The Underground Jazz Ensemble, an outstanding 15 piece big band from Delevan, WI, contacted Jazz Spectrum. They discussed performing together and individually on the same bill, thus being able to provide continuous, exciting entertainment combining a big band with a vocal ensemble and a vocal ensemble backed by a big band! This could be the […]
After four happy years of performing with Jazz Spectrum, Denny Sullivan, is relocating to Florida. We will miss not only his playing, but also his enthusiastic presence on the bandstand. We are very excited to welcome another talented trumpet player, David Katz, to the Jazz Spectrum family. Dave is a world-class player having toured with […]
After being used to weekly vocal rehearsals since 1995, six weeks of isolation is like an eternity! With the weather getting nicer, the vocal group decided to try to rehearse on Bob’s deck, still maintaining six foot separation. Another advantage to having wireless mics, a use which no one could ever have anticipated. It went […]
While on The 2019 Jazz Cruise, Bob enjoyed visiting with Kelly Peterson, Oscar’s wife. She told of how she and Oscar met and how she produced the album “Oscar, with Love.” Bob received this 3 disc album for Christmas in 2018. Beginning in 2014, it took two years to complete. Sixteen artists, including Michel Legrand […]
It was ten years ago that Jazz Spectrum began providing entertainment for the town of Mundelein, Illinois’s Tree Lighting Ceremony
For the past 24 years, JS operated its own sound system. As sound systems became more sophisticated, it became clear a professional technician was needed. We met Dani von Helms in 2017. She was a recent graduate of Illinois Wesleyan University with a degree in Marketing and a minor in Theater Technologies. In between Jazz […]
In 1948, four singers from Butler University changed the landscape for vocal groups. They fashioned their harmonies after Stan Kenton’s trombone section. The melody is the top voice of the chord, not in the middle, like barbershop, while the root of the chord is played by the bass player. This frees the other voices to […]
Kim Nazarian sings soprano with the internationally-renowed vocal quartet, New York Voices. She is not only a wonderful jazz vocalist but an outstanding vocal coach and clinician. On the evening of October 17, 2018, Kim came to Bob’s house for pizza and worked with Jazz Spectrum’s vocalists, three horns and the rhythm section. Bob became […]
On September 18, 2016, Bob Zaun was inducted into William Howard Taft High School’s Hall of Fame (’58). This is the “second class” of this newly formed distinction. Voting was open to all alumni and retired teachers. He joins such notable Taft alumni as Jim Jacobs (’60), creator of the musical Grease, Jim Grabowski, (’62) […]