Springs Contemporary Jazz Big Band

The purpose of this website is to attempt to centralize knowledge and resources pertaining to the Colorado Springs Big Band!

Sept 5,2007 - Park Concert - Flying Horse Country Club - 6 PM
June 7, 2006 - Ryan Haines
March 11, 2006 - PPJSS Scholarship Concert Dec 14, 2005 - Thirsty Parrot (downtown)
Dec 7, 2005 - Ancient Mariner in Manitou
Oct 16, 2005 - Band moving again!.
March 16, 2005 - Band moves to Cedars Jazz Club - 3125 Sinton Road.
Dec 11, 2004 - Ray Passes Away - very sad news.

We have had several "homes" for the Wednesday night show, including brief stints at Cedar's, and the Ancient Mariner in Manitou Springs. As of December, 2005, we are at home at the Thirsty Parrot, downtown Colorado Springs on the corner of Colorado and Tejon. The Parrot has good food, and the upstairs is a great venue for listening and dancing. If you haven't seen us there yet, trust us, this is the kind of place the band should have been in years ago. Great food, great bar, and clean air. Our thanks to everyone at the Thirsty Parrot for making us feel so much at home.

So, put the Wednesday night big band on your calendar - from 6-8 PM.

If you were on hand to hear our first rehearsal, you must have been in the band, or perhaps a startled customer in Mel Graner's Music Store. We played our first notes as an ensemble on Wednesday nights, June 6th and 13th in 1990. From there it was Dublin Downs for the rest of 1990 through the Spring of 1992. The Ritz called upon us at that time and we began a one-year stint in our first "Downtown" performances.

In 1994 we started searching for a new permanent home, playing at the Dublin House, the Castaways, and settling on a rather new Rockrimmon neighborhood bar called BOGART'S. It was a home that endured. In the six years we played at BOGART'S, the band started to really "jell." By 1996 we were bringing FREE name entertainment to join us in our performances at the Pikes Peak Jazz & Swing Society's Summer Jazz Series. Bobby Shew was the first, followed by Carl Fontana, Gary Foster, Frank Mantooth, Dennis DeBlasio, and many more. These concerts have been fun, and we are just getting started!

We play every Wednesday night downtown at Rum Bay. If you haven't seen us there yet, trust us, this is the kind of place the band should have been in years ago. Great food, great bar, and clean air. You should permanently put it on your calendar for every Wednesday night. Our thanks to everyone at RUM BAY for making us feel so much at home.

Summer Park Concert Guest Artist History

• 1996 - Bobby Shew
• 1997 - Carl Fontana
• 1998 - Gary Foster
• 1999 - Frank Mantooth
• 2000 - Dennis DiBlasio
• 2001 - Pete Christlieb
• 2002 - Chuck Findley
• 2003 - Bill Watrous
• 2004 - Earnie Watts
• 2005 - Jiggs Whigham
• 2006 - Ryan Haines
• 2007 - Bobby Shew

Every wednesday - 6-8PM - Thirsty Parrot (Downtown)

Sept 5, 2007 - Flying Horse Country Club - Jazz In the Park - 6PM

June, 2007 - Thirsty Parrot - Jazz In the Park - Bobby Shew

June 7, 2006 - Jazz In the Park - Trombonist/composer - Ryan Haines

June 1, 2005 - Jazz In the Park - Trombonist - Jigs Wigams Leader of BBC Jazz Orchestra

June 2, 2004 - Centenial Hall Park (downtown)- Jazz In the Park - Sax Player Ernie Watts

October 15, 2003 - Fine Arts Center (FAC)- Trumpet: Greg Gisbert

June 4, 2003 - Centenial Hall Park (downtown)- Jazz In the Park - Trombonist: Bill Watrous