Library After Hours with Chris Pinnella: The Big Band Project

Library After Hours with Chris Pinnella: The Big Band Project

Supported by the Friends of Monmouth County Library

Performance by Chris Pinnella & The Big Band Project

Registration is required to attend.

Join Chris Pinnella & The Big Band Project for a high-energy, crowd-pleasing concert event that brings the swagger of a classic big band into the modern era. Fronted by powerhouse vocalist Chris Pinnella (Trans-Siberian Orchestra) and backed by the NYC-based Big Band Project, this 12-piece modern big band is built to thrill audiences across generations. 

From the timeless elegance of Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Harry Connick Jr., and Michael Bublé to bold, unexpected big band reimaginings of classic rock, this show breaks the mold of a traditional swing concert. Audiences hear familiar favorites by The Beatles, The Eagles, James Taylor, Huey Lewis, Queen, Billy Joel, Chicago, and more —all transformed with rich horn arrangements, driving rhythms, and explosive dynamics. 

Pinnella's commanding stage presence and vocal power anchor the evening, seamlessly bridging classic Great American Songbook standards with genre-defying arrangements that keep listeners engaged from start to finish. The result is a polished, high-impact production that balances nostalgia with surprise —

The New York Times praises Pinnella stating: 

"Pinnella posses a soaring rich voice that just leaves you speechless. With his amazing band he takes each song into majestic territory."

Chris Pinnella & The Big Band Project isn't just a tribute — it's a bold, modern big band experiences that reinvents beloved music while honoring it's legacy. 

About the performer: Pinnella began his career professionally at the age of 16 after an audition for Maestro Fr. Alphonse Stephenson & the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea, performing with the orchestra on and off throughout his career. Chris went on to pursue music, and received his degree from Marymount Manhattan College in New York City. Post-college, he worked off-Broadway and regional theatre and had the opportunity to portray the title role of Simeon in the musical Simeon's Gift. Since then, he has gone on to perform with symphony orchestras around the country, leading his own combos of anywhere from 8 to 15 players, or lending his voice to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

Registration is required to attend this event. Doors will open at 5:30 PM. Please park in the back parking lot off Alexandria Drive and use the back entrance either up the stairs or by Archives. The front lots are available as overflow parking.

Register here starting September 4: monmouthcountylib.libcal.com/event/16292612