ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A new band's residency at the Civic Theatre shows yon't have to be old, or even have a rehearsal space, to bring new jazz music to life.
The Living Room Big Band, a collective of about 20 young professional musicians, had its first of what will be several monthly performances last Monday.
The group gets its name from its tight and intimate home rehearsal space, and features new compositions and arrangements by its own members.
Those in attendance Monday got a treat of new takes on familiar songs such as "Fly Me to the Moon" and the Bond theme "Skyfall," and new upbeat and experimental new songs.
All but the "Fly Me to the Moon" cover were originals or arrangements by people in the band.
"The rhythm section lives in the living room, and then the horns, face each other in the dining room and there's like a big chandelier with lights and people are hitting their head on it and stuff, but we fit."Pianist Patrick Kerssen
It all started when pianist Patrick Kerssen and bassist John Valinote, after a trio gig in Ohio, were on the six-hour drive back home and discussed wanting the opportunity to play with a big jazz band again, and to offer a space for area professional musicians to play and write new music.
So they went for it — reached out to people in their extended networks, and eventually held their first rehearsal in January, right in Kerssen's home without any intention at first of performing publicly.
They took the dining table out of the living room, got everyone together, and took it from there, meeting for the first time in January.
"The rhythm section lives in the living room, and then the horns, face each other in the dining room and there's like a big chandelier with lights and people are hitting their head on it and stuff, but we fit," Kerssen said.
"Fit is maybe generous, but we make it happen."
A young, scrappy new band
It was "hilarious," group vocalist Emma Bockrath said.
"And really surreal too, because the first rehearsal that we had, during the rehearsal, it started snowing," she said.
"And so I was sitting, because of how small it was [and] there was not a lot of chair space, on top of the couch, like on the head of the couch, and I was looking out the window, and seeing all the snowflakes falling.
"And I was like, 'I am I in a movie? What's happening?' And I'm listening to a bunch of my friends playing ridiculous big band music, and it's like, it's so cool."
"I love playing in big bands, but it's always like us and then I'm the youngest guy in the band by like, 30 years," Kerssen said. "So we were like, it'd be cool if we could have a group of people both of our age."Pianist Patrick Kerssen
Kerssen said the group is trying to be an outlet for young artists to just create with others, given that it can be hard to find a showcase for or play new big band music once musicians graduate from college.
All of the band is between the ages of 20 and "40ish," he said.
"I love playing in big bands, but it's always like us, and then I'm the youngest guy in the band by like, 30 years," Kerssen said. "So we were like, it'd be cool if we could have a group of people both of our age."
He said more than half of the members are from the Lehigh Valley, with others coming from nearby in the Poconos, Philadelphia and New Jersey.
Monthly shows now are currently scheduled until July.
Celebrating new works
Musicians in the band were happy with the fun environment, citing it as a big motivator for wanting to write new music or seeing their compositions, that previously only lived as computer files, come to life.
Jack Furlong, a saxophonist and composer in the group, said the band's type of music gets forgotten pretty easily. So to see that many young people get together enthusiastic about creating for a big band, got his creative juices flowing again.
"Music sometimes can be a real grind," Furlong said. "And then when something like this comes along and there's an opportunity for not only for your stuff to get played, but then to hear other stuff that other people are writing and whatnot, it just it just kind of jolts you ahead a little bit and says, 'Let's do this again."
While the attendance for the first show was only a modest audience of about 20 people, many in the band said they were happy it was able to come together quickly at the venue for the first of what is expected to be many performances.
"It's everybody's original input and original flavor and taste into the music and because that's what makes it," Valinot said.
"We're not playing a record, this is what all these people in the room got to produce."
The first song, an original by Kerssen with lyrics by Bockrath called "Light Blue Lady," melded intense solos with a soaring vocal chorus, ending with an exciting but skillful breakdown at the end by the musicians.
"Having a group that's really dedicated to the success of future generations of jazz musicians, is huge," Bockrath said. "It's awesome.
"And especially in this community and place where, you know, it's not Philly, it's not New York City. So developing a little bit of a younger jazz scene in this area is refreshing and inspiring."
The next show will be at 8 p.m. April 1 (the players emphasized that there was no fooling about the date) at the Civic Theatre.
Admission is free, with donations suggested. Kerssen said money would be split between the band and theatre.
