Wonderful night of big band music on December 4 as the Beach Street Big Band – an affiliate ensemble of the Maine Pops Concert Band – performed its 2025 holiday concert at the First Parish Congregational Church in Saco.
An audience of about 100 attended the concert as conductor Tom Lizotte led the band through 13 charts; ranging from traditional big band tunes to a series of holiday jazz arrangements.
The concert saw the debut performance of four new Beach Street Big Band members. Joining the ensemble for their first gig were trumpeter Emily Odrzywolski, trombonist Alex Campbell, drummer Mike Dion and pianist William Sawyer. The band also welcomed back Nicole Beaudoin Wise, who tonight substituted for Bob Swerdlow on 1st alto saxophone. Nicole played with Beach Street in a couple of gigs over the 2025 summer season.
Tonight’s Beach Street Big Band program included the following charts:
Walk, Don’t Run – Johnny Smith (arr. Quincy Jones)
A Child is Born – Thad Jones.
Waltz for Debbie – Bill Evans (arr. Keith Foley)
Bye Bye Blackbird – Ray Henderson (arr. Kris Berg)
Christmas Time is Here – Vince Guaraldi (arr. Roger Holmes)
There is No Greater Love – Isham Jones (arr. Terry White)
Baby, It’s Cold Outside – Frank Loesser (arr. Roger Holmes)
Am I Blue – Harry Akst.
I Saw Three Ships – Arranged by Ryan Fraley.
Winter Wonderland – Felix Bernard (arr. Dave Barduhn)
Let it Snow – Jule Styne (arr. Myles Collins)
Cute – Neil Hefti.
Jingle Bells – James Pierpoint (arr. Ernie Wilkins)
The concert was recorded by John Cranton of Scarborough Community Access Television for broadcast on Scarborough Spectrum Channel 2. Broadcast dates will be announced later. The video will be provided to the Maine Pops Concert Band for its YouTube channel.
The Beach Street Big Band is now on holiday break and will resume rehearsals on Thursday, January 8.
