In 1961 I was traveling through the south with a band out of Buffalo called The Diplomats... and I fell in love with the city of Atlanta and its weather. During the "Diplomat" period I toured throughout Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia. In our travels through Atlanta we played in an after hours night club called the Steak & Trumpet! This was a great experience and a real education to work 6 nights a week - 5 hours each night. A "chop builder!"

The band toured on the road for about 6 months and then, as they all do, broke up. I went back to Buffalo and attended business school for a year - but that Georgia weather had made an impression so I moved to Atlanta permanently in 1961 and started college. I studied clarinet with Edward Lormand at DeKalb College and Alan Balter at Georgia State University, where I received a Bachelor of Education in Music.

To earn my Music degree I worked in night clubs 6 nights a week and went to school during the day! I even worked the "strip" clubs for 3 of the 5 years I attended college full-time. Since the musicians were not the principle point of interest for the audience in the strip clubs, there were many times when I brought my books to work with me and studied right on the bandstand. Of course, I was occasionally distracted... but I persevered!

After receiving my degree, I began teaching in the Fulton County Public School System as well as instructing at Georgia State University. It wasn't long, however, before I decided that teaching was not for me and I set a course for earning a living and supporting my family as a professional musician.

I have since performed with the Band of Atlanta, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and been a member of the Atlanta Pops Orchestra for over 30 years. I created my own 18-piece experimental jazz group and have played on numerous recording sessions and live shows across the southeastern states.

In addition to a background of playing for other leaders as a "sideman", in the past 18 years I have been leading my own 18-piece dance band, the George Carere Orchestra. We've entertained at some of the most prestigious events and places in and around Georgia. Additionally, I've formed and led smaller specialty groups like our Dixieland Stompers, Jazz Trio, Spirit of '76 Fife & Drum Corps (that'll wake you up at an early morning corporate breakfast!), and our newest group, the 1850's-era Riverboat Drifters.

I've also served as a music arranger and written numerous specialty and custom themes for corporate and commercial clients. I've supervised many special events where I served as producer, manager and conductor for well-known national acts traveling and performing in Atlanta. Be sure to browse the list below and see some of the talent I've had the opportunity to work with and for... and visit our CORPORATE PARTIES page to see the kinds of corporate and commercial clients that have entrusted their musical events to the George Carere Orchestra.

If you have any questions that we can answer please don't hesitate to CONTACT us via e-mail or telephone. We'd like to bring our expertise and experience in the field of musical entertainment to work for you... let us help you make memorable events!

George Carere