Bill O'Connell

The history of the big band era is well documented. Though the days of touring big bands are long gone, there are a good number of regional bands keeping alive this great art form. That is the mission of WDCB's radio program New Vintage, hosted by Bill O'Connell. Bill got turned on to the big band sounds in 1974 when he saw Maynard Ferguson perform at Gordon Tech High School in Chicago. After establishing himself as a professional educator at Triton College in River Grove, IL, Bill grew tired of playing wedding music and formed his own big band in 1988. Early on, Bill's big band received calls primarily from dance clubs. Though it was steady work, Bill knew that his calling was playing modern big band arrangements. Celebrate America's greatest contribution to world music history. You can catch Bill every Sunday at 6pm. Jazz. Ever innovative, always changing.

And don't forget: No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.