Swing Into the Holidays! Big Band of the Blue Ridge

The Big Band of the Blue Ridge is a sixteen-piece big band based in Bedford, Virginia, dedicated to the performance of classic and contemporary big band jazz. The BBBR was originally founded as the University of Lynchburg Community Big Band in 2014 by Dr. Chris Magee. Following the closure of the UL Music Department in 2025, the band regrouped as the Big Band of the Blue Ridge and found a new home at The Bower Center for the Arts in Bedford. Dr. Magee continues as director and lead trumpet, and the band’s membership is drawn from the best jazz musicians in the region.