Vinyl Vault—Jazz Journey

This week, the Vinyl Vault has a swingin’ big band session from Pete Petersen and the Collection Jazz Orchestra entitled “Jazz Journey.” Released in 1984 on Pausa Records, the album features the 19-piece Collection Jazz Orchestra under the leadership of Petersen who also appears on baritone sax.

In the mid-80s, Petersen lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth area where he organized and maintained the Collection Jazz Orchestra. Many of the players were graduates of the North Texas State jazz program which was the first school to offer a jazz degree.

Petersen was an Air Force veteran having flown fighter jets for over 10 years. He traded in his stripes and went to work for American Airlines flying 707s and 737s which he continued while leading the Collection Jazz Orchestra. And, as if that weren’t enough, he was also an avid skier and former representative of the Graves Ski Corporation.

The album features a few jazz standards such as “As Time Goes By,” “How Deep is the Ocean,” “My One and Only Love” and “Time after Time.” The remainder are originals by Don Schamber, a prolific writer and arranger of big band material. But, no matter the source, the orchestra swings like mad through the entire program and features top-flight soloing all around.

Check out “Jazz Journey” by Pete Petersen and the Collection Jazz Orchestra, this Tuesday at 8:30 on the Vinyl Vault with Geoff Anderson, only on KUVO JAZZ.

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