The South Florida Jazz Orchestra is a modern Big Band comprised of many of the best jazz and studio musicians in the greater Miami area. Directed by bassist and composer Chuck Bergeron, the band’s critically acclaimed debut CD features special guests Arturo Sandoval, Ed Calle and Kevin Mahogany.
The band’s release – Trumpet Summit – features Grammy award winner Brian Lynch and session heavyweight Wayne Bergeron, along with trumpet greats Greg Gisbert, Jason Carder and Alex Norris.
Over the last five years, the South Florida Jazz Orchestra has presented many world-renowned artists in concert, including Tom Scott, Eddie Daniels, Jamie Davis, Mark O’Connor and Ken Pepslowski; the band’s mission is to continue to produce and promote great artists and modern jazz throughout South Florida.
Chuck Bergeron
Born and raised in New Orleans, Chuck Bergeron has been an in-demand bassist for four decades. His career has included extensive amounts of touring and performing all over the world. Chuck studied at Loyola University and the University of Miami before joining the bands of Woody Herman and Buddy Rich. After the breakup of the Buddy Rich Band, Chuck moved to New York and embarked upon a 15-year career as a working professional bassist, performing, recording, and touring with a host of jazz luminaries.
As a leader, Chuck has released eight albums. Four have been with the South Florida Jazz Orchestra, and four others have been with smaller groups that have featured Chuck’s compositions and arrangements in trio, quartet, and quintet settings. He has garnered three ASCAP awards for his writing and critical acclaim from major jazz trade publications including JazzTimes, Downbeat, Jazziz and Bass Player magazines.
Over the course of a 40-year career, Chuck has been privileged to perform with a wide range of artists, including multiple Grammy award winners. A sampling of these artists include: Stan Getz, Tom Scott, Dave Grusin, Randy Brecker, Wycliffe Gordon, Arturo Sandoval, Sean Jones, John Abercrombie, Tom Harrell, James Moody, Matt Wilson, Terell Stafford, Peter Erskine, Phil Markowitz, Joe LaBarbera, Richie Cole, Brian Lynch, Joey Calderazzo, Larry Coryell, Art Lande, Rick Margitza, Jeff Hamilton, Houston Person, Shelly Berg, Dave Stryker, Gregg Field, Lew Tabakin, Dennis Mackrel, John Fedchock, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Peter Erskine, Andy Laverne, Adam Nussbaum, Red Holloway, The Tonight Show’s Ed Shaughnessy, Steve Houghton, Claudio Roditi, Joshua Breakstone, Don Friedman, Eric Alexander, Jimmy Greene, Dena DeRose, Allen Farnham, Dave Tull, Russell Malone, Dave Weckl, Bill Mays, John Hart, Ken Peplowski, Don Braden, Orrin Evans, David Ake, Bria Skonberg, Antonio Adolfo, Roberto Magris, Brian Nova, Stanley Jordan, Elvis Costello, and Bob Moses.
Chuck has accompanied many of the premier vocalists in the musical community. A partial list includes the great Joe Williams, Patti Austin, Sheila Jordan, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jon Hendricks, Kevin Mahogany, Jazzmeia Horn, Freddie Cole, Tierney Sutton, Marilyn Maye, both Janis Siegel and Cheryl Bentyne from the Manhattan Transfer, Monica Mancini, Carla Cook, Anita O’Day, Carmen Lundy, Jack Jones, Jon Secada, Polly Gibbons, Connie Francis, Debbie Boone, Deana Martin, Karrin Allyson, Jackie Ryan, Tony DeSare, Jamie Davis, Michael Feinstein, The Pointer Sisters, Nancy King, Freda Payne, Pete McGuiness, Carmen Bradford, Cyrille Aimee, Hilary Kole, Niki Harris, Billy Valentine, and Veronica Swift.
In 2000 Chuck accepted a teaching position at the University of Miami and relocated to South Florida. Earning his doctoral degree in Leadership in Higher Education, Chuck currently runs the Jazz Bass Studio and serves as Director of the Jazz Pedagogy Program at UM’s Frost School of Music. Additionally, Chuck leads the South Florida Jazz Orchestra, a critically-acclaimed modern big band comprised of the best jazz and studio musicians in Miami. Their fourth release, Cheap Thrills, features the writing and playing of Miles Davis saxophonist Rick Margitza. This recording will be released in the Spring of 2020
