Presidio Sessions: Montclair Women’s Big Band

The Montclair Women’s Big Band was founded in 1997 by veteran trumpeter and bandleader Ellen Seeling, with producer Barbara Price. With a vivid cast of some of the best jazzwomen in the San Francisco Bay Area, the band combines an audacious sense of swing, tight ensemble work, and inspired solos. All About Jazz claims “the Montclair Women’s Big Band is one of the most formidable jazz ensembles on the West Coast....this is premium-grade big band jazz, rigorously blended for high mileage and maximum pleasure.” Kasey Knudsen, Mad Duran, Jean Fineberg, Yvonne Lin, Carolyn Walter, saxophones/reeds; Ellen Seeling (director), Marina Garza, Sarah Wilson, Tiffany Carrico, trumpets/flugelhorns; Mara Fox, Sarah Cline, Crystal Bryant, Becca Burrington, trombones; Erika Oba, piano; Ruth Davies, bass; Michaelle Goerlitz, Latin percussion; Alan Hall, drums.