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  • BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY SWINGS INTO 2006 AT WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL
  • Dec. 31, 2005
  • **Just Added! Coquette – Burlesque Dance Team**

    LA Phil's Two Evening Celebrations Ring in the New Year

    SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, AT 7 PM AND 10:30 PM

    Big Bad Voodoo Daddy jump-starts 2006 with two performances at Walt Disney Concert Hall on Saturday, December 31, at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., concluding the LA Phil’s 2005 Deck the Hall holiday concert series with a jumpin’ and jivin’ musical blowout. The septet’s rollicking big band blast offers and unforgettable New Year’s Eve celebration. The group is joined by Tracy & Dominic – burlesque dancers from New York – who present their original routine, Coquette.

    Following in the tradition of big bands from a bygone era, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy tours non-stop all over the world, furthering their reputation for delivering rapturous grooves and top-notch musicianship to audiences of all ages.

    BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY formed in 1989, when Scotty Morris, jaded by life as a young studio guitarist, decided to launch a three-piece jazz, blues and swing combo. The trio included drummer Kurt Sodergren and was named Big Bad Voodoo Daddy after a fateful meeting with blues guitar legend Albert Collins at one of his concerts. "He signed my poster, 'To Scotty, the big bad voodoo daddy...,'" Morris explains. "I thought it was the coolest name I ever heard on one of the coolest musical nights I ever had. So when it came time to name this band, I didn't really have a choice. I felt like it was handed to me." In the years that followed, Morris and Sodergren formed the rest of the band which included Dirk Shumaker on string bass, Andy Rowley on saxophone, Glen "The Kid" Marhevka on trumpet, Karl Hunter on saxophones and clarinet, and Joshua Levy on piano. The chemistry between the band, like the success that soon followed, was undeniable. They kicked off the swing revival in the mid-90s with their appearance in the film Swingers and began touring ferociously, delivering killer shows night-after-night, city-after-city. Having put the swing craze that briefly dominated Alternative radio in 1998 behind them, Bid Bad Voodoo Daddy now carries on the tradition of the legendary big bands and orchestras by touring non-stop, performing over 100 concerts each year around the world. Like the Glen Miller Orchestra, Benny Goodman, and the Count Basie Big Band, their energetic performances draw enthusiastic audiences of all ages in cities around the world. And as a twist, the band has collaborated with symphonies in more than 15 cities, including the Los Angeles Philharmonic (At the Hollywood Bowl), Air Force Symphony Orchestra in Washington, DC, the Hartford Symphony in Hartford, CT and the Atlanta Symphony.

    TRACY & DOMINIC began their career choreographing in the parking lot of their home town dance studio in Denver. Years of training followed their arrival in Los Angeles; endless study, countless auditions, and the occasional job. The process woke them up to the harsh realities of professional dance. The hard work paid off and good fortune smiled as they eventually gained the privilege of choreographing for artists including: Fiona Apple, Eurythmics, Green Day, No doubt, Celine Dion, Josh Groban, Chris Isaak and the Goo Goo Dolls. Their choreography career is eclectic and not only established themselves within the music industry but also in television. Tracy & Dominic's choreography has been seen by the masses in the form of popular television commercials including Old Navy, Target, Limited Too, Starbucks, McDonalds and GAP featuring Sarah Jessica Parker. Tracy & Dominic's most recent endeavor is the show titled "Coquette", which won rave reviews at the LA hotspot Forty Deuce, under the name "Royal Jelly". The theme is striptease with the emphasis on the "Tease"! The show draws the audiences in with its close contact dance and blends raw intensity with high energy The result is a uniquely engaging and provocative experience.

    The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, under Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, presents the finest in orchestral and chamber music, recitals, new music, jazz, world music and holiday concerts at two of the most remarkable places anywhere to experience music - Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl. In addition to a 30-week winter subscription season at Walt Disney Concert Hall, the LA Phil presents a 12-week summer festival at the legendary Hollywood Bowl, summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and home of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. In fulfilling its commitment to the community, The Association's involvement with Los Angeles extends to educational programs, community concerts and children's programming, ever seeking to provide inspiration and delight to the broadest possible audience.

    EDITORS PLEASE NOTE:

    SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2005, at 7 PM and 10:30 PM


    WALT DISNEY CONCERT HALL, 111 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles


    New Year's Eve


    BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY

    SCOTTY MORRIS, bandleader, guitar

    KURT SODERGREN, drums

    DIRK SHUMAKER, string bass

    ANDY ROWLEY, saxophone

    GLEN 'THE KID' MARHEVKA, trumpet

    KARL HUNTER, saxophone, clarinet

    JOSHUA LEVY, piano

    COQUETTE - Tracy & Dominic


    Selections will be announced from the stage.

    Tickets ($53-$150) are on sale now at the Walt Disney Concert Hall box office, online at LAPhil.com, or via credit card phone order at 323.850.2000. A limited number of $10 rush tickets for seniors and full time students may be available at the Walt Disney Concert Hall box office two hours prior to the performance. Valid identification is required, one ticket per person; cash only. Groups of 12 or more may be eligible for special discounts for selected concerts and seating areas. For all information, please call 323.850.2000.

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  • Contact:

    Adam Crane, 213.972.3422; Rachelle Roe, 213.972.7310; Photos: 213.972.3034