PCJB - History
PCJB

About the PCJB

The Pennsbury Concert Jazz Band (PCJB) has been an integral part of the Instrumental Music Program at Pennsbury since 1959. During that period of time, the band has had the opportunity to perform on NBC's Tonight Show, at the Newport Jazz Festival, the Montreaux Jazz Festival, in the Peoples' Republic of China, England, Paris, France, Euro-Disney and Canada.

The Pennsbury Band has had the honor of opening for the Dave Brubeck Quartet at the Villanova Jazz Festival. It has also performed concerts with Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson and the Jazz Ambassadors of the United States Army. The group has the distinction of performing six times at the Pennsylvania Music Educators' State Convention. The band has performed at New York's Lincoln Center as part of the first annual "Essentially Ellington Festival" hosted by Wynton Marsalis.

Excellent History of PCJB

Please check out this outstanding web site that celebrates the PCJB's history. It features an amazing array of articles and highlights such as the 1974 PHS Yearbook feature of Stan Kenton's Concert at the high school.

PCJB Historical Highlights

  • Newport Jazz Festival appearance on a card that included Count Basie and Maynard Ferguson (1963)
  • The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson (1963)
  • Played multiple times with Stan Kenton, once (1967) as his opening act at the Lambertville Music Circus (1962, 1967, 1973, 1974)
  • Clark Terry of Tonight Show band plays with Pennsbury (1966)
  • The Mike Douglas Show (1966, 1973)
  • Appearance with Maynard Ferguson (1977)
  • Played in England; Queen Elizabeth II in attendance (1978)
  • The People’s Republic of China (1988)
  • The Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland (1990)
  • Opening act for Dave Brubeck Quartet, Villanova Jazz Festival (1991)
  • The Montreal Jazz Festival, Montreal, Canada (1991)
  • Paris, France (1993)
  • The Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland (1993)
  • Appearance with the Jazz Ambassadors of the United States Army (1993)
  • The first Essentially Ellington Festival hosted by Wynton Marsalis at Lincoln Center (1997)