A professional jazz orchestra, performing both standard big band repertoire and modern jazz compositions, was formed in 1991 under the leadership of jazz pianist and composer Romualdas Grabštas.
The band's fondness for experimentation and active participation in Lithuania's musical life has resulted in a number of memorable projects, such as "Jazz Close to..." (a series of concerts given "close to" unconventional sites – for example, in front of Gariūnai market place in Vilnius), "Jazz Lessons" (with participation of theatre and circus actors, mimes and other artists), and "Jazz & Breakdance Show" (involving break dancers).
The celebrated stage partners of the Kaunas Big Band have included Petras Vyšniauskas, Saulius Šiaučiulis, Valerijus Ramoška, Neda Malūnavičiūtė, Vytautas Labutis (Lithuania), Roger Pontare (Sweden), Barbara Dennerlein (Germany), Daniel Mesina (Argentina), Randy Brecker, Jiggs Whigham, Frank Mantooth (USA), Yukka Linkola, Eero Koivistoinen (Finland), Arkady Shilkloper (Russia), Brinck Johnsen, Dag Eilertsen, Hans Mathissen (Norway), and Henk Meutgeert (The Netherlands).
© Jūratė Kučinskaitė
