The
Chicago
Metropolitan
Jazz
Orchestra
The Chicago Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra on stage for a soundcheck in Macau
The Chicago Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra |
The Chicago Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra on stage for a soundcheck in Macau |
| The CMJO is a Not-For-Profit, 501(c)(3) Organization dedicated to the furtherance and education of the only true original American art form.....................................................................................................................................................Jazz Music |
| The
Chicago
Metropolitan
Jazz Orchestra, now led by Jim
Peterson,
is one of the country's most exciting big bands. This twenty piece
group consists
entirely of professional musicians, many of whom have toured
with Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, Buddy Rich, Maynard
Ferguson, and others. Jim is one of the founding members of the Band
having held the jazz trumpet chair since 1995,
and he has recently taken over its leadership. Jim, along with many of
the members of the CMJO
has shared the stage with some of the greatest jazz musicians in the
business. Jim and the guys in the band have worked with jazz
luminaries such as Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Rosolino, Louie Bellson, The
Temptations, Chaka Khan, Frank Sinatra Jr., Doc Severinsen, and many
many others. Many of the guys on the Band have toured for years with
the road bands of Stan, Buddy, Woody, and Maynard. The CMJO itself is of course highly regarded in professional circles, and as such has been called to back such acts as the  Four
Freshmen, Cab Calloway, and
Mister Billy Eckstine, to name just a few. The CMJO is
committed to jazz education worldwide as well as right here in Chicago.
The Band can be found both representing the United States as far away
as on the other side of the world, at the Macau International Music
Festival, as well as supporting local school jazz festivals right here
in the Chicago area. The Band loves to play at festivals such as The
New Trier Jazz Festival, The Naperville Jazz Festival, and Jazz in the
Meadows at Rolling Meadows High School. Because the caliber of
experience, musicianship and talent is so high across all the
personnel, many members of the Band are regularly asked to be jazz
improv and ensemble clinicians and instructors, in addition to being
performance judges, at the festivals where the Band appears. At the end
of each Festival, the CMJO
traditionally wraps things up with an exciting closing concert,
bringing the usually packed house to it's feet. Jim Peterson took over the leadership of the Chicago Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra in 2008. Jim was a charter member of the band, originally hired by Len King at the Band's inception in 1995 to play the jazz trumpet chair. Jim's trumpet and music experience is widely varied. In college, Jim played for all four years of college in the great Northern Illinois University Two O'Clock Jazz Ensemble, under Ron Modell. In that band, Jim got to hang out and tour with Dizzy Gillespie, Frank Rosolino, Louie Bellson, Arnie Lawrence, and Don Menza, and many other jazz greats. Jim got especially close to Dizzy and Frank Rosolino, and he cites them as two of his main influences, along with Freddie Hubbard, Chet Baker, and Clark Terry. Jim also studied classical and orchestral trumpet with Ron, and Terry Sawchuck. After graduating NIU with a BM in Applied Trumpet Performance, Jim made his living as a freelance trumpet player in the hotels, recording studios, theaters, and churches in and around the city of Chicago, playing in the orchestra for shows and acts like Rich Little, Diahnne Carroll, Joan Rivers, the Lettermen, Liberace, Pat Boone, Frankie Avalon, John Gary, Bobby Rydell, and many others. Jim would also sub in the theaters, play with many of the top society bands in Chicago, and regularly be on call to play classical music in the areas larger churches. Occaisionally he would accept a road tour with one of the "name" acts and go on the "road" for a month or two. Over the years Jim has done many recording sessions, both for advertising use as well as appearing as a sideman and/or soloist on jazz and big-band recordings for other artists. Jim is also in demand as a jazz improvisation clinician and teacher at jazz festivals, schools and universities throughout the area. He can be reached at Jim@CMJO.com. This past Saturday (May 9th) Jim and some of the guys in the Band worked with the great Jerry Lewis when he was in town to do his show. During a break at the afternoon rehearsal Richie Corpolongo had a little trouble figuring out how to work Jim's cell-phone camera, and Jerry, not to let the opportunity pass him by, started "deadpanning" like crazy, telling Richie (while posing with Jim) that "if he didn't hurry up and take the $%*!+# picture soon, he would have to go back to his dressing room and shave again!!" Everybody cracked up, and Jim couldn't stop laughing. We were all honored to have had the opportunity to work with a show business legend like Jerry. The Band's founder, Lenny King, started it all. Lenny was a motivating force in jazz education for 30 years in the Chicago area, and started the CMJO in 1995. Lenny taught and introduced many professional musicians over his career-- including Jim-- to top pros like Don Ellis, Maynard Ferguson, Buddy Rich, Woody Herman, and of course, Stan Kenton. He was the man responsible for instilling that great Stan Kenton heritage in the DNA of the CMJO. It has been said that nobody plays the music of Stan Kenton better than the Chicago Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra. The CMJO has an extensive library, including many of the original arrangements from the Stan Kenton, Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, and Buddy Rich libraries. We will be adding some great new charts to the book from Chicago composer/arranger and bass trombonist Tom Matta, and we are planning to come out with a hot new record for 2009, made up entirely of original music written by Chicago composers!. HEY!! GOOD NEWS- You can now buy our
records on iTUNES!
The Band's first CD, Live and Screamin', features guest trumpet artist Dennis Noday, former lead trumpet for Stan Kenton, recorded live at Fitzgerald's Nightclub. Check out the Band's second CD, Labor of Love on CD Baby- it's awesome. Many thanks to our good friend, morning-drive jazz-jay on WDCB 90.9 FM and fellow bandleader John Burnett for writing the liner notes for the album. The Band has recieved rave reviews by critics both here in the States as well as in Europe. The CMJO is also featured on the CD, Mile by Jazz Mile, which includes many Chicago jazz artists and was produced to commemorate The LaSalle Bank's Chicago Marathon. The CMJO is currently accepting new and experimental arrangements on spec from writers both here in the U.S. as well as abroad.Catch the CMJO LIVE at Fitzgerald's Nightclub Sunday, June 7th, 6pm- 9:30pm! Opening for the CMJO one night only Sunday May 17th, at "THE PLACE" in downtown Lemont (across from the train station) is the fabulous Naperville North Jazz Ensemble led by Dan Moore, and jazz and lead trumpet player Randy Kulik! We're talking with promoters, and we'll let you know how things are progressing.... For booking, contact Jim Peterson at: (630) 886-3150 /email: Jim@CMJO.com Click here to view upcoming gigs
New: Online credit card orders for CDs. Free shipping by First Class Mail to addresses in US and Canada. International shipping is only $5.00. Let us know you were here -- Please sign our Guestbook! Home | Band Members | Gig Schedule | Newest CD | Sample Clips | Jazz Links | Email Please select a link from the left and enjoy our site. For booking information call Jim Peterson:(630) 886-3150 or email him at Jim@CMJO.com This site last revised on May 11, 2009. This Page has been accessed
 times.© 1998 -2009 - CMJO |
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