Phoenix's Premier LGBT & Friends Jazz Ensemble
Join Desert City Jazz as we honor and celebrate The Kings of Swing – the great band leaders who made big band music famous!
You’ll enjoy some of the most memorable works by Count Basie, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich, and more. These bands and their music have stood the test of time and are still loved today.
Join us at the Nash jazz club on July 30 and re-discover the classic music of the Swing Era, made famous by The Kings of Swing.
At our March 2023 concert “Drop the Needle,” we presented big band versions of memorable funk, R&B, rock, and pop hits mostly from the 1970s and 1980s. It was a sell-out and one of our most favorably received concerts ever!
Here’s our performance of Stevie Wonder’s hit “Isn’t She Lovely” from his 1976 masterpiece album Songs in the Key of Life. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Pop Albums chart and stayed there for 13 weeks. It won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year and has sold over 5 million copies.
Our version features Andy Rich on trumpet and Al Duarte on guitar. Enjoy!
Desert City Jazz is a full-size, 17-piece jazz ensemble (5 saxes, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, piano, bass, drums, guitar) comprised of many of the best jazz musicians in the Phoenix area’s LGBTQ and Friends community. Our director is LaShaun Tweedie.
Come hear us at our next performance! Join our email list to stay informed about when and where the band will be playing next. And like us on Facebook!
Interesting in joining the band? Great! We may have a need for subs or replacement musicians at any time throughout the year, so please let us know of your interest.