HOW SWEET IT IS !

The New York-based Strauss Festival Orchestra, directed by Bob January, is an elegant full dance orchestra which plays ballroom dance music for today, including those dances which were unknown to the original Johann Strauss Orchestra, such as the fox-trot, tango, the samba, light rock, and the lindy - in the manner Johann Strauss would perform them today.

The twenty-member group is small enough to fit on a stage used by the traditional 'big band', or in a corner of the dance floor, yet the orchestrations produce a varied and rich sound unmatched by either a big band or an ensemble with strings.

In most dance bands, the strings play a secondary role, in most symphonic orchestra waltz performances, the brass and woodwinds play a secondary role. We combinine the two, and all musicians are used fully. The listeners and dancers are treated to a variety of musical styles and dance tempos.

The selections and the sound of the string section combined with the swinging horns recall the full dance orchestras of Johann Strauss, Freddie Martin, Xavier Cugat, Larry Clinton and the Harry James or Glenn Miller Orchestras with strings, as well as the elegance exemplefied by Andre Kostelanetz, David Rose, Percy Faith, Robert Farnon, Paul Weston, Victor Young, Frank Chacksfield, Nelson Riddle and Gordon Jenkins.

Lawrence Welk and Guy Lombardo have had many detractors, but anyone who has heard them in person cannot deny their really great sounds! Guy Lombardo used a tuba; Lawrence Welk used viola and cello. But the effect was similar. Their full orchestrations utilizing the lower pitched instruments, made for a full and 'un-plugged' sound.

Regular members of the Strauss Festival Orchestra include musicians from the New York Pops, Long Island Philharmonic, New Jersey Philharmonic, the Lester Lanin Orchestra, the Tango Project, Mostly Mozart, Sha-na-na, Pat Benetar, and Teddy Wilson's son, Theodore.
There are seven violins, two violi, two celli, one trumpet, one trombone, one alto saxophone (doubling clarinet, flute, and piccolo), one baritone saxophone (doubling tenor saxophone, clarinet, and flute), one bass clarinet (doubling tenor saxophone and clarinet), one bass viol, one keyboard synthesizer, one drummer. Bob January plays clarinet and saxophone and is the conductor/musical director. A vocalist, harpist and guitarist are optional.

The full string section often becomes a separate performing unit, remaining on stage to play selections written for string orchestra by Haydn and Mozart, while the winds and rhythm take their break. Then, the horns and rhythm players play for listening or dancing while the strings take their break.

Later, the entire orchestra combines to play a varied and sophisticated program of music from New York and Vienna, featuring selections such as "Voices of Spring", "Tritsch-Tratsch Polka", "The Continental", and "Begin the Beguine". Thus, the music is virtually continuous.

No other orchestra plays "Eine Kleine Nacht Music", Basie's "April in Paris", Josef Strauss's "Village Swallows", Quincy Jones' "For Lenny and Lena" or Fred Astaire's version of "Cheek to Cheek". This full dance orchestra regularly plays ALL of them, reshaped tastefully, for dancing.

As a bandleader, Bob is in the almost extinct tradition of the composer/dance-band leaders: Johann Strauss, Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller, and Chuck Berry.

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Joseph Lanner (1801 - 1843)

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Johann Strauş father (1804 - 1849)

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Johann Strauß son (1825 - 1899)

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Josef Strauß (1827 - 1870)

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Eduard Strauß (1835 - 1916)

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Strauss memorial places

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Strauss Festival

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Robert Stolz

If you are planning a wedding, be sure to visit Bob's Wedding Pages Planning an event? Visit the Special Occasion Pages where you will find a number of exciting alternatives for a fine musical presentation for your party, ball, etc.