Q&A with...Compaq Big Band leader Al Saloky

New Hampshire Business Review, Jul 20, 2007 by Kibbe, Cindy

Q. When people hear the phrase "big band," many assume you only play Glenn Miller, but the group has a pretty big repertoire.

A. We have a library of about 2,000 titles. We do play Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw and Jimmy Dorsey--you wouldn't have so much of our music today without them--but there are great things from the '60s and '70s, like Sinatra and Bobby Darin. There's a lot of good Latin music, too. It's not just the golden generation stuff.

Q. Where is the group going?

A. I think we'll always be looking to do higher-profile things and get more exposure in the media, more word of mouth, to continue to fund the things we already do. Most of the guys say we're gigging enough now.

We also really have to run this like a business, and that takes money. Money for many arts-based groups to just tread water is very difficult. Some have gone under. It's a challenge to see where it goes. You have to be innovative, or you're dead in the water.