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The Birdland Big Band


The Birdland Big Band is an American 15-piece (4 saxes, 4 trombones, 4 trumpets, piano, bass, drums) jazz orchestra based in New York City that performs weekly in residence at the Birdland Jazz Club. The band was the creation of, and since inception has been directed by Tommy Igoe (Thomas Robert Igoe; born 1964), son of jazz drummer Sonny Igoe (1923–2012). The band is also occasionally directed by Rob Middleton, one of the band's tenor saxophonists.

The band, originally named "The Friday Night Big Band," was founded in 2006 by Tommy Igoe. The core inaugural musicians had been members of a long-standing big band in residence on Fridays at The Birdland Jazz Club founded and directed by Lew Anderson, who died May 14, 2006. Within months of launch (late 2006), Igoe re-branded the band with the namesake of its home and began building a library and repertoire of "jazz-forward" works — contemporary compositions, original arrangements, and select historical works, some forgotten or rare.

BBB performs Fridays at Birdland Jazz Club in Manhattan, mostly to near- or full-capacity audiences — capacity being about 238, including the bar.

Igoe is the son of drummer Sonny Igoe (né Owen Joseph Igoe; 1923–2012)


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