Band Press Kit

The Hippie Big Band is composed of NYC’s finest studio, jazz and Broadway musicians. Collectively band members have played with diverse artists such as Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, They Might Be Giants, Levon Helm, Natalie Cole, Bruce Springsteen, Blood Sweat And Tears, Aretha Franklin, David Byrne, Quincy Jones, Michael McDonald, Donald Fagan, Boz Scaggs, John Scofield, Toshiko Akiyoshi, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, The Mingus Big Band, The Gil Evans Orchestra, The NYC Ballet, The NY Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, and Rudy Ray Moore aka Dolomite!

The band’s performances include playing to enthusiastic audiences at NY’s Bitter End, Chelsea Table and Stage, The Cutting Room, and a concert in the Central Park Bandshell.

Highlights

Russ Anixter’s Hippie Big Band- Video Highlights

A compilation of videos from our Pandemic Remote Video Series and live venues in NYC. All arrangements by Russ Anixter.

About the Band

  • About the Band

    Check out our bio to learn more about Russ Anixter’s Hippie Big Band origins.

    About the BAnd

  • Media

    Check out the link below to see pictures of the band during their live performances and more!

    Gallery

  • Videos

    Our Youtube Channel has over 20 videos of the band performing and playing.

    Videos

Grateful Dead:

  • Playing in the Band

  • Shakedown Street

  • Uncle John’s Band

  • Estimated Prophet

  • Saint Stephens>Turn on Your Lovelight

  • Casey Jones

  • Scarlet Begonias

  • Bird Song

Led Zeppelin:

  • Kashmir

  • Tangerine

  • Stairway to Heaven

  • Bring it on Home

  • Immigrant Song

  • Whole Lotta Love


Hippie Big Band Active Repertoire

Jazz Rock:

  • Stratus - Billy Cobham

  • A Remark You Made - Weather Report

  • Boogie Woogie Waltz - Weather Report

  • Eternity's Breath Pts 1 + 2 - Mahavishnu Orchestra

  • Freeway Jam - Jeff Beck

  • Thrust Medley - Herbie Handcock

  • You Know, You Know - Mahavishnu Orchestra

  • Compared to What - Les McCann + Eddie Harris

  • Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy - Return to Forever

  • Red Clay - Freddie Hubbard

Jazz Standards:

  • On the Street Where You Live

  • Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most

Mashups:

  • A Free Man in Paris/Freedom Jazz Dance -     Joni Mitchell/Eddie Harris

  • Move, Move Over - 

    Denzel Best/Janis Joplin

  • Ain’t That a Bitch/Two Bass Hit - 

    Johnny “Guitar” Watson/Dizzy Gillespie

Funky Rock:

  • Freddie’s Dead - Curtis Mayfield

  • The Wind Cries Mary - Jimi Hendrix

  • Dixie Chicken - Little Feat

  • Statesboro Blues - Allman Brothers Band

  • War Pigs - Black Sabbath

  • Whipping Post - Allman Brothers Band

  • Heaven on Their Minds - JC Superstar

  • I Saw Her Standing There - The Beatles

  • Hideaway - Freddie King

  • What is Hip - Tower of Power

  • I Walk on Gilded Splinters - Dr John

  • Crosstown Traffic - Jimi Hendrix

  • Magic Carpet Ride - Steppenwolf

  • White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane

  • Into the Mystic - Van Morrison