Lake Havasu Swings With A New Big Band

By Becky Maxedon

Longing for the smooth sounds of the Big Band era?

Reminded of the time when swing, jazz and Dixieland dominated ballrooms and airwaves of the 1930s to 1940s?

Well, some Lake Havasu City musicians were thinking of both when they came together to form the Lake Havasu Big Band last Spring.

The Big Band is an offshoot of the Lake Havasu Symphonic Winds organization.

Aligned under the LHSW, the LHBB is a nonprofit 501(c)3 charitable organization.

Michael Ebert, the band’s manager and one of its coordinators, said, “A majority of the band’s musicians are LHSW members and share the desire to promote a year-round community Big Band, while providing an opportunity for musicians of all ages and experiences, ranging from high school students to more experienced and professional musicians, to share their musical talents.”

Ebert said the band’s current members come from the Lake Havasu City, Parker, Kingman and Needles communities.

“The LHBB’s diverse repertoire includes big band, swing, bebop, Latin, contemporary jazz, standards, popular tunes, vocals and patriotic selections,” Ebert said.

The band’s musicians are not paid. They accept donations, tips and sponsor support to provide for the band’s music library, equipment, and funds that support the LHSW’s community student scholarship program.

Perry Bakke, Tenor Saxophone/photo courtesy Jenna Ebert

“At the end of the 2023/2024 Lake Havasu Regional Orchestra (Big Band) concert series, the Lake Havasu Regional Orchestra folded.

“The opportunity to play Big Band in Lake Havasu had ended. But did it have too? I and several others, in the now defunct Big Band, thought we could form a new Big Band.

“In May 2024, we started rehearsing, and in June, I approached the Lake Havasu Symphonic Winds and asked if they would allow us to align under them as the Lake Havasu Big Band. A win-win for both bands, as the Big Band will be year-round versus the Symphonic Winds’ six months out of the year,” Ebert said.

Ebert has had a love of the big band sound beginning in junior high school. “I was blessed … to have an exceptional and professional band teacher and mentor that introduced me to big band and jazz,” he said.

Ebert played in jazz ensembles and big bands throughout high school and into college and had the opportunity to play and sit in with several musicians and bands like Clark Terry and Stan Kenton.

He gave up music in college and went on to be commissioned 2LT in the Air Force and entered pilot training. In 2000, he transitioned to a career as a commercial pilot.

Ebert retired in 2022 and joined his family permanently in Lake Havasu City.

“My commuting and irregular schedules prevented me from becoming involved in city community programs other than attending a Lake Havasu Regional Orchestra performance to listen to my youngest son playing trumpet. Actually, me playing again never entered my mind until my last conversation with my band teacher just weeks before he passed.

“During our conversation he asked me to start playing again… and that set the wheels in motion. When the LHRO had a Big Band concert in 2023, I approached several members of the sax section and asked if there were opportunities to play with the band. It was then, I made the decision that I would pick up the saxophone again,” Ebert said.

“The first rehearsal I attended … the feeling that this felt ‘right’ was overwhelming. I appreciated both the Lake Havasu Symphonic Winds and Lake Havasu Regional Orchestra for providing me with such an opportunity again in my life.

“But, most of all, my win-win was when I asked my oldest son if he would learn to play bass for the Big Band and he accepted.”

Ebert said there is a lot of great talent in the Lake Havasu area.

The current LHBB member roster includes: Conductor: – Responsibility shared by band members; Drums: Dale Stitt; Piano: Doug Los; Bass: Brad Ebert, Laurie Graves; Saxophone: Casey Goldberg, Phil Bonnice, Diane Wilkinson, Perry Bakke, Greg McDougall and Michael Ebert; Piano: Doug Los; Trumpet: Jason Specht, Jerome Walters, Anthony Pozun and Jim Kilemann; Bass: Brad Ebert and Laurie Graves Trombone: Art Swanson, Steve Sinkey, Robert Repp and Dick Holt; Vocalists: Jerry and Cindy Aldridge; Lake Havasu Symphonic Winds Liaison: Laura Witczak.

Vocalist Cindy Aldridge/photo courtesy Jenna Ebert

The band rehearses at St. Michael’s United Methodist Church Monday evenings from 6:30 to 8 p.m.

“The Big Band doesn’t have a conductor (because we all wanted to play) but we use the experience and expertise of many of our members to bring it together and ultimately, it builds a sense of teamwork and band ownership for all,” Ebert said.

“Everybody feels like they’re part of the band. Everybody has a chance to bring music, and we’ll consider it,” he said.

The band is working to grow their repertoire and develop new charts.

The LHBB performed at the VFW Nov. 11 for Veterans Day and also performed a two-hour concert for the Friends of the Library.

Lake Havasu Big Band plays at a Veteran’s Day ceremony on November 11,2024. Photo Jillian Danielson/RiverScene

“There was one 90-year-old woman who told us she knew all the songs.”

They are set to play Feb. 2, at the Lake Havasu High School Performing Arts Center at 3 p.m.

He added that as the band becomes more established, it will offer the opportunity for select high school members to sit-in with the band, be featured in one of its performances and compete for a scholarship.

“And maybe someday, they will want to get that ‘right’ feeling again and become active in their community bands wherever they may reside,” he said.

For more information, visit lhsymphonicwinds.us.

All the photos were taken by Jenna Ebert at the “St. Michael’s United Methodist Church Welcome Back Winter Visitors” concert.

Featured Soloist Jason Specht/photo courtesy Jenna Ebert

Vocalist and MC Jerry Aldridge/photo courtesy Jenna Ebert

2024 Lake Havasu Big Band/photo courtesy Jenna Ebert

Soloist Alto Saxophone Diane Wilkinson/photo courtesy Jenna Ebert

Tenor Sax Greg McCougall, Alto Sax Phil Bonnice, Trombone Stephen Sinkey, Trumpet Anthony Pozun featured playing “Blue Bossa”/photo courtesy Jenna Ebert