Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band is a “must see” on Saturday, October 11, 2008. The Big Phat Band, an 18-piece jazz ensemble, is one of the top contemporary big bands in jazz today. The Band is led by Gordon Goodwin who composes most, and arranges all, of the group’s performance pieces and who is a three-time Emmy Award winner, an eight-time Grammy nominee, and recent winner of a 48th annual Grammy award for Best Instrumental Arrangement.

The Big Phat Band, using a similar instrumentation to the traditional big bands of the 1930s and 40s, celebrates and personifies the best of the big band tradition with a very contemporary and original sound. Formed in 2000, the Big Phat Band is twice Grammy-nominated and is comprised of many of Los Angeles' most acclaimed jazz musicians, including Eric Marienthal, Wayne Bergeron (also a Grammy nominee), Andy Martin, Bob Summers, Luis Conte, Bernie Dresel, and Grant Geissman.

Celebrating the release of their new CD “Act Your Age,” The Big Phat Band will be in Laguna Beach on October 11th for an 8 pm concert in the Laguna Beach Artists’ Theatre, 625 Park Avenue, Laguna Beach. Tickets are $25-30/adults and $10/students 21 years and under and may be purchased online at www.lagunabeachlive.org. Information at 949.715.9713.