Dan Odegaard

Dan sorts his music before playing in the Roseville Big Band's July 4, 2001, concert in Central Park. Hear Dan playing a solo on "In the Mood" with the Roseville Big Band.

Dan is the leader of the Classic Big Band. His research into historically accurate arrangements for the band and its vocal quartet, The Nostalgics, helps the band recreate big band music of the 1930's and 1940's as it was played by the original performers.

In his day job, Dan's dental work helped one of Maynard Ferguson's trumpeters extend his high range.

When the Guthrie Theater had live trumpet fanfares to tell the audience to take their seats, Dan was one of those herald trumpeters.

While in high school Dan played with the Bobby Thomas Orchestra and the Execs.

Dan's jobbing in the late 60's and early 70's included playing in Dick Whitbeck's Orchestra, the Blue Diamonds. It also included performing with Warren Covington and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Bob Crosby and the Bobcats, and Ralph Martieri, and backing up the Stars of the Lawrence Welk Show at the Iowa State Fair.

Dan played with Bill Dean's ten-piece band in the late 70's.

In the 80's Dan resumed playing with the Execs. He still occasionally plays with Bob Benham's band.

After some time off, Dan started playing again in the 90's with the Rod Smith Big Band.

You might also remember Dan as one of the trumpeters in the Twin Cities Jazz Orchestra in its early years in the mid-90's.

Around this same time, he started playing in the Vets, which was a house band for the Richfield Legion since around 1986. He started amassing his collection of authentic arrangements and started the vocal group, The Nostalgics, in 1995. When Bill Dean resigned as leader in 1998, Dan stepped into the role.

Dan also plays with the Zuhrah Flames and subs in the Swing Beat Big Band.

You can contact Dan at (651) 633-0239. The Classic Big Band web site has more information about the band and the Nostalgics vocal quartet.

This page was last updated
Friday, February 07, 2020.