Chris Walden Big Band
Encyclopedia
The Chris Walden Big Band is a Grammy-nominated 18-piece jazz
big band
based in Los Angeles
, California
, founded in 1999 by German
composer
/arranger Chris Walden
. The band consists of Los Angeles based studio musicians
who initially suggested to Walden to form his own band after having played his music for various projects in the studios.
The band exclusively plays Walden's own material, which consists of his own compositions or his contemporary arrangements of jazz tunes or film themes. Vocalists who have appeared frequently with the Chris Walden Big Band are Tierney Sutton
, Carol Welsman, and Courtney Fortune
. The band frequently plays in and around Los Angeles.
nominations:
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
based in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, founded in 1999 by German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
/arranger Chris Walden
Chris Walden
Chris Walden is a German composer, arranger, and conductor living in the U.S. He leads his own jazz big band, the Chris Walden Big Band, based in Los Angeles and was nominated four times for a Grammy award....
. The band consists of Los Angeles based studio musicians
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
who initially suggested to Walden to form his own band after having played his music for various projects in the studios.
The band exclusively plays Walden's own material, which consists of his own compositions or his contemporary arrangements of jazz tunes or film themes. Vocalists who have appeared frequently with the Chris Walden Big Band are Tierney Sutton
Tierney Sutton
Tierney Sutton is an American jazz singer.A three-time Grammy Nominee for "Best Jazz Vocal Album" and "a selection by Jazzweek as Vocalist of the Year in 2005," Sutton was born in Wisconsin and was educated at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut and the Berklee College of Music in...
, Carol Welsman, and Courtney Fortune
Courtney Fortune
Courtney Fortune is an American singer/songwriter from Bellingham, Washington. Her musical style is categorized as crossover jazz and pop, drawing upon a long list of vintage and modern influences. She currently lives and performs in Los Angeles, California...
. The band frequently plays in and around Los Angeles.
Discography
- Chris Walden Big Band - Home Of My Heart (2005)
- Chris Walden Big Band - No Bounds (2006)
- Chris Walden Big Band & St. John's Choir - Kurt Marti Suite (2007)
Awards and nominations
2005 Grammy AwardGrammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nominations:
- Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album - Home Of My Heart
- Best Instrumental Arrangement - Cherokee from Home Of My Heart