PLEASE NOTE: Gordon Goodwin is a native of Wichita, KS. His new album Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band: Act Your Age is up for 3 Grammys.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2009

February 21: Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band Headlines 16th Annual Friends University Jazz Festival at the Historic Orpheum Theatre in Downtown Wichita

What: Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band headlines Friends University Jazz Festival
When: Saturday, February 21 - 8 p.m.
Where: Orpheum Theatre, 200 N. Broadway, Wichita, KS 67202
Tickets: $20-$30
Info Line: (316) 295-5537
Website: http://www.friends.edu/news/

HOLLYWOOD -- Los Angeles-based bandleader-composer-arranger Gordon Goodwin will return to his native Wichita to headline the Friends University 16th Annual Jazz Festival with his 18-piece Big Phat Band. This two-day jazz festival event brings together more than 40 high-school and middle-school jazz ensembles for workshops and concerts, culminating with a headlining performance by Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band at 8PM, February 21 at the historic Orpheum Theatre in downtown Wichita.

ABOUT GORDON GOODWIN
Gordon Goodwin & His Big Phat Band have been inspiring musicians and artists young and old to follow their remarkable musicianship for the past eight years, earning Goodwin the tag "Big Band's Pied Piper" for his impact on school curriculums nationwide. Known for his witty, intricate, and hard-swinging compositions, the composer-arranger-bandleader picked up THREE Grammy nominations for his acclaimed new CD/DVD, Act Your Age, with all-star guest shots from producer Lee Ritenour, Chick Corea, Patti Austin, Dave Grusin and, through the wonders of technology, a "virtual" Art Tatum. DownBeat, Jazz Times and Jazziz top the list of great reviews the new CD/DVD package is getting, and the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Time Magazine all have sung Gordon's praises in recent years.

Even for a successful composer and arranger in Hollywood, Gordon's numbers are impressive: A 2006 Grammy Award for his Instrumental Arrangement of "Incredits" from the Pixar film "The Incredibles," three Emmy Awards, and a total of eleven Grammy nominations. 2008's Act Your Age received nods in three categories: Best Large Jazz Ensemble (Act Your Age), Best Instrumental Composition ("Hit The Ground Running"), and Best Instrumental Arrangement ("Yesterdays" Featuring Art Tatum). You can click here to hear this virtual duet with the great Art Tatum, courtesy of the genius pairing of a digitized Tatum recording of "Yesterdays" and Goodwin's insightful big band arrangement, preserving all the razzle-dazzle of the 1949 original.

"Without a doubt the cleanest, sharpest, most disciplined big band going today."
- Wall Street Journal

The 51st Annual GRAMMY Awards Ceremony will be broadcast February 8th on CBS.

For more information on Gordon Goodwin or Boss Sounds, please contact Nell Mulderry, nell@bosssounds.com, 212-741-7959.