A Wadsworth Christmas - December 01
Inspire Aviation
The Akron Big Band
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Jim Fry
About the Director: Mr. Jim Fry is a retired high school band director with over 25 years of teaching in Ohio and Texas. Mr. Fry has a number of years of being a professional trumpet player and has played in a number of professional groups over the years. Some of his professional performance include the 1992 International Trumpet Guild Conference, 2005 Mid-West Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, The Duke Ellington tribute Big Band, and soloist with the 2022 Bluecoats Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps from Canton, Ohio. Mr. Fry is in his 6th year of being the Director of the Akron Big Band. Mr. Fry also teaches privately at Wadsworth Music where he teaches instrumental music lessons to a number of Wadsworth and other students from the area.
The Akron Big Band has been playing historical “pop” music since the 1950s in the greater Northeast Ohio region. Our musical literature spans classic big band music from the 1920s through the 1940s and a mixture of instrumental pop and jazz music from the 1950s onward. The band has called the Kenmore neighborhood home base during most of the band's history and several times a year play at the Kenmore Community Center as a thank you for rehearsal space. While playing frequently in Akron and Wadsworth, The Akron Big Band has played throughout Northeast Ohio at small and large events, private parties and corporate galas. Additionally the band this past summer traveled to Columbus, Ohio to perform at the historic Valley Dale Ballroom with the Westerville Jazz Orchestra. Many of our band members play beyond the band in the Northeast Ohio music scene and some come from some nationally known and touring musical ensembles.
The Akron Big Band can be found online at theakronbigband.com, Facebook at facebook.com/akronbigband
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