| Dedicated to uncompromising music and
exciting jazz performance, Tour de Force was created for the worldwide
"real jazz" audience that supports and
shares the excitement for this most original of
musical art forms. The band is from Washington,
DC. 
Rick Lillard, freelance jazz trombonist and leader,
was for 15 years the jazz trombone chair of the
U.S. Air Force's legendary jazz ensemble, the
Airmen of Note. "Retired", Rick is now
performing to much wider audiences, often
combining scat vocalise with his hallmark
high-altitude playing.
Saul Miller (tenor and soprano saxophones), Rich Sigler (trumpet, flugelhorn, EVI), and Paul Henry (acoustic and six-string electric bass)
have remained featured players on the Airmen of
Note, while Clyde
Connor (drums) drives the
Navy's premier jazz band, the Commodores. Dave Kane (piano) is well known on the D.C. jazz
scene as both pianist and composer and can be
heard on his own CDs of original compositions.
The TdF "book" was
written and arranged exclusively for Tour de
Force by Mike
Crotty.
As distinguished jazz composer
and arranger, Mike's recorded works include
numerous projects for jazz artists including the Airmen of Note,
Mel Lewis, Clark Terry, and Dizzy Gillespie. He's
an integral part of the band and his contribution
is ongoing.
|
