Contact:
Greg Tivis
1206 Glade
College Station, TX 77840
Phone: 979.695.0211
www.GregTivis.com
Russ Morgan Orchestra Celebrates 75th Anniversary with Final Encore Tour! Don't Miss This Rare Opportunity to be a Part of American Big Band History!
COLLEGE STATION, TX, April 1, 2010—After 75 years of continuous service to ballroom dancers the world over, Jack Morgan and the Russ Morgan Orchestra will take to the road for the final time this month and will appear in College Station for one performance only at the Hilton Hotel and Conference Center on Sunday evening, May 2, 2010.
College Station pianist and jazzman Greg Tivis, pianist for the Russ Morgan Orchestra from 1989-1994, has been asked to re-join the orchestra for this very special farewell tour and will be featured in performances on both piano and trumpet.
Founded in 1935, the Russ Morgan Orchestra is the one of the longest continuously running big bands in American history, and there’s only been two leaders the entire time – father and son! Jack Morgan has been leading the orchestra for over forty years, since his father’s death in 1969. In a recent interview Jack said that there’s no longer enough jobs to keep the band together and working full time and he plans to “quit while he’s ahead.” This will be the final tour of this legendary band that was one of the founding orchestras of the great American Big Band Era.
During a twenty year recording career for Decca Records, Russ Morgan had five Gold Records, “So Tired,” “Cruising Down the River.” Somebody Else is Taking My Place,” “Forever and Ever,” and “You’re Nobody ‘til Somebody Loves You.” Many of Russ Morgan’s other famous compositions, such as the band’s theme song, “Does Your Heart Beat for Me,” as well as “So Long,” “Sweet Eloise,” “Flower of Dawn,” “Please Think of Me,” and many other originals are featured regularly at performances around the country.
Since taking over his father’s orchestra in 1969, trombonist and crooner Jack Morgan, an outstanding ballroom dancer in his own right, has expanded the Russ Morgan Orchestra’s music library and appeal by adding a large selection of Latin music, all custom arranged for Jack and the orchestra. With over 1800 songs in the working dance book, Jack is always ready to play your special big band request, and because of his ballroom dance experience you can count on perfect dance tempos all night long!
The May 2nd event at the College Station Hilton will begin at three in the afternoon with a one hour complimentary ballroom dance lesson with local dance instructor Susan Quiring or Susan’s Ballroom Dance. At 4 o’clock Jack Morgan and the Russ Morgan Orchestra will take the stage for a ninety minute concert celebrating the 75 year history of the orchestra. After a brief intermission, the TAMU Ballroom Dance Association’s Performance Team will perform several exhibition dances, followed by two hours of ballroom dancing for everyone with the Russ Morgan Orchestra.
Admission for this one time event is $30, with seating limited to 200 guests. Contact greg@gregtivis.com to purchase advance tickets. For complete Russ Morgan Orchestra “Encore Tour 2010” schedule visit www.russmorganorchestra.com
Don’t Miss This! A Golden Opportunity to Have a Las Vegas Moment
in the College Station/ Bryan Area.
COLLEGE STATION, TX, September 15, 2009—Local jazz pianist Greg Tivis presents an evening in Las Vegas at the Hilton Hotel & Conference Center on Saturday evening at 8:00 p.m. on October 17.
If you are a fan of the songs from the Great American Songbook—what many people call today’s jazz standards—and the artists that originally sang them, which include the likes of Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Gershwin, and Ella Fitzgerald, then this is a must-see. The Greg Tivis Trio and jazz vocalist Kelsey Taylor will enthrall you with their renditions of such songs as Moon River, Mona Lisa, Beyond the Sea and many more.
Says vocalist Kelsey Taylor, who is debuting her new CD, Beginning to See the Light, at this event, “I’m so fortunate to work with Greg Tivis. No other music compares to the great American standards, and there’s no one that understands that more than Greg. His passion, style, and technique is a true throwback to the 40s and 50s when swing was THE thing.”
Tivis, or The Jazzman, as local musicians call him, has a storied past—having played and traveled with names like Jimmy Dorsey, The Ink Spots, Tex Beneke, Russ Morgan, Guy Lombardo, Kay Starr, Wynton Marsalis, and many more.
Greg laughs now when he thinks back, saying, “For years we were on the road 10 months out of the year. We practically lived out of a bus. But the experience of playing and learning from the icons was unbelievable. I’m going to enjoy so much bringing a Las Vegas style show to this area, the likes of which no one has ever seen before. The big stage. The lighting. The wardrobes. The seating arrangements. It will be exactly like a Vegas show that you would attend after having a great dinner on the strip.”
You can find out more about this production by calling 979.695.0211 or visiting www.GregTivis.com today.
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