The Kit McClure Band is an all-female big band and jazz combo begun by Kit McClure in 1982 at The Ritz in New York City. It eventually caught the attention of Cab Calloway and was signed to Island Records, where it toured with Robert Palmer for two years, playing to sold-out crowds at Radio City Music Hall and Garden State Arts Center, followed by eight tours of Japan. The band released its first album, Some Like It Hot, on its own label, Redhot Records, in 1990. The follow-up, Burning, in 1995, was produced by Teo Macero.

In 2004, and 2006, the band released a pair of albums in tribute to the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, a 1940s big band consisting entirely of women, which, for much of its existence, was all-black. The second of these was released in conjunction with Motéma Music and Redeye Distribution. Both albums, The Sweethearts Project and Just the Thing: The Sweethearts Project Revisited feature exclusively material that was performed by the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, but were entirely re-imagined in a more contemporary style.

Kit McClure Band

In 2005, The Kit McClure Band received the Excellence in Small Business Award from Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Kit McClure Band

Lineup

Kit McClure, tenor saxophone, alto saxophone

Lakecia Benjamin, alto saxophone

Lisa Parrott, alto saxophone

Tia Fuller, alto saxophone

Erica Von Kleist, alto saxophone

Kristy Norter, tenor sax

Claire Daly, baritone sax

Liesl Whitaker, lead trumpet

Barbara Laronga, trumpet

Laurie Frink, trumpet

Tanya Darby, trumpet

Britta Langsjoen, trombone

Jennifer Krupa, trombone

Cathy Harley, piano

Jill McCarron, piano

Nicki Parrott, bass

Kim Clarke, bass

Barbara Merjan, drums

L. Olivia Sci, drums

Bernice Brooks, drums

Sue Hadjopoulos, percussion

Karen Jones, percussion

External links

Official Site

Kit McClure Band at Motéma Music

Kit McClure Band at Maximum Talent

The Sweethearts Project at All About Jazz

Musical groups established in 1982

American women jazz musicians

1982 establishments in New York City

Big bands

Musical groups from New York City

American jazz ensembles from New York City

Kit McClure Band