Butch Is Back!

Butch Miles and the Wolverines Big Band

  Back by popular demand! The Twin Cities Jazz Society presents the Wolverines Big Band featuring drummer Butch Miles, formerly of the Count Basie Orchestra, at 2 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 10, at the Bloomington Center for the Arts, 1800 West Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington. This concert is cosponsored by TCJS as part of its “Jazz from J to Z” series. Admission is $20; $17, seniors; $16, TCJS members; and $10, students.

  Miles most recently appeared in the Twin Cities in fall 2009 with the St. Croix Jazz Orchestra in Stillwater, and with the Wolverines Big Band and Trio in Bloomington.

  Butch Miles is known for his swinging big band style and techniques, and his long association with the Count Basie Orchestra (1975-1979 and 1997-2007). He also worked with Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Dave Brubeck, Mel Torme, Lena Horne, Joe Williams, Ella Fitzgerald, Woody Herman and Clark Terry.

  Butch Miles was born in Ironton, Ohio on July 4, 1944 and raised in West Virginia. He started playing the snare drum at age 9 in his school band. He started drum lessons with Frank Thompson in Charleston, West Virginia at age 15, soon joined the union and began playing with dance bands.

  Miles’ big break came in 1971 when he started working with Mel Torme. He joined the Basie Orchestra in 1975. In 1976, Miles played a televised performance for England’s Queen Elizabeth.

  A graduate of West Virginia State College now living in Austin, Texas, Butch Miles travels for the Ludwig Drum Company, giving clinics and concerts worldwide (Ludwig/Musser), and is a faculty member in jazz studies at Texas State University—San Marcos. FFI, visit: <www.butchmiles.com>.

  The Wolverines Big Band was formed in 1973, led by Ted Unseth, performing transcriptions of the music of the orchestras from the hot period of jazz between the World Wars. The band repertoire includes the music of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Jimmie Lunceford, Fletcher Henderson and Buddy Rich. In the early years, the band’s house gigs included the jazz-age night spots Scotties on Seventh, the Commodore and Castle Royale. The Wolverines have opened for Sarah Vaughan and Manhattan Transfer, performed on the initial broadcasts of “A Prairie Home Companion” and at President Jimmy Carter’s inaugural ball.  Their first two albums received four-star reviews from Downbeat magazine.

  Today’s band features Rick Carlson, piano; Steve Pikal, bass; Kent Saunders, guitar; Brad Shermock, Bill Simenson, Jeff Jensen, Greg Lewis, trumpets; Dave Graf, John Olson, Pete Masters, trombones; Doug Haining, Clay Pufahl, Denny Scholtes, Chris Harris, Kevin Frawley, Dave Karr, saxophones; Judi Donaghy, vocals; and Jendeen Forberg, leader and drums. FFI, visit: <www.wolverinesbigband.com>.

  The Twin Cities Jazz Society (TCJS) is a non-profit, all volunteer organization, supported by membership donations, dedicated to promoting jazz music, especially live jazz by local musicians. Since 1991, TCJS has presented over 80 “Jazz from J to Z” concerts, featuring over 100 groups and 700 musicians.