Eclipse was wonderful to work with. Very thorough in the planning process, very professional, communicative and did a great job for the performance. I also thought they were a great value for the quality of the performers that we had. I would highly recommend them.
Eclipse Jazz Quartet is an exciting, entertaining, and highly professional musical ensemble led by veteran multi-instrumentalist Allen Wittig, who performs on alto and tenor saxophones, clarinet and flute, backed up by virtuoso guitarist John Calisto, regional professional and educator Jordan Ponzi on bass, and various regional drum-set artists from the Richmond, Williamsburg and Virginia Beach region.
Eclipse Jazz performs a wide spectrum of traditional jazz, such as swing, blues, bossa novas and sambas, and contemporary jazz, including funk, fusion and hip-hop grooves. The group can perform as a hard driving contemporary jazz group, keeping jazz fans enthralled with both original and cover material, or it can deliver a comfortable background of easy listening standards, enhancing the atmosphere of any social gathering.
While normally performing as quartet, I customize my group to meet each client's objective. For example, a vocalist or additional musicians (i.e. trumpet and/or trombone and/or keyboards) are available upon request for an additional fee.
Please see our composite video of many styles and gigs on YouTube: http://*******.**********.**********.***
Group leader Allen Wittig served 26 years in the US Air Force Band career field as a Music Arranger, Saxophonist and Musical Director of jazz and pop/rock music ensembles. He produced/co-produced or contributed to five compact disc recordings for USAF/NATO Bands. Additionally, he led various US Air Force jazz ensembles in performances at the following jazz festivals: Clifford Brown (Wilmington, DE), Berks (Reading, PA), Cork (Ireland), North Sea (Den Hague, NE), Montreux (Switzerland), Cork (Ireland) and more. Allen earned his Master of Music in Composition at Shenandoah Conservatory and his Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University. In addition to being a top-notch professional jazz saxophonist, he is also a published composer of big band music, arranger and producer. His compositions for jazz ensemble have been published by Belwin-Mills and Ludwig Music Publishers and performed by bands throughout the US and Europe. Allen currently leads Eclipse Jazz and performs occasionally with the Virginia Symphony and Richmond Symphony on jazz and pops concerts.
Eclipse Jazz performs a wide spectrum of traditional jazz, such as swing, blues, bossa novas and sambas, and contemporary jazz, including funk, fusion and hip-hop grooves. The group can perform as a hard driving contemporary jazz group, keeping jazz fans enthralled with both original and cover material, or it can deliver a comfortable background of easy listening standards, enhancing the atmosphere of any social gathering.
While normally performing as quartet, I customize my group to meet each client's objective. For example, a vocalist or additional musicians (i.e. trumpet and/or trombone and/or keyboards) are available upon request for an additional fee.
Please see our composite video of many styles and gigs on YouTube: http://*******.**********.**********.***
Group leader Allen Wittig served 26 years in the US Air Force Band career field as a Music Arranger, Saxophonist and Musical Director of jazz and pop/rock music ensembles. He produced/co-produced or contributed to five compact disc recordings for USAF/NATO Bands. Additionally, he led various US Air Force jazz ensembles in performances at the following jazz festivals: Clifford Brown (Wilmington, DE), Berks (Reading, PA), Cork (Ireland), North Sea (Den Hague, NE), Montreux (Switzerland), Cork (Ireland) and more. Allen earned his Master of Music in Composition at Shenandoah Conservatory and his Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies at Virginia Commonwealth University. In addition to being a top-notch professional jazz saxophonist, he is also a published composer of big band music, arranger and producer. His compositions for jazz ensemble have been published by Belwin-Mills and Ludwig Music Publishers and performed by bands throughout the US and Europe. Allen currently leads Eclipse Jazz and performs occasionally with the Virginia Symphony and Richmond Symphony on jazz and pops concerts.
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