| BAND NEWS |
|
THE 30TH YEAR CELEBRATION OF GALEN JETER AND THE DALLAS JAZZ ORCHESTRA AND GALEN JETER ORCHESTRA Jazz fans throughout the metroplex have enjoyed the exciting sounds of the big bands of Galen Jeter for three consecutive decades. Even though Galen's Master of Science degree has served him well as a public school educator in the Garland and S. Garland ISD since 1967, he also found time to devote much of his time in continuing to foster the big band sound he had learned at UNT. After a brief stint with the Woody Herman band, BJ Thomas, and Gladys Knight and the Pips, Galen focused his talents on the many opportunities that presented themselves in the Dallas Metroplex. In addition to playing with many of the area big bands in his early years, Galen played with a rock group called Dallas County and contracted musicians for the Playboy Club, Granny's Dinner theater and Yorick's Dinner Club. Without question, his devotion to the sounds of the big band centered on the young band called the Dallas Jazz Orchestra. From its first rehearsals in the SMU band hall in 1973, jazz fans flocked to see the band play in such venues as Maxine Kent's on Lemmon Ave., the Bomb Shelter at Love field, Popsicle Toes, Buster Brown¹s and Poor David's on lower Greenville. For the past twelve years the DJO and Galen Jeter Orchestras have entertained audiences year-round at the Village Country Club. From the DJO's beginning, Galen skillfully crafted the unit into a top flight performance ensemble. As the band's reputation grew among jazz players, Galen welcomed into the group many nationally-known players such as John Park from the Kenton band and Super Sax, Bill Tillman from Blood Sweat and Tears, and Allan Beutler for the Kenton Band. Throughout the years, other fine players went from the DJO to gain fame in other nationally-known bands. Among those players was Karolyn Kafer who joined Doc Severinsen band and Craig Johnson who played with Maynard Ferguson. With Galen as leader, the DJO kept a busy schedule which included recording 11 Albums and CD's, playing for well-known artists such as The Four Freshman, Steve Allen, Mel Torme, Joe Williams and Doc Severisen. The band's international exposure was enhanced by their two performances at the Montreux Jazz Festival, the Cunard Lines Jazz Cruises, and their appearance representing the U.S. at the World's Fair in Seville, Spain. As leader, Galen was vigilant to insure that the band appeared as often as possible at regional and national music festivals. The band has served as featured guest artists for numerous jazz festivals including those in Joplin, Missouri, College Station, The University of Texas at Arlington, Texas A & I in Kingsville, Oklahoma University in Norman, the Texas Jazz festival in Corpus Christi, the Northeastern Oklahoma University in Tahlequah as well as the Cactus Jazz Festival in San Angelo. In addition to the thousands of jazz fans who have heard the band at these events, the DJO gained even more notoriety through their invitations to perform at national conferences of the International Jazz Educators Association, the AISD National Convention, and the USO Convention. Texas jazz fans are well aware of the band's extraordinary performances through their performances for The Texas Bandmasters Association in San Antonio. The Galen Jeter Orchestra now plays most Sunday nights at the Village Country Club in Dallas from 7-10 PM. On behalf of all the musicians in the band, Galen extends an invitation for all who love big band jazz to join the GJO on Sunday evenings. A more detailed list of performances follows: Entertainers Backed: Will Tura Video & Soundtrack (Belgium recording artist) Bill Withers Rita Morena Billy Eckstine Four Freshmen Joe Williams Mel Torme Steve Allen Bob and Deloris Hope Doc Severinsen Joey Heatherton Van Morrison Georgie Fame The Accoustix's Events: Texas Jazz Festival Corpus Christie The Montreux Jazz Festival, '85 and '89 Switzerland Tour (with performances in Berne, Grinnewald, Interlaken, and Lugano) Jugend Jazz Orchestra ( An All Star German Jazz Band) Cunard Princess (sailing from Los Angeles to British Columbia) International Trumpet Guild USS Norway (7th Annual Jazz Cruise) Represented the U.S. at World's Fair, Seville, Spain, '92 International Association of Jazz Educators National and Regional Appearances: The National Association of Jazz Educators ASID National Convention USO Convention NAACP, Juanita J. Craft Memorial (studio recording donated) Lackland Air Force Base, Dimension in Blue East Texas State University Texas Band Masters' Convention, San Antonio Kingsville Jazz Festival, Texas A&I, Kingsville 29th & 31st Annual Texas Jazz Festival, Corpus Christi Joplin, Missouri, Jazz Festival College Station Jazz Festival Oklahoma University Jazz Festival, Norman University of Northeastern Oklahoma Jazz Festival, Tahlequah Hot Springs, Arkansas, Blue and Jazz Festival Cactus Jazz Festival, San Angelo |