook page at
facebook.com/jazzcarsoncity, or call 775-883-4154.
Artwork: Karen Kreyeski's After Midnight Jam, this year's winning artwork.
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Mile High Jazz Band Presents
"Moten Swing, performed by Mile High Jazz Band"
Available on YouTube, Sunday, August 16, 2020
The Mile High Jazz Band Assoc. presents a video called "Moten Swing, performed by
Mile High Jazz Band." It is available as an unlisted video on YouTube at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhH-uEksGCg.
Mile High Jazz Band (MHJB) presents its first virtual big-band recording, each individual part
recorded by band members and guests artists in their homes in July 2020. This endeavor is one
way for the MHJB to continue to work together as a group, even though the coronavirus prevents
us from rehearsing together and performing for our dearly missed audience.
As the MHJB explores the new technology for combining separate tracks into a whole, we like to
pay tribute to some musical pioneers who came before us. Bennie Moten (1894-1935) wrote "Moten Swing"
with his brother Buster in 1932 for his Kansas City Orchestra. It gained additional recognition
when Benny Goodman (1909-1986) recorded it in 1938. But it is best known for being recorded in
1940 by Count Basie (1904-1984) and his orchestra. Basie had joined the Moten band in 1929 as a
pianist, even though the band already had a pianist (Bennie Moten!). Some speculate that Moten aspired
to bring his band up to the level of Duke Ellington's, and hiring musicians of Basie's caliber would
help. Basie helped Moten develop the Kansas City style, in part by replacing the 2-beat-per-measure
emphasis of the tuba with the 4-beat-per-measure feel of the string bass, an innovation that led to swing.
For information on the Mile High Jazz Band, please go to MileHighJazz.com. The Mile High Jazz Band
Assoc. has sponsored the yearly Jazz & Beyond Music and Art Festival since the 100th birthday of
Count Basie in August 2004 (see JazzCarsonCity.com).
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Watch "It's Your City" Episode
"Jazz and Beyond 2020: Pandemic Style"
August 4, 2020
Here is an episode of "It's Your City" called "Jazz and Beyond 2020: Pandemic Style." Cortney
Bloomer interviews David Bugli on Aug. 4, 2020. Here is the link: CLICK HERE.
This is David's 7/30/20 "Good Day Carson" interview with Kassandra Butterfield.
The festival portion starts around 31:25 on the recording. Here is the link: CLICK HERE.
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Mile High Jazz Band Presents
"Virtual Jazz & Poetry - Running Out"
Available on YouTube Sunday, July 19, 2020
The Mile High Jazz Band Assoc. is presenting a video that we are calling "Virtual Jazz &
Poetry: Running Out." It is available as an unlisted video on YouTube at
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqkA5QyRCtI.
On March 10, 2020, the band did a live Jazz & Poetry event at Comma
Coffee in Carson City, NV, on the theme, "Fate & Fortune." Little did we know that five days
later the band's own fate was to be put in a lockdown for an undetermined period. Faced with
this predicament of not being able to perform live, we decided to create a Virtual
Jazz & Poetry video in lieu of the Jazz & Poetry event originally scheduled for June 9, 2020.
We selected the theme, "Running Out."
Several poets, given the theme, wrote or selected appropriate poems to be read on the video
and isolated band members recorded tunes related to the poems. The result of these efforts is
this video in six short acts, each consisting of the reading of a poem and the performance of
a related piece of music.
During the Coronavirus pandemic, the band is also developing a virtual big band presentation of a
golden oldie from the big band era. Be on the lookout for that, too.
Photo: Rita Geil (center) and other poet readers read a poem by Carl Sandburg, captured
in a Zoom conference call, part of "Virtual Jazz & Poetry: Running Out."
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Normally, many MHJB and MHJB combo gigs
are on the second Tuesday of each month from 7:30 to 9:00 or 9:30 p.m.
Most of these are at
Living
the Good Life, 1480 N. Carson Street, Carson City, or at Comma
Coffee. These events are on hold until further notice.
General Information
The Mile High Jazz Band, an 18-member "big band" composed of 17 instrumentalists
and a vocalist, began performing in 1997. The group features music in the Count
Basie-Duke Ellington-Woody Herman tradition, as well as more contemporary styles,
selected from a repertoire of over 200 tunes. They play ballads, high-powered
jazz tunes, and dance music arranged by Nestico, Niehaus, Taylor, and other great arrangers.
Mile High Jazz Band performs for community events, fundraisers, dances, receptions,
private parties, and in concert. They have played benefits for New York Firefighters,
Red Cross Disaster Relief, Carson-Tahoe Hospital Foundation, Douglas County Library
Foundation, and the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. They have been featured
in concerts at the Brewery Arts Center and on the Carson City Symphony's "Holiday Treat"
and "Pops Party" concerts. They play monthly at Comma Coffee and collaborate with local
poets in quarterly "Jazz and Poetry" events, alternating poetry readings with related
musical selections. Mile High Jazz Band has performed in Carson City, Reno, Minden,
Fallon, Yerington, Stateline, Incline Village, Virginia City, and Crystal Bay.
In 2002, Mile High Jazz Band won "Best Band" award in Carson City's "Taste of
Downtown." In 2003, American Composers Forum selected Mile High Jazz Band and
Bella Voce women's choir for a national Continental Harmony project. In 2007,
leader David Bugli received the Nevada Governor's Arts Award for Distinguished
Service to the Arts, and the band played for the awards ceremony. Mile High Jazz
Band plays annual benefits with the Carson High Jazz Band to help the high school
band attend the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. Also, the Mile High Jazz Band Association
founded and produces or co-produces the annual, multi-day Jazz & Beyond Music Festival in Carson City each August since 2004.
The band performs around the Carson City area. You can
catch us on most second Tuesdays of each month at
Living
the Good Life, 1480 N. Carson Street, Carson City, or at
Comma Coffee.
Millennium Bugs
The Millennium Bugs, a jazz combo associated with the Mile High Jazz Band,
play a great variety of jazz styles. They performed for the Carson City
Preservation Coalition/Historical Society, Olympic Torch Relay Ceremony in
Carson City, Carson City Music Club, Westview block party, Camel Race Day in
Virginia City, Carson Nugget showroom, Carson-Tahoe Hospital Foundation, Carson
High Prom, BAC Beer Tasting, weddings, receptions, and parties.
Mile High Jazz Band Association board meetings are held quarterly.
Call 775-883-4154 for details.
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Help support the Mile High Jazz Band by placing your music orders through Sheet Music
Plus. Just click on the link below to get connected.
One Hundred Percent Giving Board Award for 2016
from Community Foundation of Western Nevada
The Mile High Jazz Band Assoc. is a member of the Carson City Downtown Business Assoc.
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