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New London Big Band

New London Big Band

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  • New London, CT
  • Big Band
  • Travels up to 90 miles
  • $1900-8000
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Mercy, Mercy, Mercy!

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Dance the night away

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Monthly performance @ The Social Bar + Grill, New London

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@ The Social Bar + Kitchen, New London

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Bandleader and trombonist Sean Nelson @ a wedding at Rocky Neck State Park.

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Our jazz quartet is a great option for cocktail hours (sax, piano, bass, drums).

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5 saxophonists in the band.

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Overview

The New London Big Band is a 17-piece jazz orchestra made up of the finest musicians in New England. The band 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, where they attract professional and amateur dancers from near and far.

The band wants to show the world that big band jazz is a vibrant and joyful sound that is not just for “jazz aficionados.” The Day of New London calls them “a stellar outfit celebrating the greatness in exuberant fashion” and the band won “Best Jazz Band” for CTNOW’s Best of Hartford.


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Booking Info

  • Profile
  • Calendar
  • Personnel
  • Set List
  • Influences
  • Setup Requirements

Price Range: $1900-8000

Gig Length: 60 - 300 minutes

Languages: English

What to Expect

PROFESSIONAL: We take pride in our polished, tight sound. Members of the band have played in such notable venues as Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center and the White House and artists including Aretha Franklin and B.B. King.
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ANNOUNCEMENTS: Yes, we can emcee! A good emcee keeps the party moving and creates the right atmosphere. We can guide the event, from the first dance to dinner, toasts and the cake cutting.
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EQUIPMENT: We provide PA equipment, including a microphone for guests to make toasts, speeches, etc. Our equipment is top-of-the-line but compact, and we'll tailor it to the venue. We can play recorded music during breaks from a playlist.
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ATTIRE: We can wear tuxedos, suits with white shirts or all black suits.

CUSTOMIZABLE: We can adapt our music selection to fit the vibe of your wedding. You can request a specific tune from our song list, and even integrate music into specific parts of the reception. Imagine introducing the bride and groom with the Rocky Theme!

About

ORIGIN OF THE BAND
For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to have my own big band - an epic jazz orchestra of 17+ musicians. A band that would play music old and new - tunes ranging from the Roaring 20s to brand new compositions written by band members. And most of all, a band made up of the absolute best musicians.

It began in the summer of 2016 when a buddy and I saw a new place opening on Bank Street in New London. The signs said “The Social”, coming soon, and would feature craft burgers and beer. Sounds like my kind of place! We peeked in the window, trying to get a good view, and even when so far as to try opening doors and windows. After a minute of generally looking like we were trying to break in, someone comes out, hammer in hand (he was renovating the place) with a what-the-hell-are-you-doing look on his face, and asks “Can I help you?” I told him about my idea for a band, and he perked up (turns out he was the owner, Brian) and put me in touch with the music manager, Sean Murray. So I started calling all the best musicians I knew, found all my favorite tunes to play, and decided to name the band after New London. Every great town needs a great big band, and I think we capture the spirit of the town! We had our first gig that Fall, and it went even better than I could have imagined!

We love our home at the Social, where we play once a month, and we love the wonderful people that come to see us and dance (or to just watch other people dance!) We’ve sold out every seat for a while now, and it means the world to us to have that kind of support.

The band has a spirit of being laid back and full of positive energy. The members of the band are incredible virtuosos, but you will not find a big ego here. They are all team players, full of encouragement and humor. I think you can tell when you hear and see the band - there is a real sense of joy coming from the bandstand. But keeping a big band together is no easy feat. 17 musicians means 17 different schedules, 17 pieces of music for every tune we play, and 17 boneheads all joking around! But there is a special sound that comes from a big band, and a special sort of energy from having 17 musicians totally in sync with each other.
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-Sean Nelson

ABOUT THE BANDLEADER
Sean Nelson is the leader and founder of the New London Big Band. By day, he is enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard, where he plays with the Coast Guard Band, Dixieland Jazz Band, and works as staff arranger for all ensembles. In addition, he is music director for the Guardians Big Band, where he has presented concerts with guests including Doc Severinsen, Joe McCarthy and Lou Marini.

​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 performed for the Obama family and heard nationally on PBS. Sean has 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 attended the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop, where he studied with Jim McNeely and Mike Holober. He currently works as the arranger for Sam Houston State University Bearkat Marching Band, writing new shows each season.
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A native of Dallas, Texas, Sean received a Bachelor of Music degree from Sam 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 world renowned 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. He spent his summers and winter breaks playing in house bands on cruise ships for Princess Cruises and Cunard Cruises.

Sean on faculties of the University of Connecticut and Connecticut College, where he teaches jazz trombone and trombone, respectively. He lives in Quaker Hill, Connecticut, with his wife Megan and daughter Lucinda.

Additional Booking Notes

We provide the sound system, including a microphone that may be used by guests for speeches and announcements.

Services Offered

Big Band Jazz Band

Past Booked Events

August 09, 2018 • 7:00pm - 10:00pm Cocktail Party

Set List

Jazz Standards:
88 Basie Street
920 Special
A Foggy Day
All of Me
Almost Like Being in Love
Basie Straight Ahead
Beautiful Love
But Beautiful
Bye Bye Blackbird
Cute
Days of Wine and Roses
Emily
Fly Me To The Moon
Freckle Face
I Ain't Got Nobody
In a Mellow Tone
Just Friends
Kid From Red Bank
Splanky
Stella by Starlight
Sweet Georgia Brown
Things Ain't What They Used To Be
Warm Breeze
When You Wish Upon A Star
Whisper Not

Ballads:
A Child is Born
Angel Eyes
But Beautiful
Danny Boy
Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye
Laura
Maria
My Funny Valentine
People
Somewhere Over the Rainbow
Yesterdays

Big Band Era (1920s)
American Patrol
Bandstand Boogie
Blueberry Hill
Chattanooga Choo Choo
Eager Beaver
In The Mood
Let's Dance
Little Brown Jug
Moonlight Serenade
Nighttrain
Pennsylvania 6-5000
Seven Come Eleven
Sing Sing Sing
Stompin at the Savoy

Latin:
Brazil
Coconut Champagne
Malaguena
Naima
Peanut Vendor
St Thomas

Pop tunes:
25 or 6 to 4 (Chicago)
A Hard Days Night (Beatles)
Aja (Steely Dan)
Born to be Wild
Bridge Over Troubled Water (Simon and Garfunkel)
Copacabana (Barry Manilow)
Deacon Blues (Steely Dan)
Eye of the Tiger
Green Onions
Here, There and Everywhere (Beatles)
Hey Jude (Beatles)
I Feel Good (James Brown)
Keep the Customer Satisfied (Simon and Garfunkel)
Live and Let Die (Beatles)
Norwegian Wood (Beatles)
Proud Mary
Soul Man (Blues Brothers)
Spinning Wheel (Blood, Sweat & Tears)
The Beat Goes On
Vehicle (Blood, Sweat & Tears)
Yesterday (Beatles)

Theme songs:
Beauty and the Beast
James Bond
Johnny Carson
Meet the Flinstones
Mission Impossible
Naked Gunn
Odd Couple
Peter Gunn
Pink Panther
Gonna Fly Now (Rocky)
Sesame Street
Star Wars

Novelty:
Tijuana Taxi
Salute to the Military
Bride and Groom Polka
Wedding medley:
Fanfare
A Pretty Girl
Here Comes the Bride
Daddy's little girl
Boy of Mine
Sweetheart of Sigma Chi
Gimme a Little Kiss
Bride cuts the cake
Ain't She Sweet
The Stripper
Stoout heated Men
Funeral March

Christmas tunes:
Blue Christmas
Christmas Song (Chestnuts)
Christmas Time is Here
Deck the Halls
Frosty the Snowman
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Happy Christmas, Little Friend
Here Comes Santa Claus
I Heard Christmas Bells on Christmas Day
Jingle Bell Rock
Jingle Bells
Let It Snow
Nutcracker Overture
O Christmas Tree
O Holy Night
Santa Claus in Coming to Town
Silent Night
Sleigh Ride
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
Winter Wonderland

Team

Sean Nelson Bandleader

Influences & Inspiration

Count Basie, Glenn Miller, Woody Herman, Benny Goodman, Buddy Rich, Tommy Dorsey, Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson

Setup Requirements

15 chairs

Power source

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