Chaise Lounge

Biography

Chaise Lounge is a Washington, D.C.-based retro lounge band specializing in jazz, lounge, big band, swing, and pop music, led by bandleader Charlie Barnett. The ensemble draws from mid-20th-century Vegas lounge aesthetics, blending eclectic swing and hipster party vibes with professional jazz musicians who have extensive backgrounds in big bands and jazz ensembles. Formed around the early 2000s, the band gained recognition in the D.C. music scene, earning Wammy nominations for their recordings and live performances at venues like IOTA.[1][4]

The band's core members include vocalist Marilyn Older, a North Carolina native and music technology graduate from American University, who has performed with bands like Nixon’s Cat and toured as a pianist with Doc Scantlin’s Royal Palms Orchestra; trombonist Joe Jackson, a Dallas-born musician who played with the Maynard Ferguson Band, U.S. Air Force Airmen of Note (where he later served as director), and contributed arrangements to various ensembles before joining in 2012; saxophonist Jeff Gray, a D.C. native with Berklee training under Billy Pierce and Andy McGhee; and multi-instrumentalist Pete Macnamara, who leads other local ensembles like Tuxedo Park Orchestra. Charlie Barnett, the leader, has arranged and produced for artists like Thrice and Jason Falkner while maintaining ties to the lounge scene.[1]

Chaise Lounge's style emphasizes high-energy retro swing and lounge, with members' pedigrees in jazz education and professional circuits contributing to their polished sound. They have released recordings like 'The Early Years,' featuring songs by Older, and continue to perform as a staple of D.C.'s eclectic music landscape, filling big shoes left by alumni like saxophonist Gary Gregg.[1]

Fun Facts

• Trombonist Joe Jackson started playing at age 12 in Dallas by choosing the trombone, humorously noting it fulfilled his 'life dream' of forfeiting lunch money to school jocks.[1]
• Band leader Charlie Barnett described himself as 'born a couple decades out of sync,' aligning with the band's retro Vegas lounge party aesthetic.[4]
• Vocalist Marilyn Older contributed songs to the band's 'The Early Years' CD and to the film 'Bama Girl,' which premiered at 2008 SXSW.[1]
• Saxophonist Jeff Gray repairs woodwinds for elite ensembles like the National Symphony and Tower of Power horns while performing with Chaise Lounge.[1]

Members

• Tom Barrick

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Billy Pierce - Jazz saxophone teacher (Studies at Berklee College of Music) [Pre-1990s]
• Andy McGhee - Jazz saxophone teacher (Studies at Berklee College of Music) [Pre-1990s]
• Chris Vadala - Woodwind teacher (Studies at University of Maryland) [Post-Berklee]

Key Collaborators

• Marilyn Older - Vocalist and songwriter (The Early Years CD) [2000s-present]
• Joe Jackson - Trombonist and arranger (Chaise Lounge performances and recordings) [2012-present]
• Jeff Gray - Saxophonist (Chaise Lounge performances) [Present (replacing Gary Gregg)]
• Pete Macnamara - Multi-instrumentalist (sousaphone, double bass) (Chaise Lounge performances) [Present]

External Links

• Spotify
• MusicBrainz