One area band will be out Saturday wishing Austin residents a merry Christmas — and all that jazz.

The Austin Big Band (ABB) heads into its 15th season after one final public performance at the annual Holiday Cars Open House tomorrow, playing from 11 a.m. to noon and again from 1 to 2 p.m.

The Count Baisie-style band has been playing in and around Austin — in one form or another — since the early 90s.

ABB Trumpet player Clark Toland is one of the few remaining original bandmembers and the owner of Holiday Cars.

Toland recounted the band’s early days during a rehearsal Monday night.

The band was originally formed by the late Henry Charles Peters, of the locally-famed Henry Charles Orchestra. He hand-picked about 12 amateur, but seasoned, musicians to form the rehearsal band.

“Back in his day he was a real dapper, handsome, movie-star looking guy, right here in Austin,” Toland recollected.

Since then the band has gone by many names, including the Austin Rehearsal Band, the Austin Swing Band and the Cedar River All-Stars Band, and it ultimately evolved into a performing group.

Though the band was formed just so that musicians with day-jobs could play for fun, it eventually began scheduling regular shows at the old Terp Ballroom, according to Austin Daily Herald reports from the time. They also played at the annual summertime festival, after which it was originally named.

Today, the band has 17 members, and continues to play at public events and is also available for private hire.

“It’s great to have this opportunity to play,” said saxophonist and band manager Nathan Wradislavsky.

“Not a lot of communities of this size have bands,” he continued.

As the ABB turns 15, their music continues to be a nod to another era, the hey-day of Big Band style.

Big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz that became popular during the Swing Era, from the early 1930s until the late 1940s, Toland explained.

The Austin Big Band includes saxophones, trombones, trumpets, piano, guitar, bass, drums and sometimes vocals.

Though the roster is complete, Wradislavsky said they will open some of their weekly rehearsals next year to people who may be interested with joining the band or becoming an on-call substitute.

At the Holiday Cars Open House, ABB promises to play traditional Christmas tunes — but they are, of course, jazzier renditions.

The set list includes an arrangement of “Jingle Bells” that was performed by the Count Baisie orchestra, a rhythm and blues version of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” “Blue Christmas” featuring Bradley Carlton on vocals, “Baby It’s Cold Outside” featuring Bradley Carlton and special guest Kristine Iverson, “Santa Baby” featuring Kristine Iverson and many other Christmas favorites.

ABB will also play a few popular big band standards like “Just a Gigilo,” “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” and “This Could be the Start of Something Big.”

Wradislavsky said the ABB will perform at Albert Lea High School in the spring, and he hopes to set up a type of mentorship between ABB members and band students in Albert Lea.

“We want to show them they can play jazz music after high school,” he said.

He said he would be interested in having a similar program in Austin and also playing for a Valentine’s Dance, as the band has done in Albert Lea.

The Holiday Cars Open House is at Holiday Cars of Austin, 2905 W. Oakland Avenue. It is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is open to the public. In addition to the ABB performances, there will be an auto sale, petting zoo, magician, appearance by Mr. and Mrs. Claus, sing-along piano player Johnny Ulland, Hormel hot dogs and chili, cookies and beverages.

The Austin Big Band kicks off its 15th season at the Paramount Theatre Feb. 27 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 and go on sale Jan. 1.

More about the Austin Big Band can be found at www.austinbigband.com.

Austin Big Band’s 15th Season

Feb. 27, 2010 — The Paramount Theater

April 9 2010 — Albert Lea High School

July 4, 2010 — Freedom Fest (Austin Bandshell)

Mower County Fair — date to be determined

Nov. 24, 2010 — Annual Thanksgiving Eve Dance

Austin Big Band members

Saxophones:

Alto:

Rachel Stange

Steve Krob

Tenor:

Adam Stange

Nathan Wradislavsky (Manager)

Baritone:

Bob Johnson

Trombones:

Bradley Carlton (also the band vocalist)

Peter Jacobs

Mark Fredrickson

Joe Zastrow

Trumpets:

Tim Davis (Director)

Clark Toland

Don Lawhead

Mary Dravland

Rhythm:

Piano – Sue Hays

Guitar – Jim Ruud

Bass – Theresa Iverson

Drums – Danny Muzik

Pete Wangen substitutes Danny Muzik on drums Saturday.