Come down to Blu Jazz for an evening with the Sam Blakeslee Large Group for a special fundraising concert for his long-awaited upcoming studio big band album to be recorded in Spring 2023. To help raise funds to make it all happen, Sam will be traveling back to Blu Jazz, the original home base of the Large Group where he held a monthly residency from 2015-2017 before his departure to NYC. Since then, Sam has honed his skills both as a composer in the vibrant NYC big band scene and the moment has finally come to record 2 albums worth of material with some of NYC's most dynamic and creative musicians. Joining Sam will be the Northeast Ohio musicians who had an indelible effect on his writing during his time in Ohio, as well as some members of the NYC iteration of the ensemble; tenor saxophonist Johnathan Lowery and Ohio native and trumpeter John Lake. 

Featuring:
Sam Blakeslee - compositions/arrangements
Bobby Selvaggio, Nathan-Paul Davis, Chris Coles, Johnathan Lowery, Bettyjeane Quimby - woodwinds
Scott McKee, Garrett Folger, Theresa May, John Lake - trumpets
Sam Blakeslee, Chris Anderson, Reggie Watkins, Amber Forrer - trombones
Dan Bruce - guitar
Ben Tweedt - piano
Matt Wiles - bass
Dustin May - drums