"Home from college in the fervid summer of 1968, Dave Eshelman was determined to put theory into practice. The world was aflame with revolution, unrest and political violence, but the 20-year-old trombonist and budding arranger had his heart set on a far gentler agenda. Recruiting a bevy of veteran musicians, he wanted to present an evening of big band jazz to a hometown audience in Palo Alto."
"The writer may have been mistaken about a big band renaissance, but Eshelman is still on mission, and he opens a run of gigs with his Jazz Garden Big Band by returning to Palo Alto for his first concert there in 58 years on Friday. The band is presenting a free concert at Stanford's Dinkelspiel Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Looking back at his younger self, Eshelman confesses he's impressed by his moxie."
"Eshelman credits the late trumpeter Herb Doc Patnoe, who founded a popular jazz program at De Anza College in 1968, with supplying him with big band charts and contacts to fill the sections. He gave me lists of musicians, saying these guys want to play, Eshelman said. I got on the phone and started making calls and everybody said yes. I was just having lunch with Dann Zinn the other day, telling him they're still saying yes,' so I'm going to keep calling them."
Dave Eshelman, a trombonist and arranger, organized a big band concert in Palo Alto in the summer of 1968 after returning from college. He recruited veteran musicians and used charts and contacts from trumpeter Herb Doc Patnoe, founder of a jazz program at De Anza College. Eshelman’s Jazz Garden Big Band continues nearly six decades later. The band will play a free concert at Stanford's Dinkelspiel Auditorium and perform at the Jazzschool in Berkeley and the Los Gatos Jewish Community Center as part of Cold Snap with the West Valley College Jazz Band. Eshelman recalls being surprised by his own moxie and notes musicians still say yes when he calls.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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