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There’s nothing quite like seeing the DB Orchestra in person, but we can provide a glimpse!

Listen to some of our favorite songs here.

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dborchestra

A real life big band, living in the 21st century.
Bringing swing, jazz, and more to your next event.
Unapologetically from Wisconsin.

Today’s DBO Spotlight highlights one of our trum

Today’s DBO Spotlight highlights one of our trumpet players, Rachel Longo!

Rachel has been playing trumpet since age 10, and was a member of the UW Marching Band in college! After graduation, she played a few sporadic gigs with the UW Alumni Band, but missed playing in a more formal band setting. She first joined DBO in October 2022 and has been grooving with the gang ever since! By day, she works at corporate retailer Duluth Trading Co. In her free time she enjoys thrifting, running, trying new restaurants, and spending time with her cat Monza.

Q: Who is your favorite musician/band?
A: I grew up in classic rock, so I love anything from the 60s/70s. Led Zeppelin and The Rolling Stones have a special place in my heart!

Q: What is your favorite DBO tune?
A: I’m a Believer because I have an awesome little solo!

Q: What sitcom character are you most like?
A: I’m definitely Fran Fine from The Nanny because she is a fashion icon! But also mixed with a little Rachel Green from Friends for her namesake and career.

Thank you, Rachel, for being such a great member of our DBO team!
#trumpet #swingdance #bigband #jazz #livemusic #madisonwi

Today’s DBO Spotlight highlights our Tenor Sax 2

Today’s DBO Spotlight highlights our Tenor Sax 2, Mike O'Connor!

Mike started playing music on the viola and since has played clarinet, alto, tenor, and soprano saxophones; bass clarinet, flugelhorn, and trumpet in a number of ensembles, including a ska band and the UW Marching Band. He joined DBO by way of a chance conversation with bandleader Andrew Kerber while they played trumpet together in another band in 2018. Andrew was skeptical at first, but could hear that trumpet clearly wasn't Mike's main instrument. DBO needed a tenor 2 and, since that's the part he plays, it took little time for him to get comfortable in a band full of great musicians and an arranging style that's a joy to play. Mike likes spending time outside in the sunshine with his wife and daughter. They particularly enjoy biking, ice skating, and walking the dog. Cooking, baking, and eating are also favorite pastimes in the O'Connor household.

Q: Who's your favorite musician/band?
A; Reel Big Fish, Goldfinger, and Daft Punk, but The Beach Boys and The Traveling Wilburys taught me harmony- thanks, Dad!

Q: What's your favorite DBO song?
A: Georgia on My Mind because I literally get chills every time

Q: What sitcom character are you most like?
A: Doug Judy from Brooklyn 99

Thank you, Mike, for being such a great member of our DBO team!
#saxophone #tenorsax #swingdance #bigband #jazz #livemusic #madisonwi

Today’s DBO Spotlight highlights our electric ba

Today’s DBO Spotlight highlights our electric bass player, Ricky Smith!

Ricky joined the DBO for his first gig in 2018 and has been slinging low end for the group ever since. He was indirectly the third person to have joined DBO courtesy of a highly successful Craigslist ad looking for a baritone sax player posted at the group's founding. Ricky picked up the bass in high school but really took off playing for the Wisconsin Singers at UW Madison during college. He loves playing funk music, but also really enjoys some of the more complex ballad arrangements. By day he’s a pediatric ICU nurse, and in his free time he loves to do anything outside in the sun - camping, sailing, hiking, or just hanging out and reading a book. Ricky holds down the bass fort for not only the big band, but also for DBO's 5-piece combo and the 8-piece DBOctet.

Q: Who's your favorite musician/band?
A: Right now probably Vulfpeck and all of their various individual projects. I love what they’re doing for modern funk music.

Q: Favorite DBO song?
A: I have a hard time picking, especially with so many great arrangements we’ve added in the last year! You Are The Best Thing is so much fun to play, and we get to play it often so I’ll go with that.

Q: Which sitcom character are you most like?
A: I don’t really watch sitcoms, but I’m going to go with Marshall from How I Met Your Mother since I’ve really been leaning into the midwest dad stereotypes lately.

Thank you, Ricky, for being such a great member of our DBO team!
#bass #electricbass #swingdance #bigband #jazz #livemusic #madisonwi

Today’s DBO Spotlight highlights our 2nd alto sa

Today’s DBO Spotlight highlights our 2nd alto sax, Claire Rapant!

Claire has been a part of The DB Orchestra from the very beginning, joining the band back in 2015 for their first official performance. She played 2nd tenor saxophone until May of 2018 when she moved to Denver, CO for a job. After moving back to Wisconsin before the pandemic, Claire rejoined the DBO in 2022 playing alto saxophone 2 and has been playing with them ever since. In her free time, Claire shoots recurve archery and volunteers with the cats at the Dane County Humane Society. She also enjoys cooking, working out, playing with her cat Finn, and enjoying the outdoors.

Q: Who is your favorite musician/band?
A: Young the Giant, I've seen them in concert twice.

Q: What is your favorite DBO tune?
A: Georgia On My Mind!

Q: If you were a TV sitcom character, who would you be?
A: I'm most like Stevie Budd from Schitts Creek mixed with Twyla's optimism.

Thank you, Claire for being such a great member of our DBO team!
#saxophone #altosax #swingdance #bigband #jazz #livemusic #madisonwi

Today’s DBO Spotlight highlights our stalwart 4t

Today’s DBO Spotlight highlights our stalwart 4th trumpet, Tommy Stava!

Tommy has been going to college football games since he was very young, and noticed early on that “the band gets in for free.” So, you could say that when he picked up the trumpet for the first time that he was in it for the long con. Luckily, it culminated in success, with numerous basketball and hockey games too, and 3 consecutive Rose Bowls (with only 1 faceplant). However, he enjoyed the journey so much that he wanted
to continue playing after college. The opportunity came knocking the day the DBO concept was developed, and it’s been an honor to play along with these talented musicians ever since!

Q: Who is your favorite musician/band?
A: My daily playlist differs quite substantially from the normal DBO set. Most of it includes modern
rock/metal (Ghost), with bonus points for a strong female lead (Halestorm, The Pretty Reckless), but my
top choice currently would be Volbeat.

Q: What is your favorite DBO tune?
A: I will always have a soft spot in my heart for In the Hall of the Mountain Swing. It’s a great pun, clever
medley of classical songs in a unique fashion, and the concept was hatched the same night as the DBO.

Q: If you were a TV sitcom character, who would you be?
Ben Wyatt – nerdy (Cones of Dunshire), meticulous, deadpan, loves his wife. Although, I do have more
financial acumen, as even I can see Ice Town was doomed to failure. My recent foray into fatherhood
has also drawn too many uncanny comparisons to Bandit Heeler as well. IYKYK.

Thank you, Tommy, for being such a great member of our DBO team!
#trumpet #trumpet4 #swingdance #bigband #jazz #livemusic #madisonwi

Today’s DBO Spotlight highlights our lead Alto S

Today’s DBO Spotlight highlights our lead Alto Sax player, Lauren Beard!

Lauren first met DBO in 2020 and started performing with them in 2021. Hailing from Virginia, Lauren moved to Madison for a job and stayed for the Midwest charm. Lauren now works from home doing technical sales, and in her free time you can find her in barre class, cross stitching and embroidering, snuggling with Felix, taking improv comedy classes, hosting pub trivia as a quizmaster, and enjoying local art and music however she can. After her brief stint with trombone in the Marching Virginians at Virginia Tech, Lauren was thrilled to return back to playing her main squeeze, alto sax, with DBO.

Q: Who is your favorite musician/band?
A: Recently, my favorite musicians/bands are Sam Greenfield, Jungle, and Jazz Emu. So groovy!

Q: What is your favorite DBO tune?
A: I love the tune Four O’Clock Jump because it’s a DBOriginal and it’s just a perfect swingin’ tune that fits right in the pocket!

Q: If you were a TV sitcom character, who would you be?
A: I have the good intentions of Michael Bluth, the bright spirit of Kimmy Schmidt, and the multidimensionalism of Kirk Gleason.

Thank you, Lauren, for being such a great member of our DBO team!
#saxophone #altosaxophone #swingdance #jazz #livemusic #madisonwi

Everything is better fun-sized, even musical instr

Everything is better fun-sized, even musical instruments! Check out our fearless leader @kerbstomp41 wailing on the soprano trombone! Thank you @madisonswingdance for having us, and hosting such a fun event! 💃🏻🎶🕺🏻

#dborchestra #uwmadison #swimgdance #jazz

Thanks for a great 2 nights, @osthoffresort, the B

Thanks for a great 2 nights, @osthoffresort, the Big Band Gala was a highlight of our career. A great way to kick off DBO: Season 8!

#jazz #bigband #livemusic #elkhartlake #madisonwi

Last week, a special guest dropped by our performa

Last week, a special guest dropped by our performance at the UW Marching Band end-of-season banquet to help direct a special arrangement we made, of a song he recorded back in the good old days. Thanks, Mike!

Dance floor is alive 💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼 Tha

Dance floor is alive 💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼

Thanks for having us, @uwbadgerband

#madisonwi #swingdance

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