In 2025, Steve Rosenbloom Big Band released a milestone jazz album called San Francisco 1948. Compared to trio, quartet and fusion, Big Band music has also had an honorable place in jazz history. The more traditional sounding big band music of the 1940’s through the ‘70s, is often borrowed from swing, reworking classic songs from a range of musical eras. The cool thing here is that Alto Sax master Rosenbloom has composed nine original pieces for big band and the result is a fun romp filled with entertaining and energetic sounds.

With Rosenbloom serving as composer of the 15+ piece jazz big band, the colorfully packaged CD release features a range of musicians from Montreal, Canada, from where he hails. Rosenbloom clearly knows what effect upbeat, big band music has on people, and it’s also interesting to note that he also teaches and serves as a psychologist and psychoanalyst, in addition to driving the big band in his own name. Although he hasn’t recorded a lot on his own, San Francisco 1948 features a range of music worth waiting for.

Another interesting aspect to San Francisco 1948, as pointed out in the album liner notes, is that some of the album tracks actually began in the late 1980s and were performed back then by the McGill Jazz band, but never recorded. Several years ago, Rosenbloom composed more music and in 2024, he set about recording them and the results can be heard on the finally completed album.

With Steve Rosenbloom leading the band, the 9-track, 50-minute album really swings. San Francisco 1948 makes an excellent presentation and is made for today’s music lovers who enjoy the classic big band sound.

 

RMR PRESENTS AN INTERVIEW WITH STEVE ROSENBLOOM

 

RMR: I heard the music on your new Big Band album San Francisco 1948 actually started in the late 1980s and was actually finally completed in 2024. Is that correct and why did the release take this long to complete and release?

STEVE ROSENBLOOM: I started composing music in my early 40s and because I was in contact with Gerry Danovitch, the head of the McGill Jazz Band, and we decided to hire an arranger to prepare the music for big band play. Over a period of 4 years, 1988 to 1991, 5 of my compositions were arranged and played by the McGill Jazz Band, but the compositions were never recorded. About 4 years ago, I started composing and arranging with Michael Johancsik, another arranger, and I produced 4 compositions with his arrangements, which made it feasible to release a big band album.

 

RMR: Is San Francisco 1948 your first album as a leader? What musicians and recorded works first inspired you to study, write and record music and how and when did you become interested in Big Band music and can you cite a couple of your influences from the genre?

STEVE ROSENBLOOM: I have produced 7 CDs as a leader in small group settings which have not been released. My major influences, as far as performances, were Charlie Parker and Phil Woods. I developed an interest in big band music over the years and became enamored of the work by Christine Jenson, Maria Schneider, and Bob Mintzer.

 

RMR: What is your background in music? You are also a psychologist so how do you balance both aspects, the music and the psychology work? A lot people in the world these days probably need a good psychologist. Is this the hardest era to grow up in?

STEVE ROSENBLOOM: This is a challenging question. I would describe myself as a two-career person who studied psychology and psychoanalysis in parallel with my development as a saxophone player in my adulthood. I balance the two by having a 25-hour per week private practice, with approximately 20 gigs a year with my quartet in local clubs and restaurants. I can’t really answer whether this is a tougher era to grow up in, but can say that mental health issues are much more at the forefront in recent years.

 

RMR: How did you organize such a big band of great musicians and did you also produce San Francisco 1948? I also read that Hannah Rosenbloom was hands on too. Who else was important in the making of the album?

STEVE ROSENBLOOM: The creation of this album was like a triple-decker sandwich. I wrote the compositions, Christopher Smith and Michael Johanscik arranged them, a teacher of mine, Alex Francoeur organized the big band, many members of which I chose. My wife has been instrumental in the administration, marketing, publicity, and all other aspects that are required in putting a big band project together.

 

RMR: What part of Canada do you grow up in and where was the album recorded? What is the music scene like in Canada these days and can you compare the Canadian music scene to the US?

STEVE ROSENBLOOM: I am a native of Montreal, and the album was recorded at Studio Alchemist here in Montreal. The jazz scene in Canada is not as developed as it is in the U.S., but thanks to the Montreal International Jazz Festival and other smaller festivals across Canada, we have developed a fan base for jazz. As well, there are a few clubs in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. As well, there are a few jazz-oriented radio stations.

 

RMR: What tracks stand out among your favorites on San Francisco 1948 and what tracks were the easiest and what tracks were the most difficult to record? I really like the track “Mosley”. Say something about that track, as it’s one of your newer compositions. It’s kind of wistful and sentimental sounding. And what about the title track? 

STEVE ROSENBLOOM: Indeed, “Mosley” is my favorite track as well. I tend to compose cinematic-type music which would fit well into film noir movies. Among these, “San Francisco 1948” fits into the same category. The most difficult track to record was “Call From The Orient” because of the orchestral complexity which added to the beauty of the tune. Another favorite of mine is “Samba For Esther”, which is dedicated to my 98 year old aunt who passed away recently.

 

RMR: What other recording projects have you been involved with? For example the Claremont Standards Band, Richard Karmel and Mira Choquette. Tell us about those projects.

STEVE ROSENBLOOM: Over 15 years, I played in local clubs in Montreal and occasionally produced CDs reflecting music that I was playing at the time which included many of my own compositions not recorded on this album. Both myself and my fellow psychologist and composer Richard Karmel produced two albums which contained our compositions and was recorded by Just In Time Records. Mira Choquette was the vocalist on many of my albums during this period and has gone on to have a career of her own.

 

RMR: Tell us about your Saxophones, how many do you have and what are your favorite instruments? How about instruments  your other projects? 

STEVE ROSENBLOOM: I have both a Selmer Mark VII alto sax and a Yamaha professional model soprano sax, both of which I have played extensively over the years. Over the years, my group has consisted of two saxophones, a guitar player or pianist, a bass player, a drummer and a vocalist. On the big band album, I play alto on the last composition, “Asher’s Song”.

 

RMR: What are you planning for the rest of 2025 and into 2026? Will there be more recording projects and live concerts moving forward?

STEVE ROSENBLOOM: I play regularly with my Steve Rosenbloom Jazz Quartet in both clubs and restaurants. As well, I am planning another project with a trumpet player, Andy King, where we will play and possibly record the music of Alan Broadbent. In the future, I hope to do another big band album which will include many of my additional compositions.