The La Crosse Jazz Orchestra

The La Crosse Jazz Orchetra (LJO), directed by Greg Balfany, is Western Wisconsin’s only jazz repertory orchestra and was formed in 1972 to perform "Jazz On A Sunday Afternoon" for the Great River Festival of the Arts Summer Concert Series. The band has continued that tradition and during the last decade has assumed a much larger role performing both concert, dance, and festival series throughout the Coulee Region and at Jazz Festivals both locally and elsewhere. The band has backed up such luminaries as Bob Hope, Melissa Manchester, Randy Brecker, Frank Wess, Red Skelton, Red Holloway, Ed Shaughnessy, Bob Mintzer, Curtis Fuller, Kurt Elling, Bobbi Wilson, Sunny Wilkenson, and Clark Terry.