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07/09/2024 09:26 AMSubmitted by Victor Amatori, Branford Jazz Committee Member
For as long as he can recall, New London Big Band leader, Sean Nelson, envisioned the day that he wanted to lead an epic jazz orchestra of 17 –plus musicians. A band that would play music old and new- ranging from the Roaring 20s to brand new compositions written by members of the group.
Well, the vision became a reality in the summer of 2016 when after he and a buddy saw a new place opening and looking for music entertainment. Nelson called around looking for the best musicians he knew and the New London Big Band was formed.
On July 11th, Sean and his New London Big Band will return for another Branford Jazz Series appearance at 6:30 p.m. on the Branford Town Green.
Led by trombonist and composer Nelson, the 17 piece jazz orchestra plays a mix of classic jazz standards, upbeat dance tunes and original music by band members, and regularly features instrumental and vocal soloists. They play monthly to sold out crowds at the Social Bar +Kitchen in New London. Thanks to their local fan base, the band won “Best Jazz Band” for CTNOW’s Best of Hartford. The band is comprised of five saxophones, four trumpets, four trombones, a piano, guitar, upright bass and a drummer.
By day, Nelson is enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard, where he plays trombone with the Coast Guard Band’s concert band and jazz ensembles, serves as staff arranger, and is music director for both the Beacons Jazz Ensemble and the Guardians Big Band. Sean also serves as jazz trombone instructor at the University of Connecticut.
As an arranger and composer, Sean worked on the production team for the 2015 National Christmas Tree Lighting, creating several arrangements for guests including Andra Day, Kelsea Ballerini, and Tori Kelly. This program was formed for the Obama family and heard nationally on PBS. Sean composed the official song for the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration officer corps (one of the eight federal uniformed services), sung by all recruits at basic officer training as well as other official events. He won the National Band Association Young Composers Jazz Composition Contest and is a two time winner of Downbeat Magazine’s Student Jazz Arranging Contest. He currently works as ther arranger for Sam Houston State University’s Bearkat Marching Band, writing new shows each season. Sean’s big band arrangements are published at iJazzmusic.com
A native of Dallas, Texas, Sean received a Bachelor of Music degree from San Houston State University, studying trombone with Henry Howey, and a Master of Music degree from the University of North Texas, studying trombone with Tony Baker and jazz arranging with Paris Rutherford and Rich DeRosa. While at North Texas, he was trombonist and composer for the One O’Clock Lab Band and sang with the Jazz singers I. Sean’s trombone quartet won the International Trombone Association Quartet Contest, and he was honorable mention in the ITA’s Frank Smith Solo Competition.
“We’re thrilled to be invited back to the 2024 Branford Jazz Series and to be part of such a community-oriented event. Branford Jazz allows New London Big Band to share the joy we find in making music- it’s one of our favorite shows to do, “said Nelson.