The Big Band Jazz Machine
The Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine, Southern
California's most
versatile orchestra, since 1979, voted the Best Big Band in
San Diego,
is much more than just a Big Band!!! Its musical repertoire
consists
of everything from the 1930's & 1940's to the best of
Rock n Roll,
Motown, Mambo, Salsa and more. With two dynamic vocalists
and an orchestra
of professionals, whose experience range from performances
with such
great artists as; The Temptations, The Four Tops, Bobby
Caldwell,
Diane Schuur, Natalie Cole, Harry Connick, Sr. Bill Acosta,
Charmaine
Neville, The Nelson Riddle Orchestra and many more; the Big
Band Jazz
Machine suits all ages, tastes and budgets.
Now available in two sizes as a 10-piece or 18 piece
orchestra, The
Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine specializes in making
music that is
custom tailored to your specific event, from the sensitive
ambiance
needed during dinner to the sounds necessary and
specifically designed
to dance the night away! We can also back any national
artist or act for
shows, concerts, and festivals that require a musical
accompaniment such
as ours.
In 1994, The BBJM released their debut CD, "First
Impressions", which
received extensive airplay across the US, Canada, Latin
America, Japan
and Europe. Jazz Now magazine called the BBJM, "a most
unique big band
for our time" and "this band can kick up a joyful ruckus
with the best
bands anywhere" Scott Yanow, noted jazz critic of the LA
Jazztimes,
remarked that the BBJM "would be a fun band to see
live".
International recording artist, Bobby Caldwell chose The
Big Band
Jazz Machine to record with him "Beyond The Sea" on his
1996 Big band
release on Sindrome Records entitled, Blue Condition, a
tribute to
Frank Sinatra.
The second CD release in 1999, "Everything Under The
Sun" has also
received notable attention. "Everything Under The Sun" has
been
nominated as Best Jazz CD in The San Diego Music Awards
2000. Slamm
Magazine called "Everything Under The Sun," "a flawless
work" and
also said, "their aptly titled album is a lazy susan of
bigband jazz
standards played by one hell of a great band".
Academy Award winning actress Rita Moreno upon hearing
the BBJM
exclaimed," I haven't heard such a great sound in many
years, what a
fabulous group of talented musicians". Chris Riddle, son of
legendary
arranger/composer Nelson Riddle, said that The Big Band
Jazz Machine
is "a band that always bats 1000" and that "this band
really plays
its *@! off".
FOR MORE ABOUT THE BAND CLICK HERE
BBJM Leader Ira B. Liss
Ever since the early 1970's, when he was an
award-winning Drum major
at Patrick Henry High School and voted most valuable band
member his
senior year, Ira was destined in life to be a band leader.
Since then,
he has had extensive experiences in all phases of the music
and
entertainment industry, from the local to regional and
national scenes,
from music management, retail/wholesale products, talent
acquistion,
concert production & promotion, music education, record
company
producer, saxophonist and bandleader.
Ira B. Liss, at 6 feet 9 inches tall, is Southern CA's
most imminently
watchable Bandleader and Baritone Saxophonist of San
Diego's favorite
Big Band, The Ira B. Liss Big Band Jazz Machine, his
18-piece jazz
orchestra which he started in 1979.
His performance credits include work with such world
reknown artists
as Bobby Caldwell, Harry Connick, Sr., Rob McConnell,
Barney Kessel,
Stan Kenton, George Shearing, Peter Sprague, Charles
McPherson, The
Temptations, The Four Tops, Pete Barbutti, Bill Acosta,
Holly Hofmann,
The Nelson Riddle Orchestra, Thad Jones, Blue Mitchell,
Chuck Findley,
Bob Summers, Gary Foster, Don Menza, John Guerin and The
Jimmy Maxwell
Orchestra to name several. His productions skills in the
recording studio
have produced 2 compacts discs that have received kudos and
recognition
both locally and nationally, with "First Impressions" in
1995 and then
"Everything Under The Sun" in 1999. That CD was nominated
as Best Jazz
CD by the San Diego Music Awards.