Jazz
Big
band jazz is my first musical love!
While I initially found concert band music to be uninspiring,
discovering big band music lit a fire in me that has only grown with age and
experience. Whether I am playing trombone,
writing, arranging, or just listening, I find a big band firing on all
cylinders to be one of the most joyous experiences in all of music.
Below
are several of my big band originals or arrangements, with one small ensemble
jazz piece. All but “Kitty’s Waltz” are recordings of midis and I apologize for that, but YOU
could help me out here. If you play in a
big band and would like to record one of my arrangements please let me
know! With the exception of “The
Sorcerer” which would have to be purchased, I will gladly supply copies of the
other arrangements at no charge in exchange for a decent recording.
“Kitty’s Waltz” is written
for 8/5 big band. A jazz waltz with the
melody passed around to all sections it’s an upbeat piece that is fun to play
and not too difficult. The recording was
made with musicians literally recruited from the halls of Berklee and recorded
on the second take. The very talented
Berklee professor Tony Germain played the piano
solo. The “Kitty’s Waltz” arrangement is
available for purchase from Lush Life
Music in the UK and is distributed by E
Jazz Lines in the US. The song is
dedicated to my wife, Jackie.
“The
Sorcerer” is another 8/5 big band piece.
Written with an ostinato bass line the song has an almost ethereal
quality. An interesting chord
progression on the bridge provides a contrast to the simple harmonic structure
of the verse. “The Sorcerer” arrangement
is available for purchase from Lush
Life Music in the UK and is distributed by E Jazz Lines in the US.
“You’re
A Part of Me” is a small ensemble jazz piece with a driving rhythm and what I
would imagine is a pretty challenging bass line. Written for trumpet and trombone (Of course!)
with rhythm section and Latin percussion I am very much looking forward to
making a live recording of this someday soon.
The arrangement as recorded is not opened for solos but certainly has
that capacity.
As
a songwriter I don’t always have control over the form of the music I
write. (I’ve always said that when
writing music I feel more like the secretary transcribing the letter than I do
the boss dictating it.) It was a
pleasant surprise to me when I realized that this piece of Christian music
needed a big band accompaniment! “God’s
Love” allowed me to combine two of my passions, big bands and sharing the gospel
in song. This arrangement is available
for free to any Christian Big Band that would like to perform the piece.
An
uncharacteristically up-tempo arrangement of this jazz standard, “As Time Goes
By” is arranged for 8/5 big band and features an extended tenor sax solo and
opening and closing statements by the trombones (Who else?).
My
personal favorite from my arrangements, “Our Love/Foggy Day” is an arrangement
for 8/5 big band that combines two jazz standards. Beginning with a statement of each of the
melodies, the arrangement then opens for traded trumpet and alto sax solos
before juxtaposing the two melodies against each other, then restating the
Foggy Day melody before punctuating the ending with the Our Love motif.
Constructive
comments and suggestions are always appreciated. If you would like to have your jazz ensemble
perform any of my unpublished arrangements please contact me at: