The Mel Martin All-Star Big Band October 5, 2010

The Bay Area has always been a hotbed of jazz talent. Many of its brightest stars have moved on to the greener pastures of New York and beyond. Saxophonist/composer/arranger Mel Martin has chosen to maintain his permanent residence in the green pastures of Marin County. Mel still travels quite a bit doing performances and educational clinics world-wide but has made a commitment to forming a swinging, ìin-your-faceî, volatile big band. The roots of the band began in the early ënineties when Mel Martin was contacted by such jazz greats as Benny Carter, Dizzy Gillespie, McCoy Tyner, Charles Mingusí Epitaph and Joe Henderson to help them put together high-level big bands for Bay Area performances at venues such as Davies Symphony Hall, Kimballís, Filoli Gardens, Yoshiís and the San Francisco Jazz Festival. These experiences were the seeds of what has become a truly all-star ensemble. The new band features Bay Area multi-generational jazz stars Rob Roth and Charlie McCarthey on tenors, Andrew Speight and Pete Yellin on altos and Howard Cespedes on baritone saxophones & flute, Mike Olmos, John Worley, Lou Fasman and Erik Jekabson trumpets, Rick Walsh, Al Bent, Joel Behrman and Chuck Bennett on trombones and pianist Art Khu, bassist Robb Fisher, and drummer Jeff Marrs. The band has performed sold-out engagements at The San FranciscoJazz Festival, The Russian River Jazz Festival, The Filoli Summer Series, The Douglas Beach House, Jazz at Pearlís and Yoshiís.