Florence’s Ensemble Not Quite in Full Swing : Music: Though there has been a lot of interest in big bands, it’s hard to provide steady work for such a large group of players.

Bob Florence likes to think of himself as a realist. Much as he’d like to view his big band as a viable musical entity, he knows it’s not going to get nearly as much work as he would like.

“This has been one of the best years that I can think of,” he says with a whimsical chuckle. “We’ve had maybe 10 gigs so far.”

Tonight at the Hyatt Newporter, the ripsnorting Florence ensemble will add one more to the list. Even though there appears to be widespread interest in big bands throughout the Southland, the economics of keeping 16 or 17 world-class players in steady employment probably dictate against a Swing Era-style revival anytime soon.

“People come out to hear us, and they seem to like what they hear,” says Florence. “But they also tend to think that this is all we do. They say, ‘How’s your band going? And what are you doing next week?’ And I stammer back, ‘Well, uh, ahem, you know, uh, not much.’ ”

A well-regarded arranger ever since his “Up a Lazy River” chart for Si Zentner became a hit in 1961, 60-year-old Florence has had a multifaceted career for three decades. He has written for everyone from Jimmy Witherspoon and Sergio Mendes to Vikki Carr and Gogi Grant. A first-rate jazz pianist, he is much in demand as an accompanist for singers. Later this fall, he will work on a new Spanish-language album with Carr and will travel to Japan as Julie Andrews’ pianist.

“I really do enjoy having a range of activities,” he says. “And I especially like working with the singers I choose to work with. I like them personally and I like them musically. And the further benefit for me is that playing for them is like instant composing at the piano.”

But it’s clear that big bands are very near the center of Florence’s heart. Indeed, the sounds of his ensemble are so animated in his mind that sometimes he’ll mentally sketch out arrangements while taking a morning walk through his Westlake Village neighborhood.

“I just let all the ideas cook around inside my head for about an hour while I’m walking,” he says. “And by the time I get back, often all I have to do is put them down on paper.”

A good part of the big band’s appeal has to do with the superb collection of musicians Florence assembles for his performances. Among the players stepping forward into the solo spotlight at the Newporter tonight will be alto saxophonist Lanny Morgan, trumpeter Steve Huffsteter, baritone saxophonist Bob Efford and bassist Tom Warrington.

“These guys are a real joy to play with,” Florence says. “There have been times when I’ve asked them to break in a new piece on the job. They might have had one rehearsal and half the band probably wasn’t there for it. And they just play it! No problem.

“To play something down the first time that way is amazing. To play it with spirit and musicality is incredible. I might correct a little something here and there, but for the most part, they have it nailed the first time.”

Despite the joys of interacting with such impressive musicians, however--despite the special visceral energies that can only be triggered by the interplay of trumpets, trombones and saxophones--the fact remains that big bands are the white elephants of the music business. Everybody loves them, but nobody can afford them.

So why does Bob Florence, with everything else he has going for him, persist in the tender care and feeding of his own musical white elephant?

“I just want to do it,” he answers with a frustrated shake of the head. “Sure, it’s a pain in the rear sometimes, but you just want to do it. And when the guys sit down and play, and you have one of those great nights, it’s worth it. That’s the only way I can explain why, unrealistic though it may seem, I want to keep the band going. I don’t have to--but I have to.”

The Bob Florence Limited Edition Big Band plays tonight at 7:30 in the Jazz Pavilion at the Hyatt Newporter, 1107 Jamboree Road, Newport Beach. $12. (714) 729-1234.