MACON, Ga. — The Macon Pops are bringing a new take on big band music to the Grand Opera House.
The Big Band Remix Concert will feature selections from two upcoming worldwide releases that feature Macon Pops co-founders Steve Moretti and Matt Catingub.
Big band music is described by many as a jazz-based musical fusion comprised of 10 or more trombones, saxophones, trumpets, and rhythm section musicians.
Both Moretti and Catingub have musical roots in big band and are excited to host a show featuring the music style front and center.
“Sinking our teeth into sort of a modern take, that’s why this concert is called Big Band Remix, so it’s taking familiar songs and standards that people are... they’re familiar with them but sort of Matt’s kind of twist on it, which brings it to a current sound and current approach to it,” said Moretti.
The show also serves as a full debut for music projects involving Moretti and Catingub.
One selection, Then is Now, will feature renowned trumpet player Jens Lindemann. The second release will include Catingub’s solo recording, From Samoa to Sinatra, in honor of Mavis Rivers -- a famed jazz vocalist and Catingub’s mother.
Macon Pops produced portions of that record at Mercer Music at Capricorn and with the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings.
Rivers was born in Samoa and came to the U.S. in her 20s. She was the first female artist to be signed to Frank Sinatra’s Reprise record label.
“When I lost my mom in 1992, my heart told me that one day I had to honor and thank her, not only for the musical gifts she blessed me with, but also to honor the music she loved, as well as the people that loved her and made her career what it was, and by extension made what I have been able to accomplish in my life even possible,” said Catingub.
Catingub has created new arrangements from previous recordings of his mother’s music. During the performance, guests will be able to hear Catingub and his mother perform a duet together.
“It’s just going to be a musically epic evening of the highest caliber and I’m really excited for our audience to really see us flex our musical muscle,” said Moretti.
The Big Band Remix concert will be the first full music debut of both Moretti and Catingub’s projects, and Moretti says it's going to be magical to perform it for the community.
The Big Band Remix Concert will happen at the Grand Opera House on Friday, Nov. 12 at 7:30 p.m. You can purchase tickets for the show on The Grand Opera House’s website.
To keep up with the Macon Pops, you can check out their Facebook Page.
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