People who enjoy the sound of the Big Bands popular in the 1930s and 1940s have a concert coming up they are sure to enjoy.
The Yakima Valley Big Band will be appearing this summer at the SunDome during the Vintiques auto show. The band plays the hits from the Swing era, as well as more modern tunes that will be familiar to audiences from films, radio, and television.
The band started when founders Josh Parrill and Ken Bergevin, both professional musicians, wondered if there were enough jazz enthusiasts in the Yakima Valley Community Band to found another ensemble, specifically a jazz band. It turns out there were, and Bergevin worked hard, putting together a rehearsal schedule, and coaching them on how to play jazz standards as well as more recent pieces. That was in 2022, and it was the beginning of the Yakima Valley Big Band.
The Yakima Valley Community Band has been around since 1919, when an article appeared in the Yakima Herald Republic revealing that local businessmen were supporting the effort to organize a 50-piece band. The all-male ensemble performed at park concerts and parades, representing the civic pride of Yakima. Some time around 1949, the Yakima Elks Lodge absorbed the band, which became the Yakima Community Band.
The band will play August 5 at the Yakima SunDome. When events like this are planned, organizers will find poster printing useful in creating advertisements.
