The Des Moines Big Band was founded in 1959 and has been going strong ever since. Well known for hundreds of miles around, it has become a regular stop for touring artists such as Bobby Shew, Frank Perowsky, Dick Oatts, John Fedchock, Paul McKee, Richie Cole, John Mosca and Clark Terry to mention just a few.
Our mission is to present our community with a place to hear cutting edge jazz without compromise. We commission new compositions from nationally-recognized composers while still keeping the classics in the book. Our members are committed to high standards of performance, and we make sure that the band cooks!
We’re also committed to student musicians. We’ve worked hard to give young musicians a venue where they can hear high quality performances in a smoke-free, family-friendly atmosphere. We also invite high-school and college bands to share the stage with us most weeks.
We play because we love jazz and we're on a mission to keep it alive and vibrant. Please join us in celebrating a truly original American art form!