The Sean Nelson Jazz Orchestra featuring Atla DeChamplain

Saxes

Erik Elligers
Tyler Wilkins
Matt Parker
Josh Thomas
Matt Schmidt
Trombones
Sean Nelson
Leroy Loomer
Vince Yanovitch
Wes Mayhew
Trumpets
Don Clough
Seth Bailey
Luke Wingfield
Haneef Nelson
Rhythm
Jen Allen - piano
Gianni Gardner - guitar
Lou Bocciarelli - bass
Nathan Lassell - drums

Atla DeChamplain is a jazz vocalist, lyricist, and educator known for her compelling sound and sincere interpretations of jazz standards. A Connecticut native, she studied at the Jackie McLean Institute of Jazz at the Hartt School of Music and earned her Master’s degree from the University of Toledo, where she was mentored by the legendary vocalist Jon Hendricks. Specializing in vocalese—the art of setting lyrics to instrumental jazz solos—Atla is recognized for her original lyrics, expressive phrasing, vocal control, and authenticity on stage.
Her musical voice is a blend of American idioms, drawing from jazz, blues, gospel, and R&B. She credits her artistic development to the influence of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Jon Hendricks, Louis Armstrong, Kurt Elling, Dianne Reeves, Mel Tormé, Bobby McFerrin, José Feliciano, and Nat King Cole, as well as the lyrical legacies of Iola Brubeck, Billy Strayhorn, Burt Bacharach, and Fred Rogers. Atla has performed with many of her musical heroes, including Jon Hendricks, Kurt Elling, Lawrence Hobgood, José Feliciano, Paul Keller, and Steve Davis. Atla acknowledges the privilege to follow such luminary artists in the traditions of Black American music.
Alongside her husband, jazz pianist Matt DeChamplain, Atla co-leads a band that reimagines the Great American Songbook and presents original compositions. Together, they have appeared at renowned venues and festivals across the country, including Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola and the Louis Armstrong House Museum (NYC), the Bop Stop (Cleveland), the Provincetown Jazz Festival (Cape Cod), Steinway Gallery (Detroit), the Monterey Jazz Festival (CA), the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz (CT), and the American Stage Theatre Company (FL), among others. In 2015, Atla released her debut album Pause, which featured guest performance by Jon Hendricks. Her additional recording credits include work with Emmett Goods, Earl MacDonald, Norman Johnson, Jeff Fuller, Grayson Hugh, Jason Anick, and others.
A devoted educator, Atla serves as Associate Professor in Amplified Voice at the University of Rhode Island, where she teaches jazz and gospel music. She also teaches for the Yale University Jazz Collective. Previously Atla has held adjunct teaching positions at the Hartt School of Music, Western Connecticut State University, Southern Connecticut State University, and Capital Community College. She is a frequent clinician and advocate for inclusive, student-centered jazz education, and she authors a blog for aspiring jazz vocalists. Currently, Atla is working on a book about learning, writing, and performing vocalese.The Sean Nelson Jazz Orchestra is a "full bodied and polished brassy big band" (Jazz Weekly) made up of 17 of the finest musicians in New England. Formed in 2016 as the New London Big Band, for the past nine years they have played monthly for sold out crowds at the Social Bar + Kitchen in New London CT. The band has performed all over the country, including the Kennedy Center (Washington DC), the Birdland Jazz Club (NYC), Monks Jazz Club (Austin TX), and Hallowed Halls (Portland OR). The band has released three albums, the most recent of which, “Don’t Stop Now: the lost music of Thad Jones for Harry James,” reached #29 on the jazz radio charts.
The band’s sound is rooted in the Kansas City swing of Count Basie, “swinging high, hard, and hot” (All About Jazz.) "Nelson...has assembled a youthful, sharp, hip 17-piece ensemble as dedicated as he is to the belief that big band sounds can provide a fine musical experience — one best served up live, where the groove and excitement of the arrangements and instrumental interplay can energize and pack a dance floor across generations." (The Day of New London)
Sean Nelson is the leader and founder of the band. By day, he is enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard, where he plays trombone with the Coast Guard Band’s concert band and jazz ensembles, serves as staff arranger, and is music director for the Guardians Big Band.
Nelson was music director and arranger for the 2024 National Christmas Tree Lighting with the Coast Guard's Guardians Big Band, creating over 500 pages of arrangements. This was performed in front of the White House and seen nationally on CBS. Sean was one of two composers that co-created the official song of the Space Force, Semper Supra, which is now part of every Armed Forces Medley. He also composed the official song for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officer corps (one of the eight federal uniformed services). He has won the National Band Association Young Composers Jazz Composition Contest and is a two­ time winner of Downbeat Magazine’s jazz arranging award. He currently works as the arranger for Sam Houston State University Bearkat Marching Band. Sean's big band arrangements are published at iJazzmusic.com.
A native of Dallas, Texas, Sean received a Bachelor of Music degree from Sam Houston State University and a Master of Music degree from the University of North Texas. While at North Texas, he was trombonist and composer for the One O’Clock Lab Band and sang with the Jazz Singers I. Sean’s trombone quartet won the International Trombone Association Quartet Contest. He spent his summers and winter breaks playing in house bands on cruise ships for Princess Cruises and Cunard Cruises.
Sean lives in Quaker Hill, Connecticut, with his wife Megan and children Lucinda, Giles, McCoy, and Cab.
Sean is a performing artist for S.E. Shires trombones and Denis Wick mouthpieces and mutes.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Side Door , 85 Lyme St, Old Lyme, United States