Last year, Vaughn Wiester brought a snowstorm with him when he brought his Famous Jazz Orchestra back to perform in his hometown during a rapturously received Community Concert. Saturday night they were back, this time bringing calmer weather, chilling to the bone though it was. Fortunately, Wiester’s winds (and more!) were as hot as ever, melting any ice audience members may have brought in with them.
The concert got off to a lively Latin start with “On Green Dolphin Street,” featuring all parts of the band, which includes 12 brass instruments (including tuba and French horns, no less), a piano, bass, guitar and drums rhythm section, and saxophones that can double on flutes, piccolo or a range of clarinets as necessary. The group specializes in rich, stylish 1950s-style big band jazz, the sort of material Wiester grew up listening to and later played with the Woody Herman Orchestra.
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Discuss this story Wild winter warmed by Wiester’s wonderful winds