Alex Heitlinger Jazz Orchestra Album Release

Sunday, May 26, 2024

Alex Heitlinger Jazz Orchestra Award-winning jazz composer Alex Heitlinger celebrates the release of his debut big band album Slush Pump Truck Stop (SteepleChase Records) with a special performance at Parker Jazz Club. His all-star ensemble will feature drummer John Riley, trumpeter Greg Gisbert, and saxophonist Michael Thomas along with many of Austin's finest jazz musicians including Diego Rivera, Andy Langham, Bruce Saunders, Michael Sailors, Paul Deemer, and many more. An imaginative and forward-thinking composer, Heitlinger's “vibrantly fresh, brilliantly hued compositions” (Neil Tesser) display “appealing hooks and rich harmonies” (Darcy Argue) and “an abundance of sonic warmth” (Downbeat). "He pairs classic swing big band with blues in a "film noir" setting... adds a frame narrative around short snapshots as well as some theatrical performances marked by dark undertones" (Georges Tonla Briquet). Fun fact: Heitlinger is perhaps best known for creating the infamous jazz montage video The Lick (released in 2011), which as of April 2024 has received over 4.8 million views on YouTube and has become a widespread music meme.