The “E. B. Coleman Orchestra” was organized in
1955 and consisted of eighteen local musicians who worked in other
professions aside from music.“E.B.”
did all of the band arrangements and wrote numerous original
compositions.The band
performed at local schools and parks.It performed at wedding receptions, conventions, parties and
Mardi Gras and society balls.It
was occasionally hired to perform in other cities and was even
transported to New Orleans, Louisiana to perform on a luxury riverboat.“E.B.” retired as conductor of the orchestra in 1993 yet
continued to write arrangements for the band.
At the time of his retirement, the orchestra had
grown to twenty-two pieces, excluding several vocalists.Its members included area band directors, industrial workers,
postal service employees, tailors, school teachers and government
retirees.For the orchestra
members, rehearsals and performances provided and still provide a way
for them to maintain and sharpen their musical skills.It also helps them to maintain a camaraderie found in few other
associations.
Hubert “Hawk” Stanfield assumed the position of
bandleader and conductor of The E. B. Coleman Orchestra in 1993.Under “Hawk’s” direction, the orchestra added many
other innovative arrangements and continued to reach new horizons.Under Hawk’s leadership, as under E.B.’s, various
configurations of the orchestra performed as smaller combos - trios,
quartets, quintets and sextets - where conditions did not accommodate
the entire orchestra.
The orchestra is currently under the direction of
Hosea London and consists of fifteen members.Most of the members have been in the orchestra for more than
twenty years.They are
retired professionals as well as active working members.
The orchestra continues to rehearse weekly and has
amassed a total of 277 big band arrangements.Through personnel and leadership changes, the band has always
been able to recruit new member musicians to carry the torch and
continue the “E. B. Coleman Big Band” tradition.
