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The Next Generation Swing Band History
The Next Generation Swing Band has musical roots that span back six decades to 1953 when Al Raymond was already a seasoned trumpeter from his days with an army concert and jazz band in General George Patton’s 3rd Army during WWII, a tour with the Elliot Lawrence Big Band, three years with the Philadelphia-based George Summers Big Band, and leader of his own combo. Al decided it was time to put his real dream into action and form his own big band. With live music still thriving in those days, it was fairly easy for Al to begin picking up gigs in the many ballrooms and musical bars in the tri-state area. In 1956, the Al Raymond Big Band began to flourish as Al struck a steady gig on Sunday nights at Upper Darby’s St. Alice’s Social Center playing for the youth generation, usually over 1,000 per week, ages 16-29. This was the beginning of Al’s heyday. For eight great years, the band kept the audiences’ dancing feet in motion, while gaining notoriety and reaping many spin-off benefits by performing for hundreds of weddings, ballroom dances, and senior proms at many of the tri-state area high schools and colleges. All this while maintaining a full time day schedule as a school band director at Darby High School, Sun Valley High School, and Beverly Hills Junior High School for 27 years.
Through Al Raymond’s 45-year career as a big band leader, the band enjoyed quite a string of notable successes; performing for quite a few stars — Mel Torme, Shirley Jones, Merv Griffin, Tony Martin, Al Martino, Cozy Morley, Frank Gorshin, June Valle, Tony Randall — to name just a few, at many of the top locations like Steel Pier in Atlantic City, Convention Hall in Philadelphia and A.C., Sunnybrook Ballroom, the Academy of Music, the Valley Forge and Westbury Music Fairs, The New York Hilton Hotel, Palumbo's, the Grand Opera House in Wilmington DE, and countless country clubs and hotels in the region. To cap off his long line of accomplishments, the Al Raymond Big Band played at the Inaugural Balls of Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton in Washington DC, recorded over 20 albums and played on several cruise ships and authored a book about his career and view of the music business, Swingin Big Bands Into the Millenium. He also enjoyed over 15 years as a radio DJ playing an extensive library of big band music from around the world.
At the end of 1997, after 45 illustrious years at the helm of the band, it came time to pass the leader's baton to his son Craig.
Craig Raymond got his start in music initially just by being the offspring of his dad, Al Raymond, who started Craig on the trumpet at age nine. After playing in his elementary and junior high school bands, Craig gained his first big band experience with the Marple Newtown High School Jazz Band and the West Chester University Band. From then on Craig's musical dream was to play in a professional band like his father. So, just after turning 18, Craig got his first gig playing with the Al Raymond Big Band at the Granite Run Mall in Media PA. For the next 17 years, Craig gained a wide range of experience performing with the band. Finally, after observing the "Master" (Al) at his craft for all those years, Craig took over leadership of the Al Raymond Orchestra and changed the name to The Next Generation Big Band. Craig led the band into the new millennium and contemporized their repertoire to respond to new demands.
During the summer of 2008, both Al and Craig relocated to Arizona and the band was turned over to a new leader, Bob Apgar. Bob is continuing to offer the same high standards in musicality while putting his own spin on the band’s presentation. Look for exciting things from Next Generation Swing Band in the years to come.
The Next Generation Swing Band has musical roots that span back six decades to 1953 when Al Raymond was already a seasoned trumpeter from his days with an army concert and jazz band in General George Patton’s 3rd Army during WWII, a tour with the Elliot Lawrence Big Band, three years with the Philadelphia-based George Summers Big Band, and leader of his own combo. Al decided it was time to put his real dream into action and form his own big band. With live music still thriving in those days, it was fairly easy for Al to begin picking up gigs in the many ballrooms and musical bars in the tri-state area. In 1956, the Al Raymond Big Band began to flourish as Al struck a steady gig on Sunday nights at Upper Darby’s St. Alice’s Social Center playing for the youth generation, usually over 1,000 per week, ages 16-29. This was the beginning of Al’s heyday. For eight great years, the band kept the audiences’ dancing feet in motion, while gaining notoriety and reaping many spin-off benefits by performing for hundreds of weddings, ballroom dances, and senior proms at many of the tri-state area high schools and colleges. All this while maintaining a full time day schedule as a school band director at Darby High School, Sun Valley High School, and Beverly Hills Junior High School for 27 years.
Through Al Raymond’s 45-year career as a big band leader, the band enjoyed quite a string of notable successes; performing for quite a few stars — Mel Torme, Shirley Jones, Merv Griffin, Tony Martin, Al Martino, Cozy Morley, Frank Gorshin, June Valle, Tony Randall — to name just a few, at many of the top locations like Steel Pier in Atlantic City, Convention Hall in Philadelphia and A.C., Sunnybrook Ballroom, the Academy of Music, the Valley Forge and Westbury Music Fairs, The New York Hilton Hotel, Palumbo's, the Grand Opera House in Wilmington DE, and countless country clubs and hotels in the region. To cap off his long line of accomplishments, the Al Raymond Big Band played at the Inaugural Balls of Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton in Washington DC, recorded over 20 albums and played on several cruise ships and authored a book about his career and view of the music business, Swingin Big Bands Into the Millenium. He also enjoyed over 15 years as a radio DJ playing an extensive library of big band music from around the world.
At the end of 1997, after 45 illustrious years at the helm of the band, it came time to pass the leader's baton to his son Craig.
Craig Raymond got his start in music initially just by being the offspring of his dad, Al Raymond, who started Craig on the trumpet at age nine. After playing in his elementary and junior high school bands, Craig gained his first big band experience with the Marple Newtown High School Jazz Band and the West Chester University Band. From then on Craig's musical dream was to play in a professional band like his father. So, just after turning 18, Craig got his first gig playing with the Al Raymond Big Band at the Granite Run Mall in Media PA. For the next 17 years, Craig gained a wide range of experience performing with the band. Finally, after observing the "Master" (Al) at his craft for all those years, Craig took over leadership of the Al Raymond Orchestra and changed the name to The Next Generation Big Band. Craig led the band into the new millennium and contemporized their repertoire to respond to new demands.
During the summer of 2008, both Al and Craig relocated to Arizona and the band was turned over to a new leader, Bob Apgar. Bob is continuing to offer the same high standards in musicality while putting his own spin on the band’s presentation. Look for exciting things from Next Generation Swing Band in the years to come.
Hershey Park, 2003
Bandleader Bob Apgar