Founded in 2022, The Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra quickly distinguished itself as one of the top-caliber jazz orchestras in the nation. The LAJO’s inaugural year featured two exuberantly received concerts which demonstrated an uncommon breadth of performance ability.   Their debut performance featured vocalist Russell Thompkins, Jr., original lead singer of R&B supergroup The Stylistics.  The band closed the year with a holiday season performance of the classic Duke Ellington/Billy Strayhorn arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite

The ensemble is comprised of some of the most heralded musicians in the Los Angeles jazz community, while also reflecting the great diversity of LA’s population.  The members of the LAJO have played with the likes of Count Basie, Tony Bennett, Woody Herman, and Clark Terry.  LAJO musicians can be heard on high profile recordings, film scores, and commercials,, along with innumerable live concerts, domestically and abroad.

Led by Artistic Director Winston Byrd, the LAJO is poised to chart a course forward for the modern jazz orchestra—a band as comfortable blurring stylistic barriers as it is swinging the roof off of a dance hall.

Los Angeles Jazz Orchestra Personnel:

Woodwinds
Ian Vo
Steve Murillo
Keith Bishop
Jerry Pinter
Ann Patterson

Trumpets
Winston Byrd
John Thomas
Ron Stout
Deb Wagner
Kris Bergh

Trombones
Les Benedict
Robyn Javier
Alvin Starks
Rose Doylemason

Piano
Brian O’Rourke

Bass
Mike Alvidrez

Drums
Clayton Cameron