Luncheon with Scott Whitfield
and Ginger Berglund
Wednesday, January 20, 2016 – 11:30am

Ginger and Scott are an absolutely top-notch jazz vocal duo. Practicing the extreme sport of big band, they have been dubbed “the swingmeister” and “fabulous chanteuse.” Think Mel Torme/Jack Jones meets Julie London/Annie Ross. Or Rosemary Clooney and Bing Crosby.

Scott Whitfield- virtusoso Trombonist, vocalist

Scott Whitfield (trombonist, composer, arranger, and vocalist) is internationally recognized for his work with contemporary big bands, including those of Toshiko Akiyoshi, Bob Florence, Clare Fischer, Johnny Mandel, Bill Holman, Phil Norman Tentet, Kim Richmond Concert Jazz Orchestra, Glen Miller Orchestra, Stan Kenton Legacy Orchestra and Jimmy Dorsey Band, as well as his own Scott Whitfield Jazz Orchestras (East AND West). In addition to Scott’s own recordings, his compositions and arrangements have been performed and recorded by such artists as Diva, Maurice Hines, The Pied Pipers, The Modernaires, Bill Allred’s Classic Jazz Band, and Pete Petersen’s 23-strong Collection Jazz Orchestra.

Scott’s playing, writing, and singing have been compared to that of some of his biggest influences, including Carl Fontana, Frank Rosolino, Thad Jones, Sammy Nestico, Mel Torme, and Jack Jones. While jazz ensemble composition and arranging is his forte, he’s arranged for the Omaha Philharmonic and The New York City Pops Orchestra.

Settling in New York in 1993, Scott became a member of the Nat Adderley Sextet, which also included Jimmy Cobb, Walter Booker, Vincent Herring and Rob Bargad. The group’s engagements at Sweet Basil led to fruitful associations with Nnenna Freelon, Frank Wess, Lionel Hampton, Wayne Andre, and many others. He has also performed in many Broadway show orchestras, and backed the likes of Robert Goulet, Rita Moreno, Marilyn McCoo, Vic Damone, Jack Jones, Nancy Wilson, Natalie Cole, Frank Sinatra, Jr., Patti Austin, and a host of others. Among his many current activities, he is Musical Director of the world-famous Modernaires.

Scott served on the jazz faculty at Rutgers University from 1998 to 2002, teaching trombone, composition and arranging, and improvisation, while also coordinating the school’s combo program. He is currently on the jazz faculty of San Jose Community College. Scott is a Getzen artist, and has appeared throughout the world, from Australia to Zurich, sharing his expertise on trombone technique, improvisation, composition, arranging, and jazz history. The Scott Whitfield Jazz Orchestra (first founded in 1986, while Scott was pursuing his Master’s degree at North Texas State University) now has two incarnations: the SWJO East, based in New York; and the SWJO West, based in Whitfield’s new home of Los Angeles. Both of these aggregations feature the top players in the business. For more than a year, the SWJO East was in residence at New York’s Birdland, the Jazz Corner of the World.

Ginger Berglund, vocalist

Ginger Berglund is honored to carry on the legacies of June Christy and Anita O’Day with the Stan Kenton Alumni Band. Her multi-faceted career now includes singing with The Modernaires, the quintessential close harmony vocal group featured with the Glen Miller Orchestra. She also duets with her husband, Scott Whitfield, renowned trombonist, arranger and singer.

She recorded for the Tonight Show originator and host, Steve Allen, and with the great pianist Paul Smith. She has sung duets with the smooth and soaring voice of Kenny Rankin. While in college, she sang with the St. Olaf Choir and managed to also perform in St. Olaf’s music theatre, including a “Jacques Brel is Alive And Well…” and a Lincoln Center Theatre award winning “Godspell”.

Ginger is most proud of “Dreamsville”, her duo album with Scott. It’s full of smooth harmonies reminiscent of Jackie Cain & Roy Kral’s vocal creations and Scott’s “swingmeister” arrangements. It features a comprehensive and stunning solo interpretation of the Fran Landesman/Tommy Wolf song, “Listen, Little Girl” with the Grammy award winning pianist and arranger, Bob Florence.

Ginger cut her teeth in the music business working for the great Brazilian jazz vocalist Flora Purim and her husband, the premiere fusion jazz percussionist Airto Moreira. She is a featured singer with many local Los Angeles bands including the Tracy Wells Big Band, the Scott Whitfield Jazz Orchestra, and the Jumpin’ Joz Band. She’s worked acting and singing in commercials, and recorded for many songwriters, both classical and popular.

Admitted to the Screen Actor’s Guild for her work in the comedy movie “Kiss My Grits, ” she also appeared in the Martin Scorsese film “The King of Comedy” in the “Marty undercover” scene with Jerry Lewis and Tony Randall.

Daughter of a rocket engineer and a professional Girl Scout, Ginger is a native of Pasadena, CA. She knows the Girl Scout “fake book” by heart. She was the cornerstone of her little Lutheran church kid’s choir, got her first break at 16, debuting with Pasadena’s favorite choral director, Jim Coday, and singing with his group “Vanity Fair” at Ronald Reagan’s Gubernatorial Inaugural Ball. The group performed at every major hotel venue in LA, and at the Dodger Stadium Fourth of July Family Show and Mitzi Gaynor’s Christmas Show at LA’s Shrine Auditorium.

Ginger’s talents have led her, until recently, to hang on to her “day job” and thank her lucky stars for their breadth and legacy. She worked for Jane Fonda’s Workout. She helped to start the University of California at San Diego’s Rady School of Mgt. While at UCLA’s Anderson School of Business, her work with international MBA schools gave her opportunities to sing all over the world during academic conferences. Her commuter image, (while singing, of course) is permanently etched into the artwork of the Pasadena Gold Line, Lake Metro station west.