Westbury Resident Goes Big

August 5, 2014 By Betsy Abraham

 

Vince Scuderi

Westbury resident Vince Scuderi took over the Metropolitan Room in Manhattan this past Sunday with his group, the Out of the Box Big Band.

“The concert went well, with just the right amount of fulfilled expectations and controlled and chaotic surprise to keep the audience and the musicians on the edge of their seats and always wanting more,” said Scuderi.

The Out of the Box Big Band is made up of 17 pieces, which includes five saxophones, four trumpets, four trombones, a piano, guitar and string bass. Sometimes, they also had a vocalist to the mix.

He says what appeals to him most about big band is its powerful sound and the variation in texture and dynamics.

“It’s hard not to be moved by it because it’s just such a big sound,” says Scuderi. “My treat is when I hear the big band go from a soft, church-like feel to something loud and blaring and brassy. When we encompass those two sounds in one piece or an evening, that’s what I enjoy.”

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“It’s a matter of exposure. We have to try as much as we can to get orchestras and big bands to go to where people don’t normally hear them. It has to be brought to the people. And more people will be wanting to find out where they can hear it.