Jazz Festival

The Caltech Jazz Band, under the direction of Barb Catlin, presents the annual Jazz Festival featuring three groups: The Caltech Jazz Band, the Tim Shaghoian Quartet, and the Night Blooming Jazzmen. This outdoor concert will be held on Saturday, April 15th from 1 to 5 pm on the Hameetman Patio. The festival is outside with limited seating. Please bring your folding chair or blankets and picnic items. Parking is free.
Saxophonist/composer Tim Shaghoian was born in Fresno, California, and currently resides in Los Angeles. Soft-spoken yet resolute, Tim has developed a unique voice as an improviser and composer. In March of 2020, he released his debut album as a leader, Gentle Beacons, on Origin's OA2 Records. Gentle Beacons features nine of Tim's original compositions and a creative reimagining of the beloved jazz standard, "My Foolish Heart." All About Jazz called the release "a well-crafted work of modern jazz." Tim holds a master's degree in jazz performance from Fresno State and is currently on faculty at the Los Angeles College of Music.

The Night Blooming Jazzmen have been a favorite of the Caltech Jazz Festival over the years. The NBJ (or "Nightbloomers") is a traditional New Orleans band formed in 1975 to represent the Society for the Preservation of Dixieland Jazz at the third Sacramento Jubilee. The NBJ was started as an ad-hoc "pick-up band." It was not expected to survive, but the NBJ were so well-received and had so much fun that they stuck together. Since then, they have played thousands of concerts, church services, funerals, house parties, grand openings, jazz clubs, wedding receptions, dances, several dozen cruises and land trips to China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Alaska, Hawaii, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, the Amazon, the Mediterranean, and many other parts of Europe. The band features Caltech alum (and recently retired JPLer), Dr. Les Deutsch. As one jazz festival goer described them:

"Not only does leader Chet Jaeger put on a fine line of patter, but practically the whole band sings. The band is in constant demand. Despite the old jokes, spontaneous nuttiness and musical spoofs, the band puts out jazz of very high quality. No hour or so is better spent than enjoying the Nightbloomers."

The Caltech Jazz Band, directed by Barb Catlin, will open the festival with an array of big band music including works from Thad Jones, Count Basie, Oliver Nelson, Dr. Les Deutsch, and Elliot Deutsch.