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Bob Florence

For close to 50 years now the release of a new Bob Florence recording has been a major cause for celebration in the jazz world and with each album, going all the way back to 1958's "Name Band 59", it seems that he has reached an absolute pinnacle in the possibilities of contemporary big band writing. But he has continued to surprise us, year after year, by venturing into unexplored territory and consistently setting new standards in the art of big band jazz.

Bob Florence has garnered national and international acclaim as a jazz composer, arranger, bandleader, keyboardist, accompanist, and educator. Florence began his lifelong study of music before he was even four years old. At age 19, he abandoned his classical studies in order to devote his time to playing shows, accompanying singers, and jamming with jazz groups.

In addition to his many other talents, Florence is a highly respected jazz educator. He often serves as clinician, adjudicator and guest instructor in college settings. He is a warmly engaging man who approaches the act of making music with great humanity and humor.

Florence is a Grammy Award winner and has received an incredible 15 Grammy Nominations and two Emmy Awards. His recent commissions include, "Eternal Licks & Grooves" commissioned by ASCAP and IAJE honoring Count Basie, premiered in January 2005 at the IAJE convention in Long Beach California and "Appearing In Cleveland" commissioned by the Los Angeles Jazz Institute honoring Stan Kenton, premiered in March 2004 at the Jazz Bakery in Los Angeles, California, as well as many others.

Scott Whitfield & Friends: A Bi-Coastal Christmas

Read "A Bi-Coastal Christmas" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
December 31, 2020

If trombonist Scott Whitfield's A Bi-Coastal Christmas cannot quicken your inner holiday spirit, that will not be for lack of trying. Whitfield uses every ribbon in the packet and every tool in the shed to help make the season bright, from big band to quintet, from duo to solo (Whitfield's trombone all by itself). Two of the selections were recorded in 2004, four others in 2005, whereas Whitfield's brace of solo tracks was taped in 2020 as he cast off ...

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Big Band Report

Bob Florence: The Man Behind the Music / The Stage Door (Often) Swings

by Jack Bowers
June 10, 2008

The news arrived like an errant and unwelcome thunderbolt. Bob Florence had died on May 15, only five days before his seventy-sixth birthday. After the initial shock had worn off the question became, how does one process and evaluate such a distressing occurrence? How can one summarize in mere words so extraordinary a life? The answer is, one can't, even though the broad outline is well-known. Composer, arranger, pianist, bandleader, educator, Grammy and two-time Emmy Award winner, leader on almost ...

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Album Review

The Bob Florence Limited Edition: Eternal Licks and Grooves

Read "Eternal Licks and Grooves" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
August 6, 2007

In a world of unrestrained hyperbole, where competent athletes are superstars and slim, attractive women supermodels, words like awesome, spectacular, phenomenal, superlative and breathtaking are too often over-used and undeserved. But not in this case. On Eternal Licks and Grooves, the Bob Florence Limited Edition is awesome, its soloists spectacular, guest artists Carl Saunders, Scott Whitfield and Peter Erskine phenomenal, Florence's piano playing superlative, his compositions and arrangements breathtaking.

Florence, who recently turned seventy-five, has recorded more than a dozen ...

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Live Review

Bob Florence and the Limited Edition: Bigger and Better Than Ever

by J. Robert Bragonier
October 28, 2004

The Bob Florence Limited Edition appeared at the Jazz Bakery in Culver City, California on big band night, Monday evening, October 25, 2004. Although the venue is not ideal for listening to big bands (its small size causes some loud passages to be rather muddy and indistinct), Florence's arranging, and the band's excellence, make them worth the experience in virtually any environment. Both brass and reed sections include some of the very best in the business, while the band has ...

218

Album Review

The Bob Florence Limited Edition: Whatever Bubbles Up

Read "Whatever Bubbles Up" reviewed by Jim Santella

by Jim Santella
November 12, 2003

The personnel roster for Bob Florence's big band does not experience much in the way of change over the years. His musicians are loyal and true. While I'm sure that solid personal relationships, geographical considerations, and other convenient reasons contribute to this stability, we all know that business is business. Especially in Los Angeles. Commitments come in all shapes and sizes. So, why have Florence's band members remained loyal for over twenty years like this?

It's the music.

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Album Review

The Bob Florence Limited Edition: Whatever Bubbles Up

Read "Whatever Bubbles Up" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
August 25, 2003

Whenever master chef Bob Florence sets foot in the kitchen to slice and dice a new album, the listener can be sure that Whatever Bubbles Up will be as tantalizing and tasty as it is nourishing. Florence has been doing this sort of thing for more than four decades and knows how to put together a musical banquet that's guaranteed to please almost everyone's palate.

The entr'es on Florence's latest spread include five of his own singular compositions, two ('Chelsea ...

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Album Review

The Bob Florence Limited Edition: Whatever Bubbles Up

Read "Whatever Bubbles Up" reviewed by C. Michael Bailey

by C. Michael Bailey
July 25, 2003

Summit Records is steadily building a reputation as a solid big band label, with notable recent releases from the Jazz Orchestra of the Delta , the Mike Vax Big Band , and the Les DeMerle Band . Whatever Bubbles Up showcases Grammy-Award Winning composer/arranger Bob Florence leading his big band, Limited Edition. Limited Edition is high on high brass. The repertoire is Florence's own with the exception of a beautifully rendered “Chelsea Bridge."

“Dukism" is what one would expect, a ...

Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Bob Florence

Source: Michael Ricci
May 20, 2018

All About Jazz is celebrating Bob Florence's birthday today!

For close to 50 years now the release of a new Bob Florence recording has been a major cause for celebration in the jazz world and with each album, going all the way back to 1958\'s “Name Band 59", it seems that he has reached an absolute pinnacle in the possibilities of contemporary big band writing. But he has continued to surprise us, year after year... Read more.

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Bob Florence

Source: Michael Ricci
May 20, 2017

All About Jazz is celebrating Bob Florence's birthday today!

Place our Musician ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Bob Florence

Source: Michael Ricci
May 20, 2016

All About Jazz is celebrating Bob Florence's birthday today!

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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Bob Florence

Source: Michael Ricci
May 20, 2015

All About Jazz is celebrating Bob Florence's birthday today! For close to 50 years now the release of a new Bob Florence recording has been a major cause for celebration in the jazz world and with each album, going all the way back to 1958\'s “Name Band 59", it seems that he has reached an absolute pinnacle in the possibilities of contemporary big band writing. But he has continued to surprise us, year after year... Read more. Place our Musician ...
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Birthday

Jazz Musician of the Day: Bob Florence

Source: Michael Ricci
May 20, 2014

Recording

Bob Florence: 'Here and Now'

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers
April 7, 2014

One of the most seductive and swinging West Coast big band arrangers of the 1960s and beyond was Bob Florence. Born in 1932, Florence was a quick study, taking piano lessons at age 4 and playing recitals at age 7. In college, he was studying to be a classical pianist when he fell in love with jazz orchestration, which is no wonder since he attended Los Angeles City College's music school, a cross-section of students studying classical and commercial composing ...
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