Why the CJO?
As we celebrate our 40th year, we’re sharing stories and memories from CJO board members (current and former) and fans.
George Carr
board member, May 2023-present
George Carr
What was your introduction to jazz?
I grew up with jazz and other musics around the house. My mother was a fine keyboard player–her mother was the church organist in a small town, and she learned literally at her mother's knee–and she made a point of not just listening to music, but re-listening, playing and singing along, transcribing memorable passages, and the like; she was into “engaged listening” before it was really a thing. And I soon gravitated to jazz and jazz-adjacent music, with its surprising rhythms, eclectic sounds, and strong tradition of appropriation and transgression.
“The CJO has a unique ‘voice’ among modern big bands. The band’s remarkable arranging staff has been creating groundbreaking music for decades, and the band’s ‘sound’ is distinctive to the ear, without being gimmicky or superficial. ”
What do you hope to have achieved by the end of your time on the Board?
I'd like to help circulate and popularize the CJO's remarkable library of sheet music, a massive treasure gathered over 40 years. Making those fantastic charts available to jazz educators, young musicians, and working bands would help spread and preserve the “CJO sound” that we all know and love.
What is one of your fondest memories from a jazz concert?
I remember hearing Dave Holland on a tour stop in Cleveland, with his jaw-dropping small group with Steve Nelson and Billy Kilson. At one point, as I listened to the complex polyrhythms burbling along underneath a fiery Antonio Hart solo, I remember realizing that the rhythm section was so comfortable and telepathic that they were improvising the time signatures underneath the chord changes, which just blew my mind. Amazing stuff.
How long have you been with the CJO?
I first joined the CJO Board more than 20 years ago, serving from 2004-2010, including a term as Board Treasurer. I left the Board to spend more time with my growing family, but rejoined the Board in 2023.
“(Three reasons to see the CJO)
Jim Rupp. Chris Burge. Paul Ferguson. We’re lucky to have them with us.”
What is unique about the CJO?
The CJO has a unique “voice” among modern big bands. The band's remarkable arranging staff has been creating groundbreaking music for decades, and the band's “sound” is distinctive to the ear, without being gimmicky or superficial.
What are three reasons to see the CJO this season? Jim Rupp. Chris Burge. Paul Ferguson. We're lucky to have them with us.