modern
funk
dance
swing
jazz
classics
fusion
originals
r&b
modern funk dance swing jazz classics fusion originals r&b
Rochester’s elite young big band
18 of Western New York’s
most promising
young jazz musicians
Very few big bands today perform full programs of original music by a single living composer, and even fewer perform full programs of music by a composer under the age of 25.
The mission of the Joey Stempien Big Band is to pay homage to a century-old jazz tradition while also pushing the genre forward with the next generation of big band writing.
JSBB began as a college project: a handful of musicians from the University of Rochester, SUNY Geneseo, and Eastman School of Music brought together to play original charts that didn't exist anywhere else. What started as one-off reading sessions turned into regular performances, then a working band with its own sound and catalog. Multiple years, full-length albums, and international festival performances later, JSBB has grown into a professional touring orchestra.
featured in
a sound
like no other →
JSBB boasts a certain restless, youthful energy that other bands of the kind simply can’t match. Audiences know they’re hearing tomorrow’s leaders in jazz, today.
New, young faces bolster the ranks on a regular basis. For some, it is their first opportunity to play in a touring ensemble. Former players have gone on to lead successful musical careers in New York City, Los Angeles, Toronto, and beyond.
something for anyone…
Because of its unique roots, the band can present shows that are influenced by the historic Eastman School jazz tradition, the modern R&B industry, and everything in between.
Horns snap on the straight-ahead tunes and pop on the funk charts. The world-class rhythm section can lock into a pocket or drive a shout chorus.
JSBB's range isn't a gimmick, but happens when the material is written by one composer, for one Gen-Z jazz orchestra, working across every style.
…and for everyone
The travels of the Joey Stempien Big Band have brought them far and wide, from elegant big-city performing arts centers and the largest amusement parks in America to the front steps of small-town municipal buildings and the waterfronts of quaint villages.
Having performed at nearly every type of venue in the Northeast, it is all part of JSBB’s longstanding commitment to uphold the jazz big band tradition in Upstate New York for future generations, and integrate aspects of new popular music.
The band has also collaborated with a number of distinguished guest artists, including Andrew Gould, Jon Hatamiya, and Carlos “insaneintherainmusic” Eiene.
Joey Stempien Founder, Manager
Millie Hawkins Secretary
Sam DeLong, Kris Gizzo Librarians
Juliana Sanders, Shea Thorpe, Marketing