OA2 Artist

An incredible sound charged out of Pearl's. Horns. Lots of horns, in fact. I marched in and was met immediately with the glorious chaos that is the Contemporary Jazz Orchestra.
San Francisco Examiner

The Contemporary Jazz Orchestra is a 16-piece jazz ensemble featuring top-notch musicians of the Bay Area. As the West Coast's answer to the long-standing tradition of the Vanguard Orchestra in New York City, the CJO has been playing Monday nights at Jazz at Pearl's in San Francisco for over 10 years. In 1995, saxophonist Christopher Pitts hand-selected his players and quickly established the band as an exciting be-bop and post-bop experience featuring the music of Thad Jones, Oliver Nelson, Frank Foster, Duke Ellington and Charles Mingus. In April of 2000, Pitts relocated to Boston, leaving the orchestra in the hands of saxophonist/arranger Alex Budman.

The CJO has featured many talented vocalists including Kim Nalley, Duane Lawrence, Jamie Davis, Denise Perrier and Kenny Washington.

Over its 10-year history, the band has performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival, the Fillmore Jazz Festival, KCSM's Jazz on the Hill, Spreckels Performing Arts Series, KXJZ's Waterfront concerts, SF's Black and White Ball and Yoshi's Jazz House.

RECORDINGS FEATURING Alex Budman and the Contemporary Jazz Orchestra

Alex Budman and the Contemporary Jazz Orchestra

Instruments of Mass Pleasure

OA2 Records 22024