Tommy Dorsey
In Big Band history, the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra is recognized as one of the best all-around dance bands. It could swing with the best of them, and no other band could come close to Tommy's when it came to playing ballads. Tommy Dorsey, "The Sentimental Gentleman of Swing", was a master at creating warm, sentimental, and always musical moods – at superb dancing and listening tempos. Tommy sustained these moods through the arrangements of the likes of Paul Weston, Axel Stordahl and Sy Oliver, and he showcased singers who could project them brilliantly.

Jack Leonard sang with the band for about four years, recording such fine sides as "Dedicated To You", "If It's The Last Thing I do", "Little White Lies", "You Taught Me To Love Again", "Once In A While", and, probably the most famous of all, "Marie". With the band singing vocal riffs as Jack sang the straight lyric, "Marie" was so successful that he recorded several more standard tunes with the same formula. They include "Who", "Yearning", and "East Of The Sun". "Song Of India", the other side of "Marie", was also a huge Dorsey hit.

Frank Sinatra's career blossomed with Dorsey, and, with Sinatra's vocals, the band became more successful than ever. Frank had often admitted that listening to Tommy helped him develop his phrasing and breathing, along with his musical taste and knowledge.

Sy Oliver infused the band with a new musical spirit. It was a gentler version of the rocking, rhythmic sounds that he had created for Jimmy Lunceford, toned down somewhat and played with more precision by the Dorsey Band. These original tunes included "Easy Does It", "Quiet Please", "Sing High", "Yes, Indeed", "Swingin' On Nothing", "Well, Git It", and "Opus No 1". Oliver also had a unique way of approaching a straight pop tune, injecting a soft, two-beat feeling into. He did this with resounding success in such arrangements as "What Can I Say After I Say I'm Sorry? ", "For You", "Swanee River", "Mandy", "Make Up Your Mind", "Chicago", and "On The Sunny Side Of The Street".

The vocalists worked both individually and together, turning out several hits of superior quality. There was Sinatra's "This Love of Mine", Jo Stafford's "Embraceable You", the Pied Pipers' and Sinatra's "There Are Such Things", "Just As Though You Were Here", "Street Of Dreams", and "Oh, Look At Me Now". Their biggest hit of all, the one that established vocal groups forever, was "I'll Never Smile Again".

The Band was at its best in this decade. In the summer of 1941, it outranked every other band to finish first in one of the most indicative of all popularity polls, Martin Block's Make Believe Ballroom contest.

By late 1946, it was becoming apparent that the band business was having problems. In December 1946, eight top bandleaders announced they were calling it quits – Woody Herman, Benny Goodman, Harry James, Les Brown, Jack Teagarden, Benny Carter, Ina Ray Hutton and Tommy Dorsey. Essentially, this was the official end of the Big Band Era. However, it was Tommy Dorsey who, in the years immediately following, fought the case of the big bands with words and action. Less than two years later, he was fronting a formidable new group.

The music world lost Tommy at an early age, but his legacy of great music has transcended time. The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra still represents explosive and swinging Big Band entertainment at its very best.

The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra is operated under license from Tommy Dorsey Productions, Inc., Westport, New York, USA

Jeff Bush - Music Director
Apollo, Pennsylvania native Jeff Bush began studying music at the age of four and hasn’t stopped yet. He started with the banjo, followed with the piano and then discovered the trombone, which has become a lifelong pursuit. While a student at Youngstown State University, Jeff performed with The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra and spent two summers touring with the Glenn Miller Orchestra. In his final year at YSU, he became linked to one of his musical heroes, receiving the Frank Rosolino Memorial Scholarship. The award featured Jeff at the 1999 International Trombone Festival and allowed him to study in Berlin, Germany with acclaimed trombonist, Jiggs Whigham.

In 2000, Jeff joined the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra conducted by trombone legend Buddy Morrow, and toured with the TDO on and off over the next few years, playing many of the great Tommy Dorsey solos and fronting the band on occasion in Buddy’s absence. During this same time, Jeff moved to New York City to begin graduate work at The Manhattan School of Music, and to build a music career that continues to flourish today. He has been privileged to perform with numerous master jazz artists including Benny Golson, Jon Hendricks, Ahmad Jamal, Vanessa Rubin, Jimmy Heath, Hubert Laws, Kevin Mahogany, Cyrus Chestnut, Marlena Shaw and Anthony Braxton. Additionally, he has performed with some of the best big bands in jazz including The Count Basie Orchestra, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, The Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabakin Big Band, RIAS Big Band of Berlin and The Bob Mintzer Big Band.Ìý

Jeff joined the big band of superstar Harry Connick, Jr. in February 2007 and stayed with him through early 2009. During his tenure as lead trombonist, Jeff toured the world and made numerous network television appearances including special performances for the 2008 NBA All-Star Game and for Pope Benedict XVI. ÌýWith Harry, he also appeared on two recordings for Columbia Records.

In other musical genres, Jeff has performed or recorded with Christina Aguliera, Tom Waits, Frankie Valli, Paul Anka, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Manhattan Transfer, Bobby Caldwell, HBO's The Sopranos and The New York City Ballet. He has also performed on tenor trombone, bass trombone, and tuba in the pit orchestras of the New York City Broadway shows Wonderful Town, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, The Pajama Game, South Pacific and How The Grinch Stole Christmas. As a sideman, Jeff has appeared on over forty albums, recorded "jingles" for the TV show Jeopardy and Rice-A-Roni, and performed on the PBS Specials My Sinatra and We Knew What We Had. As a leader, Jeff made his recording debut on "Ain't So Bad To Swing" for Beezwax Records and is currently working on a live project as well as an album of all original material.Ìý

Outside of the performing world, Jeff is very proud of his developments as an educator. He continues to work as a clinician and guest soloist with college and high school students and is a former faculty member at both Youngstown State University and West Virginia Wesleyan College. Jeff currently serves as Assistant Program Director of Jazz Studies at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA.

2024 brings Jeff’s career full circle as he assumes the Music Director position of The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. Jeff is excited and humbled to be associated with the Tommy Dorsey legend and to lead one of the greatest big bands of all-time.