Jazz Lover - Fox Big Band with Benny Benack III CD Release Party

🎷🎺 A rare Calgary jazz opportunity awaits, Jazz Lover! 🎷

Jazz Lover, Don’t miss rising New York jazz star Benny Benack III on trumpet and vocals joining Fox Big Band for the release of their CD "Live at the Ironwood" which features Benny on all tracks! Join us at the Ironwood Saturday July 5 at 1:00 for one of Calgary's iconic jazz events of the year.

“Benny reminds me of Harry Connick Jr when he first hit all of our radars around the time of ‘When Harry Met Sally’, the classic romantic comedy from Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan that featured Mr. Connick’s recordings. We have long-needed a new and true entertainer in jazz who could mix vocal and instrumental brilliance with a God-given talent for storytelling and showmanship. Well folks, we have that artist NOW and his name is Benny Benack III – I couldn’t be more excited for the future of jazz and big band music when I listen to him swinging his butt off on this sold out, live date in Calgary, Alberta...strangely enough, one of Canada’s – and the world’s – great cities for big band music” - Scott Morin, Producer.

Emmy-nominated Trumpeter and Vocalist Benny Benack III has quickly become a leading voice in Jazz for his generation, headlining clubs and festivals around the world on the heels of his latest critically acclaimed live album “This Is The Life” which has been garnering thousands of streams and topping the JazzWeek Radio Charts. He is the rare talent who is just as formidable as a fiery trumpeter ranging from Freddie Hubbard to Louis Armstrong and everyone in between, while as a singer he delivers sly, mature, naturally expressive post-Sinatra vocal stylings.

Benny’s sophomore album “A Lot of Livin’ to Do” (2020) featured the likes of bass luminary Christian McBride, achieving viral online fame w/his vocalese rendition of "Social Call" ft. Veronica Swift that's been transcribed and covered by singers around the world. He has crooned his way to millions of more listeners alongside groups such as the Grammy-winning “8-Bit Big Band” and YouTube sensation “Postmodern Jukebox”. His (2023) album “Third Time’s the Charm” went all the way to #2 on the charts and featured a veritable line-up of special guests including Peter Bernstein, Bria Skonberg, Chad LB & more.

Benny’s double-threat credentials were first apparent when he was a finalist in the 2014 Thelonius Monk Competition on trumpet, and then won Third Place in the 2021 Sarah Vaughan Vocal Competition. His resume for both was recently bolstered by Downbeat Magazine’s Readers Poll for 2025, where he placed #1 for Rising Star Male Vocalist and was also #8 for Rising Star Trumpet.

Benny’s global recognition has been bolstered through his collaborations with the GRAMMY-award winning “8-Bit Big Band” and touring with Postmodern Jukebox. The recent advent of live-streaming concerts has been a boon as well, both through his residency at Smalls Jazz Club, as well as frequent appearances at fellow superstar Emmet Cohen’s “Emmet’s Place” online series. He has arrived as one of the most in-demand touring artists and music educators in the Jazz world, with a never-ending intercontinental schedule that reflects his indefatigable love for the music, with his smile and panache on full-display wherever it takes him next.

Under the direction of Brandon Oberhamer, FOX BIG BAND continues to captivate audiences in Calgary, performing at premier venues like the Ironwood Stage and Grill. Following sold-out collaborations with JazzYYC, featuring the sensational Benny Benack III, the band recorded a live CD, set for release this summer. Another packed house at the Ironwood welcomed internationally acclaimed saxophonist Seamus Blake.

With a powerful 13-piece horn section, a full rhythm section, and featured vocalists and guest artists, the band’s modern big band arrangements blend blues, Latin jazz, rock, funk, bebop, fusion, and contemporary styles. Whether roaring with big band energy or delivering an intimate ballad, FOX BIG BAND promises a dynamic experience.

Featuring some of Calgary’s finest jazz musicians, the band showcases masterful solos and tight ensemble playing across a repertoire spanning Pat Metheny, Phil Collins, Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, and classic jazz legends like Count Basie, Buddy Rich, and Duke Ellington. Recent performances have paid tribute to Charlie Parker, Charles Mingus, Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Miles Davis, and more.

Originally founded in the 1980s by Calgary-based trumpeter, bassist, and arranger Doug Fox, FOX BIG BAND remains a cornerstone of the local jazz scene.