The Gateway City Big Band is a 17-piece dance band with two vocalists that has been entertaining audiences in the St. Louis region since 1966. Originally known as the “Friends of Music”, the group’s founders conceived the band as a volunteer organization where musicians could perform their favorite big band arrangements while simultaneously helping local charities. Over time the band’s quality steadily improved and the demand for its services increased. On the bus trip home from a gig in 1976, the group decided the band’s name needed a little “jazzing up”, and the name “Gateway City Big Band” was born.
A number of local music personalities have helped the Gateway Band to acquire its reputation as a premier musical organization in St. Louis. “Cactus” Charlie Menees, a jazz broadcaster with powerful KMOX radio for years, was one of the band’s early supporters. Jim Bolen, a long time St. Louis television broadcaster fronted the band for four years and played vibes. Don Wolff, formerly broadcasting on KMOX, was once on the Band’s Board of Directors, and Dennis Owsley, host of Jazz Unlimited on KWMU radio, is currently on the Board. The band became a non-profit corporation in 1998, and continues to play predominately for charitable and civic events. The musicians donate their time, energy and talents to rehearse and perform with the band, using the money from clients to support the band (band members’ expenses, musical director, setup man, equipment and charts). In recent years the band has focused on music education and gives much of its remaining funds to students for music scholarships. The band has performed in some of St. Louis’ premier musical and dance venues, including the historical Fox Theatre, Missouri Botanical Gardens and St. Louis Casa Loma Ballroom. Several of the band’s members have toured with current national dance bands such as the Jimmy Dorsey, Jan Garber, Sammy Kaye, Dick Jurgens and Stan Kenton bands. The band has made a number of recordings, most recently “Swingin’ for 40 Years” in 2006 to celebrate its 40th Anniversary and “Live at the Casa Loma” in 2002 made up of live recordings from the St. Louis Casa Loma Ballroom. Other recordings include “Dedication” in 1995, which was dedicated to band supporter “Cactus” Charlie Menees and former leader Jim Bolen, and “Let’s Go Dancing” in 1999. Events of Note • 1987 The band played on a QE II cruise. • 1997 GCBB was featured at the Glenn Miller Festival in Clarinda, Iowa. • 2007 GCBB was invited to perform at the Missouri Music Educators’ Association (MMEA) Annual Convention Recordings • 1977 “Just For a Thrill” (LP) • 1978 “Don’t Play Dead, Play Jazz” (LP) • 1979 “Meramec Community College Anniversary Concert” (LP) • 1984 “Dancing Again” (LP) • 1995 “Dedication” (CD & tape) • 1999 “Let’s Go Dancing” (CD & tape) • 2002 “Live at the Casa Loma” (CD & tape) • 2006 “Swingin’ for 40 Years" (CD) |
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