Podcasts about jazz composition

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Best podcasts about jazz composition

Latest podcast episodes about jazz composition

Improv Exchange Podcast
Episode #169: Pritesh Walia

Improv Exchange Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2025 57:44


Pritesh Walia is a virtuoso jazz guitarist, accomplished composer, and dedicated educator hailing from the vibrant city of New Delhi, India. His musical journey began at the age of 13 when he immersed himself in the rich traditions of Indian Classical Music. Fueling his insatiable curiosity for music, Pritesh sought Western influences, pursuing a lifelong mastery of diverse musical styles. Armed with an Associate of Arts Degree from the Musicians Institute College of Contemporary Music, a Bachelor's Degree from Berklee College of Music in Contemporary Jazz Performance and Jazz Composition, and a Master's Degree in Jazz Performance from the New England Conservatory, Pritesh has honed his craft alongside some of the finest jazz musicians in the United States. Not only has Pritesh showcased his exceptional talent on global stages, but he has also formed collaborative partnerships with prestigious brands. During his tours of India from 2015 to 2017, he proudly represented leading musical instrument retailers. Sponsored by these industry giants, Pritesh conducted master classes and clinics across India, South America, and the United States, including two appearances at the esteemed Panama Jazz Festival. Pritesh's instructional prowess is further exemplified by his lessons and packages featured on renowned guitar instructional platforms such as Licklibrary. Currently endorsed by elite brands like Gruvgear, Chicken Picks, Collings Guitars, and Antelope Audio, Pritesh continues pushing his musical exploration's boundaries. His passion for education is evident in his role as a Jazz educator at institutions such as Bunker Hill Community College, Brookline Music School, and Excelsia College Sydney, where he guides master's students in the art of jazz. Pritesh is poised to make significant waves in the music scene with the upcoming release of his debut album, "Hope Town," scheduled for a fall 2023 release on all streaming platforms. This album, meticulously mixed and mastered by multi-Grammy winner engineer Dave Darlington, promises to be a testament to Pritesh's artistic vision. Additionally, Pritesh is set to unveil his organ trio, "PSA," in mid-2024, followed by a Big Band record featuring the Henry Godfrey Jazz Big Band and a modern Brazilian project with strings, both slated for release in late 2024. Recognizing his contributions to the jazz genre, Pritesh has been nominated for "Best Jazz Artist of the Year" at the Boston Music Awards alongside luminaries like Terry Lynn Carrington and Grace Kelly. Pritesh has had the privilege of studying under the mentorship of illustrious figures such as Scott Henderson, Russel Ferrante, David Fuze, Tomo Fujita, Tim Miller, Donny McCaslin, Jason Moran, Miguel Zenon, and esteemed composers like Frank Carlberg, Ben Scwendenner, and John Heiss. His collaborations include performances with the New England Jazz Orchestra, the Maria Schneider Orchestra at the New England Conservatory, and renowned jazz figures like Donny McCaslin, Bob Sheppard, and many others. Pritesh Walia's journey is a testament to his unwavering dedication to jazz, a genre that encapsulates not only his love for performance and composition but also his commitment to understanding its intricate harmony, theory, language, history, and voice. As he continues to evolve as a musician, educator, and collaborator, Pritesh's impact on the jazz world is poised to reach new heights.

Live at the Bop Stop
Cleveland Jazz Orchestra Featuring Giuliana Soscia

Live at the Bop Stop

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2025 57:31


The Cleveland Jazz Orchestra has been Northeast Ohio's premier jazz voice since 1985. Led by award-winning composer and trombonist Paul Ferguson, the CJO promotes jazz in its historical and contemporary forms, through concerts featuring a stellar line-up of jazz luminaries, arrangers, composers, and educators. This performance is no exception, as the CJO welcomes Italian composer, arranger, conductor, pianist, and jazz composition professor Giuliana Soscia. Giuliana Soscia has been an award winning composer, conductor, jazz accordionist and arranger for twenty five years. In addition to her current role as a professor of Jazz Composition at the G. Martucci Conservatory in Salerno she has collaborated with Roberto De Simone, Dave Douglas and Tommy Smith and conducted the National Jazz Orchestra of the Italian Conservatories. Appearing before a sold out audience on February 23rd, 2024 courtesy of the Italian Cultural Institute of Chicago, it's the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra Featuring Giuliana Soscia - Live at the Bop Stop.

Inwood Art Works On Air
On Air Artist Spotlight: Tom Nelson

Inwood Art Works On Air

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2025 33:22


Tom Nelson is a pianist, composer, arranger and bandleader. He is a busy freelance musician, performing with some of the top jazz and classical musicians in New York City. He is also the house pianist at the University Club. Tom performs all styles of music ranging from classical to jazz to rock to Broadway, but is especially fond of the Great American Songbook repertoire featuring such composers as George Gershwin, Cole Porter and Richard Rogers.Born in Logan, Utah, Tom received a Bachelor's of Jazz Studies from the University of North Texas and a Master's of Jazz Composition from the Manhattan School of Music. He has composed works for string quartet, jazz orchestra and chamber jazz ensemble, songs for soprano, violin and piano and composed for small jazz ensemble as well. Tom is also active as a Musical Director on the New York cabaret scene and works as a rehearsal pianist and dance accompanist. He lives in Manhattan with his wife and two daughters. www.tomdnelson.com

ViviTalks
S01:E39 ViviTalks with Alea: performer, singer-songwriter & producer from Barrancas, Colombia.

ViviTalks

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2024 59:41


In this episode: Listen to a conversation between your host Vivienne Aerts and performer, singer-songwriter & producer Alea as we talk about creating music, her love for rhythm and her upcoming projects.   About Alea Maria Alejandra Jimenez, PKA as ‘Alea', is a performer, singer-songwriter and producer from Barrancas, La Guajira, Colombia. Alea's performance encompasses an entire generation of ethno-futuristic and folkloric music accentuated by buttery vocals, deep-rooted grooves and uplifting guitar. Her studies include a bachelor's in Organizational Communications and a Diploma from Berklee College of Music in Jazz Composition and Performance. Alea's in-person performances are powerful encounters of the spirit, passionate travelogues that link downtown New York to a tropical Colombian cantina. They are celebrations of Latin America and new definitions of what “Latin Alternative” can be. She's released two albums as as soloist; Her latest album, 2021's Alborotá, was shortlisted as among the Best Latin Music of the year by both Rolling Stone and NPR. She also has recorded for multiple brand projects such as Google's Waze, Liberty Mutual, Denny's and Corona. ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Website⁠ About ViviTalks - Interviews with the Women Behind Typuhthâng. Introducing ViviTalks, a podcast hosted by Dutch New York-based musician Vivienne Aerts. Join us as we celebrate 100 talented female musicians from Vivienne's latest album "Typuhthâng," with a mission to empower female cacao farmers in the Virunga State Park of Congo and contribute to rainforest restoration. We delve into the musical journeys, creative processes, and unique perspectives of these talented women, seeking to bring greater balance to the music industry. It's a safe space for honest and authentic conversations with artists and trailblazers. Let's amplify the voices of remarkable women in music and stay tuned for inspiring stories and meaningful dialogues on ViviTalks. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Stream⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ the Album Buy it on Bandcamp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get the chocolate! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More about Vivienne here Follow the podcast on your favorite platform

ViviTalks
S01:E35 ViviTalks with Inés Velasco: NY-based composer, arranger, producer, drummer from México

ViviTalks

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2024 57:29


In this episode: Listen to our conversation between your host Vivienne Aerts and composer, arranger, producer and drummer Inés Velasco as we talk about all her upcoming projects, her passions and her way to find her inspiration. About Inés Velasco Inés Velasco is a composer, arranger, producer and drummer born in Guadalajara, México. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Berklee College of Music with a dual degree in Jazz Composition and Performance. She has written, arranged, and orchestrated for artists such as the Metropole Orkest, the New York Philharmonic (String Quartet), Alina Engirbayan, and José Mercé. ⁠Instagram⁠ Website⁠ About ViviTalks - Interviews with the Women Behind Typuhthâng. Introducing ViviTalks, a podcast hosted by Dutch New York-based musician Vivienne Aerts. Join us as we celebrate 100 talented female musicians from Vivienne's latest album "Typuhthâng," with a mission to empower female cacao farmers in the Virunga State Park of Congo and contribute to rainforest restoration. We delve into the musical journeys, creative processes, and unique perspectives of these talented women, seeking to bring greater balance to the music industry. It's a safe space for honest and authentic conversations with artists and trailblazers. Let's amplify the voices of remarkable women in music and stay tuned for inspiring stories and meaningful dialogues on ViviTalks. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Stream⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ the Album Buy it on Bandcamp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get the chocolate! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More about Vivienne here.

ViviTalks
S01:E34 ViviTalks with Ester Wiesnerová: Slovakian vocalist and composer living in New York

ViviTalks

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2024 43:28


In this episode: Listen to a conversation between your host Vivienne Aerts and Slovakian vocalist and composer Ester Wiesnerová, as they talk about Berklee, New England Conservatory, living and teaching in India, composing and working with harpists and starting her own jazz school. About Ester Wiesnerová Ester Wiesnerova is an internationally active composer, vocalist, and educator, originally from Slovakia. She was recently awarded the Gunther Schuller Medal and named in the Forbes' 30 under 30 list. Her original compositions have been performed at prestigious festivals worldwide. She was invited to perform her original music at venues such as Flagey in Brussels, Wuhan Concert Hall in China, The Piano Man in New Delhi, and Regattabar in Boston. Ester received her graduate degree in Jazz Composition at the New England Conservatory and her undergraduate degree at the Berklee College of Music. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ Website About ViviTalks - Interviews with the Women Behind Typuhthâng. Introducing ViviTalks, a podcast hosted by Dutch New York-based musician Vivienne Aerts. Join us as we celebrate 100 talented female musicians from Vivienne's latest album "Typuhthâng," with a mission to empower female cacao farmers in the Virunga State Park of Congo and contribute to rainforest restoration. We delve into the musical journeys, creative processes, and unique perspectives of these talented women, seeking to bring greater balance to the music industry. It's a safe space for honest and authentic conversations with artists and trailblazers. Let's amplify the voices of remarkable women in music and stay tuned for inspiring stories and meaningful dialogues on ViviTalks. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠Stream⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ the Album Buy it on Bandcamp⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and get the chocolate! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠More about Vivienne here.

My Music
My Music Episode 404 - Sefi Zisling

My Music

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2024 34:01


Sefi's Musical Odyssey: From Israeli Jazz Roots to New York Soundscapes In this captivating episode, we journey through the vibrant world of jazz with our special guest, Sefi, a seasoned trumpet player, DJ, and record collector. Sefi shares his eclectic musical journey, from his energetic days in Israeli funk bands to the dynamic jazz scene of early '90s New York. We delve into the early influences that shaped his unique sound and the spontaneous magic of live performances, where almost telepathic connections between musicians create truly mesmerising experiences. Sefi opens up about his creative process, from his classical training in northern Israel to his deep immersion in jazz near Tel Aviv. He emphasizes the importance of developing a personal sound and learning from mistakes, inspired by the pivotal role of mentors in his life. Discover the emotional and experimental journey behind his third album, which draws inspiration from the people and emotions closest to him. We also discuss the serendipitous creation of the album cover, featuring art by a renowned Israeli Arab artist, and Sefi's dreams of collaborating with a symphonic orchestra and composing a movie soundtrack. Join us for an intimate exploration of Sefi's artistic inspirations and dreams, set against the backdrop of a vibrant Israeli music scene. Whether you're a jazz aficionado or new to the genre, this episode offers a rich and colourful soundscape that will leave you inspired and eager for more. Timestamps: (0:00:01) Exploring Jazz and Musical Influences (0:11:04) Creative Process in Jazz Composition (0:20:00) Artistic Inspirations and Musical Dreams Tune in for a deep dive into the world of jazz with Sefi, and discover the passion and creativity that drive his musical journey.

ViviTalks
S01:E15 Hayley Lam: Piano and synthesizer player who builds bridges between jazz, fusion and prog rock

ViviTalks

Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2024 55:15


In this episode: Listen to a conversation between your host Vivienne Aerts and Hayley Lam as they discuss life as a musician in New York, recording her original music and playing in multiple bands at the same time About Hayley Lam New York based pianist, Hayley Lam is an award-winning composer who specializes in both contemporary jazz and classical music. She began her studies in music at a very young age, earning her Associate Diploma, ATCL Recital Piano from the Trinity College of London when she was just eleven. She then proceeded to earn her Licentiate Diploma, LTCL Recital Piano and Associate Diploma, ATCL Recital Violin a couple of years later. Hayley is also a holder of the Yamaha Teacher's Grade specializing in Piano since the age of twelve. With a profound interest in contemporary and jazz music, she was awarded a scholarship to further her studies at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. With her exceptional musical abilities, she completed her Bachelor of Music with a Five-year Dual Major Degree Program in Performance and Jazz Composition in just one and a half years. With her musicianship compared to as "Stravinsky meets Brookmeyer", she was selected as the Finalist at the Seattle Women's Jazz Orchestra (SWOJO) Annual Jazz Composition Contest for Women Composer in 2016. Hayley Lam is also a 2017 Global Music Awards (GMA) winner in the Composer and Jazz Big Band category. GMA is a top-tier international music competition that honors talented musicians around the world. In 2017, her solo piano work "Distant Structures" is selected to be the winner of the "Contemporary Piano 2017" international composition competition held at Athens. She is also selected as the composer showcase winner of the International Jazz Conference JEN at New Orleans. Her works were also commissioned for the London Women of the World equator festival in 2017. Her other accolades include winning the 2018 KMEA Composition Competition, 2018 American Prize in Composition - Light & Pop category, 2018 Semi-finalist of Maurice Ravel International Composition Competition.Hayley holds the 1st runner-up title for the International Songwriting Competition - Jazz Category. She emerged as one of the winners among some 16,000 entries from 140 countries around the world. ⁠ Instagram⁠ / ⁠Facebook⁠ / ⁠YouTube⁠ About ViviTalks - Interviews with the Women Behind Typuhthâng. Introducing ViviTalks, a podcast hosted by Dutch New York-based musician Vivienne Aerts. Join us as we celebrate 100 talented female musicians from Vivienne's latest album "Typuhthâng," with a mission to empower female cacao farmers in the Virunga State Park of Congo and contribute to rainforest restoration. We delve into the musical journeys, creative processes, and unique perspectives of these talented women, seeking to bring greater balance to the music industry. It's a safe space for honest and authentic conversations with artists and trailblazers. Let's amplify the voices of remarkable women in music and stay tuned for inspiring stories and meaningful dialogues on ViviTalks. ⁠⁠ Stream⁠⁠ the Album or ⁠⁠Buy it on Bandcamp⁠⁠ and get the chocolate! ⁠⁠More about Vivienne here. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/vivienne-aerts/message

Thriving Musician Podcast
Ep. 71: Former bassist moves abroad to study Sanskrit

Thriving Musician Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2024 69:39


Casey Andersen was born in Pasadena in 1991, and his family relocated to Santa Fe, New Mexico, a year later, where he remained until he turned 18. His first instrument was the drumset, which he played from about age 6 to 16. In the fourth grade, he began playing the upright bass, participating in orchestras, Jazz and Rock bands, among others. He auditioned for Berklee College of Music with the Electric Bass as his primary instrument but changed his major to Jazz Composition within the first year. After graduation, Casey took a job as the bassist in the house band of a cruise ship. However, it wasn't the right fit for him, so after his contract ended, he had to engage in some serious rethinking about his career direction. Returning to Santa Fe, Casey started teaching various music classes at his former school, the Santa Fe Walford School. He kept busy playing gigs and teaching during the day, but also found time to practice Yoga and indulge in reading whenever he wasn't working. He earned two Masters degrees from St. John's College in Santa Fe—one in Western Philosophy Liberal Arts and the other in Sanskrit, focusing on the Eastern Classics. Casey met his wife in the Eastern Classics program, and they have recently relocated to Oxford to further their studies. www.moneymaestroblog.com/ep-71

Piano Explored
27: Arthur Simoes and I want You to Test the Taubman Approach for Yourself

Piano Explored

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2024 43:48


We welcome the brilliant pianist Arthur Simoes to the podcast today. You are going to love this conversation. Arthur has tested the Taubman Approach in many mays; from classical literature to Dalcroze and now in jazz and improvisation. What's kind of fun about this episode is that I surprise Arthur with a rapid fire question time at the end of the episode. Stick around for that exciting exchange.You can be in touch with Arthur on Instagram @arthursimoesmusic,https://www.golandskyinstitute.org/arthur-simoes/ “We were captivated by the elegance of Arthur Simoes's touch, as he performed pieces from Ginastera with dazzling virtuosity and an ineffable sense of sorrow.” – ArcinfoArthur Simoes enjoys a diverse career as a pianist, composer, and educator. He has performed extensively in Europe, as well as in Latin America and in the United States, and he frequently presents lectures, workshops, and masterclasses across the globe.Passionate about education, Arthur has run a successful private studio for more than 10 years. He has also taught at the Institut Jaques-Dalcroze and at the Haute Ecole de Musique in Geneva, Switzerland. His teaching is rooted in the conviction that every person has the innate ability to learn music, and encompasses elements from Dalcroze Eurhythmics as well as the Taubman Approach. Arthur is a first prize winner of the 29th European Music Competition “Città di Moncalieri”, in Italy, as well as other piano competitions. Venues and festivals where he performed include the Victoria Hall (Geneva), La Schubertiade sur la Colline (Neuchâtel), and the Berklee Performance Center (Boston).His musical journey began at the age of 6, and he enrolled at the Conservatoire de Musique de Genève at the age of 10, from which he graduated with the Arditi Award for the best final recital of the year. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Piano and a Master's degree in Music Pedagogy – Dalcroze Eurhythmics from the Haute Ecole de Musique de Genève, as well as the Diplôme Supérieur of the Dalcroze method. During his Dalcroze studies, Arthur was awarded the Institut-Jaques Dalcroze Award “for his qualities as eurhythmician”, the Emile Jaques-Dalcroze Foundation Award “for the excellence of his improvisation exam” and the Aletheia Foundation Award “for the excellence of his Diplôme Supérieur choreography”. He has also pursued in-depth studies of the Taubman Approach with his mentor Edna Golandsky, in New York.His passion for improvised music as well as the desire to broaden his horizons have brought Arthur to Berklee College of Music to pursue a Professional Music Diploma with concentrations in Jazz Composition and Performance, as he continues to perform, compose, and teach.The Golandsky Institute's mission is to provide cutting-edge instruction to pianists based on the groundbreaking work of Dorothy Taubman. This knowledge can help them overcome technical and musical challenges, cure and prevent playing-related injuries, and lead them to achieve their highest level of artistic excellence.Please visit our website at: www.golandskyinstitute.org.

RNZ: Afternoons with Jesse Mulligan
2023 Best Jazz Composition Award winner Louisa Williamson

RNZ: Afternoons with Jesse Mulligan

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2023 9:26


The Wellington Jazz Festival kicks off today. To mark the occasion, last night APRA AMCOS announced the winner of their 2023 Best Jazz Composition Award. The winner is Louisa Williamson.

Improv Exchange Podcast
Episode #134: Shuteen Erdenebaatar

Improv Exchange Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2023 31:23


Born in the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar, composer, pianist and arranger Shuteen Erdenebaatar (*1998) brings a unique sound to the audience with her yearning melodies enriched with profound and expressive harmonies and rhythms. The daughter of Erdenebaatar Gombo, who recently earned the title “The Emeritus of Art” for his 40 years as director of the National Mongolian Opera, and Batkhuyag Ochirbat, a television director and journalist, Shuteen was brought up surrounded by arts and culture - particularly classical music. Accordingly, she studied classical piano and classical composition at the State Conservatory of Ulaanbaatar before coming into contact with jazz through a program at the Goethe Institute. "It was then that a whole new world opened up to me," she says. "Suddenly I had the freedom to play what I heard in my heart, not just what was written in the notes. With her bachelor's degree in classical music in hand at age 20, she yearned to explore the world of jazz and eventually came to study at the Conservatory in Munich. A key moment. She earned two master's degrees both in Jazz Performance and in Jazz Composition, and most importantly was able to find and cultivate her own jazz voice.  Shuteen Erdenebaatar is a laureate of the prestigious BMW Young Artist Jazz Award 2022, the 1st Prize and the audience award for the legendary Young Munich Jazz Award, the Music Scholarship of the City of Munich 2022, the Composition Prize at the Biberach Prize 2022 and the 1st Prize at the Kurt Maas Jazz Prize 2021, among others. Her compositions have been played in the Munich Philharmonic Hall or in Studio 2 of the Bavarian National Radio. Furthermore, she has also been commissioned by Mongolia's most significant orchestras, such as the Bayan Mongol Big Band, the Mongolian State Philharmonic Orchestra or the Mongolian State Opera Symphony Orchestra.  Currently she is working as a composer and pianist on her own projects such as the Shuteen Erdenebaatar Quartet, the Lightville Duo, and as a conductor for her newly formed 20-piece, cross-genre Chamber Jazz Orchestra in Munich. In 2023, she signed a three-album agreement with the multi-Grammy award-winning New York label Motema Music, which includes all three of her current projects. The first album Rising Sun with her quartet was released on September 15, 2023.  About Rising Sun:  Erdenebaatar's classical foundation is unmistakable throughout, displayed by her technical brilliance, stylistic finesse, and the thematic structure of her compositions. Enriched by expressive harmonies and rhythm variability, Erdenebaatar's memorable melodies serve as a framework for her formidable band to stretch out. The quartet consists of a German cadre of fellow players from her university cohort, all now award-winning rising stars and bandleaders in their own right. Bassist Nils Kugelmann, whom Southern Germany's leading daily paper The Süddeutsche Zeitung named “one of the best in his field”, is a rhythmically and melodically outstanding all-rounder. Drummer Valentin Renner is one of Germany's busiest jazz drummers, currently the backbone of several notable jazz ensembles in the country. Finally, the creative and highly virtuosic  Anton Mangold rounds out the ensemble on saxophones and flutes. The quartet's charismatic interplay is a highlight of the album. "It helped me a lot to know everyone well. I already had in mind who was playing each part when I was composing,” Erdenebaatar shares.  If you enjoyed this episode please make sure to subscribe, follow, rate, and/or review this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, ect. Connect with us on all social media platforms and at www.improvexchange.com

The Bass Shed Podcast
EP 113 - Marty Isenberg (NY Jazz Double Bassist, Composer, Recording Artist)

The Bass Shed Podcast

Play Episode Play 45 sec Highlight Listen Later Jul 24, 2023 71:54


Playing bass was love at first pluck for Marty Isenberg. His career as a jazz musician began at the age of 12, after losing his father to cancer the year prior. A skilled amateur musician, Marty's father kept many instruments around the house that he would play for the family. After his death, Marty would pull one of these instruments off the wall and begin teaching himself how to play by reading tablature in Bass Player Magazine. The first song he ever learned was My Own Summer by The Deftones. Playing bass was love at first pluck for Mr. Isenberg. It was a cathartic healing experience, a way to stay connected to his father, and a way to creatively express himself. He went on to study at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music where he majored in Jazz Performance and minored in Jazz Composition, and received his Master of Music degree from New York University. He is now a doctoral candidate at Stony Brook University where he is the teaching assistant to the jazz department chair Ray Anderson.For almost 20 years, Mr. Isenberg has been part of the rich New York City music scene. His performing career weaves though many styles of music, from jazz, to classical music, to theater and contemporary music. Mr. Isenberg pulls from all of these experiences to arrange the music of his debut album The Way I Feel Inside: Inspired by the Films of Wes Anderson, adding his own voice and reimagining the music that helped to shape his own musical identity.Marty Isenberg LinksThe Way I Feel Inside (Album)Marty Isenberg WebsiteYoutubeMarty Isenberg TwitterMarty Isenberg InstagramInstagram / Twitter / Youtube / Website / BSA/ View More Episodes

From & Inspired BY
Episode #143: Marty Isenberg

From & Inspired BY

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2023 17:54


Playing bass was love at first pluck for Marty Isenberg. His career as a jazz musician began at the age of 12, after losing his father to cancer the year prior. A skilled amateur musician, Marty's father kept many instruments around the house that he would play for the family. After his death, Marty would pull one of these instruments off the wall and begin teaching himself how to play by reading tablature in Bass Player Magazine. The first song he ever learned was My Own Summer by The Deftones. Playing bass was love at first pluck for Mr. Isenberg. It was a cathartic healing experience, a way to stay connected to his father, and a way to creatively express himself. He went on to study at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music where he majored in Jazz Performance and minored in Jazz Composition, and received his Master of Music degree from New York University. He is now a doctoral candidate at Stony Brook University where he is the teaching assistant to the jazz department chair Ray Anderson. I spoke with Marty Isenberg via Zoom about his debut recording, The Way I Feel Inside, inspired by the films of Wes Anderson, out now from Truth Revolution Recording Collective.

The Jazz Podcast
Kerry Politzer

The Jazz Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2023 36:12


Kerry Politzer is a Portland-based jazz pianist, composer, and educator. She is on the music faculty of Portland State University and the University of Portland, and she also teaches through Jazz at Lincoln Center's Swing University. Kerry received a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Piano from the New England Conservatory of Music, where she studied improvisation and composition with the late jazz guru Charlie Banacos. She continues to be inspired by his teachings and is now working on a Master of Music in Jazz Composition from Rowan University.Prior to moving to Portland, Kerry lived in New York for many years, where she studied Brazilian music and performed original compositions at clubs including Smalls. She also toured with DIVA No Man's Band, playing with Diane Schuur, Slide Hampton, and Larry Coryell. In 1996, Kerry was one of six finalists in the American Pianists Association's 3rd Biennial Jazz Piano Competition. Her composition Rhodes Rage won Third Prize, Jazz Category in the 2005 International Songwriting Competition. Support the show

Clearwater Jazz Holiday's Young Lions Jazz Master Virtual Sessions
Jazz Composition for Beginners - with Tyler Wertman

Clearwater Jazz Holiday's Young Lions Jazz Master Virtual Sessions

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 29, 2022 27:09


On February 7, 2022 we welcomed Tampa Bay area trombonist and educator, Tyler Wertman, back to CJH's Young Lions Jazz Master "Virtual" Sessions. To watch this Full Session visit www.clearwaterjazz.com/education and click on THE STUDIO. You can learn more at www.clearwaterjazz.com about CJH events, the annual Clearwater Jazz Holiday music festival tradition and Clearwater Jazz Holiday Foundation's year-round Education & Outreach.

The Musician's Venture
Kristin Sponcia: On Being a Pianist and Vocalist, Jazz Composition and Improvisation

The Musician's Venture

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 8, 2022 60:56


On this episode, Nick O'Brien talks with pianist and vocalist Kristin Sponcia! She talks about her beginnings going to Milwaukee High School of the arts and how she got into Jazz! She shares her transition from teaching to performing, as well as tips on conquering performance anxiety. As a performer, composer, arranger, and educator, Kristin stresses the importance of uplifting women in these fields - especially in jazz. Find more info about Kristin at www.kristinsponcia.com Check out more about TMV Podcast at http://www.themusiciansventure.com/ (www.themusiciansventure.com), @themusiciansventure on Facebook and Instagram, and @MusicianVenture on Twitter.

All That's Jazz
Season 3 Episode 9 Eli Degibri

All That's Jazz

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2022 42:28


An internationally recognized saxophonist-composer-bandleader, Eli Degibri possesses a treasure trove of gifts as a musician, boasting a seemingly bottomless fountain of artistry. His prodigious talents have resulted in Eli being honored with the Israeli “Prime Minister Award for Jazz Composition”, and the “Landau Award for Jazz Performance” for his achievements. On his self-released ninth album, “Henri and Rachel,” titled for his parents and recorded on March 19, 2020, just days before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, Eli continues to reveal his ability to convey profound emotions through his intricate language of notes and tones. Joined by his immensely talented Israeli rhythm section, the 44-year-old maestro spins an intimate love story, portraying the personalities and idiosyncrasies of his tight-knit family. As Henri and Rachel's only child, Eli found himself splitting his attention and energy between his musical production and caring for his aging and ailing parents, both of whom had emigrated to Israel following World War 2. Henri, a native of Bulgaria, passed away in the fall of 2020 after developing cancer; his mother, Rachel, born in Iran, has been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease and dementia. Although Eli says he was not thinking consciously of them during the development of his newest album - or of his other dedicatees, including his fiancé and best friend - their essence is deeply entwined throughout his compositions. Our wide-ranging conversation gives you a look inside the mind, dedication, heart and music - of this extremely talented, versatile man who Herbie Hancock noted as “the caliber of which is a rare find in jazz today.”

Improv Exchange Podcast
Episode #75: Jihye Lee

Improv Exchange Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2021 54:38


Jihye Lee is a jazz composer and bandleader based in New York, highly regarded for her personal and adventurous storytelling approach to large-ensemble jazz. A native of South Korea, Lee had no jazz or classical training growing up, though she found success in Korea performing as an indie-pop singer-songwriter. She graduated from Dongduk Women's University with a degree in Voice Performance, discovering her love of large-ensemble jazz only after beginning her studies at Boston's Berklee College of Music in 2011. Confidently she began to explore her own identity and voice within this exciting, historically rich medium, winning Berklee's Duke Ellington Prize just months after declaring her Jazz Composition major (and again the following year). Though she could never have anticipated this new path, she has followed it to greater heights, moving to New York in 2015 and earning a master's degree at Manhattan School of Music under the guidance of the great Jim McNeely, with generous funding from school scholarships and the CJ Cultural Foundation. In this episode, Jihye shares her background, education, and musical journey. If you enjoyed this episode please make sure to subscribe, follow, rate, and/or review this podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, ect. Connect with us on all social media platforms and at www.improvexchange.com

Radio Richard | Richard Niles Podcast
Joey Sellers Interview: Jazz master Joey Talks Trombone and Teaching

Radio Richard | Richard Niles Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2021 34:58


Joey Sellars - Hepcat in the Classroom! Joey Sellers is a “Hepcat “by any standards of hepcat-ness. The award-winning Jazz trombonist, composer and arranger has been teaching for 20 years, influencing a new generation of jazzbos, hepcats and alligators to become serious musicians. Sellers is recipient of the Gil Evans Fellowship in Jazz Composition, the Sammy Nestico Award, and the Julius Hemphill Composition Award. He was Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at Northern Illinois University before he became Director of Jazz Studies at SADDLEBACK COLLEGE. HOW does he do it? Find out in this interview with composer/arranger Richard Niles, where they not only discuss teaching methods, but Niles also gets Sellers to tell THE FUNNIEST TROMBONE STORY EVER! Visit joeysellers.com for more info! Please Like, Share, and Subscribe to our YouTube channel:

The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast
PEL Presents NEM#155: Melvin Gibbs Protests w/ Bass, Jazz Composition, Production, Sound Design

The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 13, 2021 71:25


Melvin has played bass on over 200 albums since 1980 in the worlds of jazz, rock, and hip-hop, and has numerous songwriting credits, playing with Defunkt, Arto Lindsay, Henry Rollins, Bernie Worrell, Vernon Reid, etc. We discuss his solo tune featuring Kokayi "Get Some" from 4+1 Equals 5 for May 25 (2021), the title track from The Terror End Of Beauty (2018) by his trio Harriet Tubman, and "Howard Beach Memoirs" by Power Tools (with Bill Frisell and Ronald Shannon Jackson) from Strange Meeting (1987). We end by listening to "Canto por Odudua" by Melvin Gibbs' Elevated Entity from Ancients Speak (2009) Intro: "Melvin's Tune" from Defunkt (1980). More at music.melvin-gibbs.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon. Sponsors: Visit HelloFresh.com/examined14 and use code examined14 for up to 14 free meals with free shipping. Save 10% on Nebia shower stuff by using code nem at nebia.com/nem (excludes pre-order products).

Nakedly Examined Music Podcast
NEM#155: Melvin Gibbs Protests w/ Bass, Jazz Composition, Production, Sound Design

Nakedly Examined Music Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 3, 2021 71:25


Melvin has played bass on over 200 albums since 1980 in the worlds of jazz, rock, and hip-hop, and has numerous songwriting credits, playing with Defunkt, Arto Lindsay, Henry Rollins, Bernie Worrell, Vernon Reid, etc. We discuss his solo tune featuring Kokayi "Get Some" from 4+1 Equals 5 for May 25 (2021), the title track from The Terror End Of Beauty (2018) by his trio Harriet Tubman, and "Howard Beach Memoirs" by Power Tools (with Bill Frisell and Ronald Shannon Jackson) from Strange Meeting (1987). We end by listening to "Canto por Odudua" by Melvin Gibbs' Elevated Entity from Ancients Speak (2009) Intro: "Melvin's Tune" from Defunkt (1980). More at music.melvin-gibbs.com. Hear more Nakedly Examined Music. Like our Facebook page. Support us on Patreon. Sponsors: Visit HelloFresh.com/examined14 and use code examined14 for up to 14 free meals with free shipping. Save 10% on Nebia shower stuff by using code nem at nebia.com/nem (excludes pre-order products).

The Ambient Vault
Episode 41 - Jan Esbra

The Ambient Vault

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 29, 2021 20:50


Episode 41 of The Ambient Vault podcast features special guest Jan Esbra.   Jan is a New York City-based Colombian guitarist and composer known for his “mesmerizing soundscapes and innovative ideas”.  Combining elements from minimalism, ambient and improvised music he created evolving, textural soundscapes.  Jan's debut solo album entitled “Temporary Objects'' was released on August 27, 2021 and is a collection of improvisations using guitars, samplers and various effects pedals.  On this episode of the podcast we feature tracks from the album and really appreciate Jan sharing with us here on The Ambient Vault.Aside from his solo work, Jan has released music with his bands Jade Collective and Bird Lite and has worked with Becca Stevens, Ben Wendel, Catey Esler and Eva Gertz.  He has a Bachelor's degree in Jazz Composition and Music Business from Berklee College of Music and participated in the 2020 New Amsterdam Composers. For more on Jan Esbra and his new album, projects, and other music click the link below and as always thanks for listening!Debut Album Info:https://www.janesbra.com/epkWebsite:https://www.janesbra.com/If you enjoy the podcast, you can help support future episodes by subscribing to the podcast and leaving a review, following Brian on Instagram @heldbymachines, and subscribing to his YouTube channel.  You can also check out the Instagram page Brian curates for his late grandfather, gospel pianist James Miller   https://www.instagram.com/jamesmillergospelpianist/?hl=en  Thanks!Email: brianeverettmiller@yahoo.com.  Brian on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/heldbymachines/Brian on Youtube:https://youtube.com/channel/UCSAWKkRtE8tVTvD1r202tRw​

Dreams Not Memes Podcast
Episode 286: Bass Carries the World: A Conversation with Patricia Ligia

Dreams Not Memes Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2021 23:17


Patricia Ligia is a bass player and composer from Montevideo, Uruguay. She started studying music at the age of 9, but not until the age of 14 she grabbed the electric bass and immediately fell for it. Currently she is living in Boston, where she graduated in Jazz Composition and Performance in Berklee College of Music. Patricia's musical training is very diverse, a mix of self-taught and formal academic. Always in pursuit of her musical concerns and interests! Her curiosity has led her to establish a musical relationship with her neighboring country, Brazil, since an early age. She has studied with distinguished bass players (Arthur Maia and Itiberé Zwarg) and participated in musical festivals in Curitiba, Rio de Janerio and São Paulo between 2012 and 2015. In 2016 she won the FECFA Scholarship (Stimulus Fund for Artistic Creation and Training) in Uruguay which helped her to participate in a 3-week residency in Nashville, TN with Bassist Victor Wooten. There she met Steve Beiley, current chair of the Bass Department at Berklee, who urged her to audition for Berklee. One year later she was able to audition and received the scholarship that allowed her to come to Boston in 2018. She has been recognized by the Berklee Bass Department with the Jimmy Haslip Endowed Scholarship Award (2019), the Mike Gordon Award (2020), and from the Jazz Composition Department with the Melva Liston Award (2020) and Gil Evans Award (2021). Patricia is the leader and collaborates with several musical projects in Boston. She’s co- founder of the band Mestizas; a musical group specialized in the fusion of flamenco, jazz, and various Latin American and Caribbean folklore genres, where she plays bass, sings, and arranges the music. She’s also the bass player of the band The Timba Messengers; a group where Cuban music and Latin Jazz is a pillar in the repertoire. Patricia leads her trio Voçé Vai ver with whom she has performed in the Boston area playing original music and her own arrangements of Brazilian music. Patricia constantly collaborates with other artists as a bassist and as an arranger. She has short-term plans to set up her own 100% original music group. Learn more about Patricia on Dreams Not Memes Podcast. Social Media: IG: patricia_ligia_ FB: Patricia Ligia YT: Patricia Ligia --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/dreamsnotmemes/support

Jazz Congress Podcast
Why Jazz Composition Matters in an Improvised Art Form

Jazz Congress Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2021 57:23


Through the thoughtful contributions of an accomplished, diverse panel of prominent jazz musicians/composers/producers, the vital and often under-appreciated role of the composer/arranger will be examined and discussed specifically with its importance to driving audience development & artist definition.  Moderator: Chuck Owen (ISJAC). Panelists: Darcy James Argue; Christine Jensen; Rufus Reid; Ryan Truesdell.

Digging Deeper Jazz
"Jazz Composition" (part 1) & The Blues

Digging Deeper Jazz

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2021 12:14


Welcome to the Digging Deeper Jazz Podcast. This podcast was originally released on August 3, 2018 on the Jeff Antoniuk - Educator YouTube channel. Please subscribe to the YouTube channel and feel free to enjoy the video version as well.FOR ALL INSTRUMENTS !In episode ##60, you are going to write a jazz tune. By the time you go to sleep tonight, you’ll be a composer, guaranteed! We take the plunge and find out that writing a jazz song is not that hard . . . It’ll make you a better player, animals will love you, and friends and family will shower you with glowing respect. What's not to love?Mentioned in this podcast:• www.JazzWire.net - Since we announced JazzWire back in 2017, it has become an incredible Community of hundreds of adult musicians from over 25 different countries around the world. If you are looking for a plan for your practice, regular insights and wisdom on playing jazz, and a huge COMMUNITY of jazz players from around the world, this is the place for you! • Digging Deeper Jazz - All of the DDJ episodes include a pdf. Just write us at diggingdeeperjazz@gmail.com, and we'll offer you the pdfs in bundles of 50, or all 200 for a discount! We will also put you on the list to receive each new pdf, weekly.  Amazing practice ideas, every week, for free. What's not to love!?

Afternoon Ti
The Language of Music with Michelle Margiotta

Afternoon Ti

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2021 37:33


Show Notes: Michelle Margiotta Website  Book - The Language of Music Instagram - @michellemargiotta Bio: Dr. Michelle Margiotta is a composer, arranger, and music educator. Those who have worked alongside her give great acclaim to both her orchestrations and compositions, as well as to Michelle herself.  For the past year, Michelle has been orchestrating and arranging The God of the Other Side & The God of the How and When Oratorios, as well as The Shalom Reprise and Overture with Emmy & Tony Award-winning singer/songwriter and producer Kathie Lee Gifford.  For the past eight years, she has traveled with Dove Award-winning and Grammy-nominated artist, Kathy Troccoli, as her full-time piano and guitar accompanist. Michelle has also played events with Christian artists such as Kelly Minter and Laura Story. Michelle holds a Bachelor’s of Music Education from Lee University in Cleveland, TN, as well as a Master’s in Jazz Composition and Arranging and a D.M.A. in Composition from Five Towns College in NY. She has a strong passion for music education and has taught at the collegiate level for ten years, as well as teaching countless private students. In an effort to make music accessible to an even broader audience, her book, The Language of Music, An Introduction to the Basics of Music Theory was released in 2020. Originally from Long Island, New York, Michelle now resides in Nashville, Tennessee.   Afternoon Ti with Jessica Grant: The Afternoon Ti Guide to Teaching Music Book and Journal are here! F-Flat e-books:  Book and Journal Amazon: Book and Journal Blog Instagram - @highafternoonti Intro/Outro Music: Our Big Adventure by Scott Holmes

Brave Sound Podcast
Inside NYC Music: Robert Buonaspina | Brave Sound Podcast #13

Brave Sound Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2021 124:52


The show where we uncover the stories, processes, and worldviews behind NYC’s most artful and creative musicians.   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/brave-sound-podcast/id1537645722 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5ByvBpLEwvf1FkyZr40d11 Today's Guest: Robert Buonaspina is a New-York-City-based composer, arranger, pianist, organist, violist, and educator. Robert recently received his Master’s degree (Summa Cum Laude) in Jazz Composition from the Manhattan School of Music, where he was a student of Jim McNeely and Phil Markowitz. As a composer and arranger, Robert has had the honor of having his work performed around the world, whether in Hamburg, Germany or at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York. In January 2021, Robert was the recipient of the International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers (ISJAC) Chuck Owen Prize in Jazz Composition, where his work for jazz ensemble, "Smile Pretty," will be soon recorded and performed by the WDR Big Band in Cologne, Germany. Whether as an arranger or a music copyist, Robert has collaborated heavy hitters across the scene — such as Joel Ross, Candice Hoyes, Grammy-winning producer Larry Klein, and Steven Feifke. Robert also maintains a schedule as an active pianist and violist in the greater New York City area, sharing the stage with several key figures in New York, such as Lalah Hathaway, Vince Mendoza, Ralph Lalama, Melissa Errico, Alice Ripley. Between piano and viola, he has performed at seminal venues in New York such as Lincoln Center, 54 Below, and Riverside Church. Currently, Robert holds a full-time position as Director of Music and Organist of St. Pancras Roman Catholic Church in Glendale, Queens, and runs an arranging, production, and education studio out of his apartment on the Upper West Side. At St. Pancras Roman Catholic Church he manages a network of volunteer and professional cantors, two choirs, and several professionally produced events/concerts during the year. Robert is based on the Upper West Side where he freelances in music arranging, production, and education to a studio of motivated students. Find him at https://robertbuonaspina.bandcamp.com/ Instagram: @rbuonaspina Your hosts: Michael Shapira: michaelxshapira.com @michaelxshapira Austin Zhang: austinzhang.org @austindiscovers Learn more: https://bravesound.org/ Instagram: @bravesoundnyc

Learn With Us

Canadian composer and programmer, Devin Roth, has contributed to the music for a number of noteworthy films and television shows including Guillermo del Toro’s Netflix series Trollhunters, Hotel Transylvania 2, The Book of Life, Crazy-Ex Girlfriend, and Emmy nominated Elf: Buddy’s Music Christmas (NBC). Devin has collaborated with multi-Oscar winning composer, Gustavo Santaolalla; composer and co-founder of Devo, Mark Mothersbaugh; Emmy nominated composer and orchestrator, Christopher Guardino; and Grammy-nominated composer and orchestrator Tim Davies. As a programmer, Devin is active on Github contributing to open source audio applications and works as a freelance audio programmer. Devin earned a Certificate of Film Scoring from University of California Los Angeles, Masters in Jazz Composition from New England Conservatory and Bachelors in Jazz Piano performance from McGill University.Items we talked about in the show:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esRdmKYucIwhttps://roli.com/stories/why-i-created-lumihttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1zvqgGrM6Uhttps://www.theverge.com/2019/12/4/20994203/amazon-web-services-deepcomposer-ai-keyboard-confusing-everyone/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-50629390http://artsites.ucsc.edu/faculty/cope/mp3page.htm

Beyond the Frets
Cecil Alexander

Beyond the Frets

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 1, 2021 72:54


Beyond the Frets is your chance to hear in-depth conversations with legendary guitarists, educators and composers about their process, struggles, accomplishments and thoughts on the modern music industry.  This week's episode features the amazing Cecil Alexander, a guitarist, composer and educator that has made a name for himself for the past few years– most recently being a finalist in the Herbie Hancock International Jazz Competition (formerly the Monk competition).  After attending Berklee College of Music (B.M. Jazz Composition) and William Patterson University (M.M. Jazz Performance), Cecil now is an adjunct faculty member at UCLA, releases his own educational materials online through his website and is set to release a debut album later in 2021. Our conversation took us through his background, influences, important lessons from his musical mentors like Gene Bertoncini, and he gives us a glimpse into what he's cooking up musically in 2021. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did! Sit Down. Grab an Axe. Get Abducted. If you like Beyond the Frets and want to support us, please SHARE, subscribe, and leave a rating on Apple Podcasts or wherever you may be listening. Visit the podcast at beyondthefrets.com and drop us a message at beyondthefretspodcast@gmail.com! 

Bleav in The Guitar Life
JIMMY HASLIP - Highly Acclaimed Bass Player with the Yellow Jackets

Bleav in The Guitar Life

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2020 57:36


In a casual setting talking over the phone JIMMY HASLIP, original Yellow Jackets founding member, shares his insights and experiences about producing and playing bass with Alan Holdsworth, Robben Ford, Tommy Bolin, and many other musicians throughout his outstanding career.

The Trombone Retreat

Nick and Sebastian talk to legendary trombonist Ron Wilkins about coming back from the brink against COVID-19, waking up to a civil rights movement and how his musical story is just getting started.Hosted by Sebastian Vera - @js.vera (instagram) @sebastianvera (twitter) and Nick Schwartz - @basstrombone444 (instagram)Produced and edited by Sebastian VeraMusic: Firehorse: Mvt 1 - Trot by Steven Verhelst performed live by Brian Santero, Sebastian Vera and Nick SchwartzTexas sounds: https://freesound.org/people/naturenutt/sounds/99897/

The Trombone Retreat

Nick and Sebastian talk to two-time Grammy nominated trombonist and composer, Marshall Gilkes. They talk being a musician in New York, crazy gig stories, and not putting ourselves in boxes. Hosted by Sebastian Vera - @js.vera (instagram) @sebastianvera (twitter) and Nick Schwartz - @basstrombone444 (instagram)Produced by Sebastian VeraMusic: Firehorse: Mvt 1 - Trot by Steven Verhelst performed live by Brian Santero, Sebastian Vera and Nick SchwartzSounds https://freesound.org/people/soundexplore/sounds/110035/

Sweet'N Up with Jeff Spencer
Episode #2 - COVID-19 On a Cruise Ship - with ANDREW DENICOLA

Sweet'N Up with Jeff Spencer

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2020 81:19


In this latest episode of SWEET'N UP! we speak with popular jazz musician ANDREW DENICOLA about his experience being diagnosed with COVID-19 on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean! You will not want to miss this!!! Andrew DeNicola is a jazz/film composer, multi-instrumentalist, and educator based in New York City. Originally from Stamford CT, his musical journey began in 4th grade when he picked up the alto saxophone. By high school Andrew was writing music, playing gigs in CT and NYC, taking private lessons, and attending the magnets arts program in CT Regional Center for the Arts. This all lead up to Andrew receiving a performance/composition scholarship to attend Berklee College of Music up in Boston. At Berklee Andrew spent 4 years honing his craft with veteran jazz musicians/composers that included Bill Pierce, George Garzone, Darren Barrett, Ed Tomassi, Greg Hopkins, Ayn Inserto, and more. Andrew graduated Berklee in 2017 with a degree in Jazz Composition. Since then Andrew moved to NYC and released an album entitled “The Life of an Aquarius” featuring 5 original compositions, with 14 other musicians. He also just recently co-wrote with his brother Matthew DeNicola soundtrack music to a recent docu-series entitled “Rizqi Presents Blockchain”. His group “Andrew DeNicola @ the New Generation” has played at such venues around NYC as Silvana, Rockwood Music Hall, Williamsburg Music Center, and the Delancey. Through composing, performing and teaching, Andrew gains a deeper understanding of the creative process and is able to use these mediums as a vehicle for his own self expression. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast
Episode #75 - Tom Clary of Clary Woodmutes

The Other Side Of The Bell - A Trumpet Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2020 48:03


Tom Clary is a freelance trumpet-player/composer/arranger/woodworker/mute-maker and sometimes-attorney living in Memphis, Tennessee.  Tom was born in Northern Ireland, grew up in South Arkansas and moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 1989 to study Jazz Composition at Memphis State University.  In 1991, Tom won a NARAS Student Grammy for his composition “Ludicrous Dreams” and dropped out of school to pursue a music career, playing mostly in the house band at B.B. King’s Blues Club on Beale Street, freelancing, doing session work, working as an audio engineer, writing library music and horn arrangements, and writing show-music for marching band.  Tom eventually finished his music degree in 2002 and went on to complete a law degree at the University of Memphis in 2005. He practiced law full-time for approximately 13 years.  He still maintains a very-small law practice, but has returned to play and write music full-time, while making and selling trumpet mutes out of wood in his garage. Learn more about Tom at www.woodmutes.com or on the show notes for this episode at bobreeves.com/75.

Influencers Cafe
Devin Roth - Movie Composer

Influencers Cafe

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2020 75:01


Canadian composer and programmer, Devin Roth, has contributed to the music for a number of noteworthy films and television shows including Guillermo del Toro’s Netflix series Trollhunters, Hotel Transylvania 2, The Book of Life, Crazy-Ex Girlfriend, and Emmy nominated Elf: Buddy’s Music Christmas (NBC). Devin has collaborated with multi-Oscar winning composer, Gustavo Santaolalla; composer and co-founder of Devo, Mark Mothersbaugh; Emmy nominated composer and orchestrator, Christopher Guardino; and Grammy-nominated composer and orchestrator Tim Davies. As a programmer, Devin is active on Github contributing to open source audio applications and works as a freelance audio programmer. Devin earned a Certificate of Film Scoring from University of California Los Angeles, Masters in Jazz Composition from New England Conservatory and Bachelors in Jazz Piano performance from McGill University.Stuff we talked about in the show:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esRdmKYucIwhttps://roli.com/stories/why-i-created-lumihttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1zvqgGrM6Uhttps://www.theverge.com/2019/12/4/20994203/amazon-web-services-deepcomposer-ai-keyboard-confusing-everyone/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-50629390http://artsites.ucsc.edu/faculty/cope/mp3page.htm

Jazz Piano School
Jazz Composition: 5 Steps to Build Color Voicings (Ep:181)

Jazz Piano School

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2020 37:06


Jazz Composition: 5 Steps to Build Color Voicings (Ep:181)

440 Podcast
440_EP 005: Iara Gomes

440 Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2020 74:48


Bem vindos e bem vindas ao quinto episódio do Podcast 440. A convidada especial deste programa é a pianista, compositora, arranjadora e educadora musical IARA GOMES. Neste episódio Iara irá nos contar um pouco sobre como iniciou na música e a influência que teve da sua avó; - sua experiência nos Estados Unidos, durante seu mestrado em Jazz Composition & Arrangement e Jazz Piano Performance pela University of Louisville em Kentucky; - prêmio “Melhor Intérprete Instrumental” no Festival de Música da Nacional FM (2016); - diferença entre participar como uma concorrente e como jurada; - período no USA: mestrado em jazz Composition & Arrangement e Jazz Piano Performance pela University of Louisville; - diferença dos estilos e o que mudou/acrescentou na sua maneira de compor; - sobre a bolsa de estudos para frequentar o renomado curso “Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops”, sob a tutela de Jamey Aebersold; - seu trabalho autoral: CD Dois Cantos, lançado em 2018; - dicas para quem quer começar a compor; - processo de improvisação e transcrição de solos; - dica de app de transcrição; - Aulas online pelo site Musicalll, lançamento do E-book dia 15 de fevereiro de 2020 Links redes sociais Iara Gomes: Instagram: instagram.com/iaragomespiano/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/iaragomespiano Site oficial: www.iaragomespiano.com/ Instrumental Sesc brasil: www.instrumentalsescbrasil.org.br/artistas…ra-gomes CD Dois Cantos no Spotfy: open.spotify.com/album/3WR980YFgL…RL44nbfy4Q5it0x7 Site Musicalll: www.musicalll.com/ Alta frequência: Dica da semana: - Livro Effortless Mastery, por Kenny Werner - O jogo interior do tênis: O guia clássico para o lado mental da excelência no desempenho, por W. Timothy Gallwey BIOGRAFIA Iara Gomes é pianista, compositora e arranjadora, natural de Brasília DF, Brasil. Destaca-se por seu trabalho autoral e por sua atuação na música instrumental brasileira e no jazz. Vencedora do prêmio “Melhor Intérprete Instrumental” no Festival de Música da Nacional FM (2016) com sua composição “Dois Cantos”, foi convidada a ser jurada da edição seguinte do mesmo festival (2017), e atualmente é finalista do Prêmio Profissionais da Música (2019), na categoria “arranjadora”. Iara é Mestra em Música: Jazz Composition & Arrangement e Jazz Piano Performance pela University of Louisville - UofL (EUA, 2016), onde graduou-se com honras, passando a fazer parte da Music Honor Society Pi Kappa Lambda. Licenciada em Música pela Universidade de Brasília – UnB, é professora da Escola de Música de Brasília (CEP-EMB) aprovada em primeiro lugar no concurso. ------ Quer ajudar o show? Então aqui vai algumas sugestões: - Ajude outras pessoas a encontrar o programa deixando uma nota e uma crítica no iTunes. - Nos mostre um pouco de amor no Instagram e Facebook - Conte para todo mundo! Esse programa foi produzido por O Fabuloso Concerto, feito com amor, carinho e entusiasmo. Arte da capa: Raffaella Goi Edição do áudio: Ruama Quimera

Cheese, Wine And Creatives!
Shirley Smart: Hardy's Merlot, Selection Of Cheeses and Charcoal Crackers

Cheese, Wine And Creatives!

Play Episode Play 50 sec Highlight Listen Later Feb 14, 2020 63:16


 THIS EPISODE:We eat cheese and drink wine, and talk about lots of different subjects including her eclectic music background and experiences with Middle Eastern music, her album "Long Story Short", Free Music, her doctorate and the so-called "prejudice" against Jazz Cello. Shirley Smart: Shirley Smart is recognised as one of the UK's most versatile and creative cellists – being equally at home and well versed in jazz and Middle Eastern music, as well as classical music.Originally trained under Raphael Wallfisch at the Guilldhall School of Music, and Janos Starker in Paris, she subsequently moved to Jerusalem, where she remained for 10 years, studying and performing a wide variety of musical traditions from the North Africa, Turkey and Middle East. She was also highly active on the jazz scene, working with artists including Avishai Cohen, Omer Avital and Yasmin Levy. Since returning to the UK, she has quickly become known as one of the most creative cellists on the music scene and has worked with many leading jazz and world music groups, including Antonio Forcione, Mulato Astatke, Gilad Atzmon, Neil Cowley, Julian Ferraretto, Robert Mitchell, and Alice Zawadski.She leads her own trio, with John Crawford on piano, and Demi Garcia Sabat on drums, and band Melange.Shirley teaches Improvisation and Jazz at the Royal College of Music and City University, and is a visiting tutor for the National Youth Jazz Collective.https://www.shirleysmart.com/Giles Thornton:Giles is a composer/arranger based in London who has recently worked with as an arranger and musical supervisor for “Adventures In The American Songbook”, performed by postgraduate vocal studies students from the Guildhall School Of Music And Drama . He has also worked as in the music team for the Heritage Orchestra BBC Prom “New York: Sound Of A City”. Recently graduating from Guildhall School Of Music And Drama, studying Jazz Composition and Arranging, Giles released his debut big band album in July of last year. Giles' original compositions are influenced by Vince Mendoza, Maria Schneider, Gill Evans and Mike Walker, among others.He has performed in prestigious venues , such as The Royal Albert Hall, Sadler's Wells, LSO St Lukes, Milton Court Concert Hall and The Barbican Hall.Giles has worked with many artists, such as Jules Buckley, James McMillan, Liane Carroll and John Harle, among others.As well as being a composer/ arranger, Giles has also been a copyist for the ITV drama,”Cheat”, composed by Edmund Butt, and orchestrated by Julian Kershaw. Giles has also been a copyist for the upcoming Guildhall Studio Orchestra concert, “Jeremy Lubbock - A Life in Music”.Giles set up his Jazz Orchestra in January 2018, in order to record his debut big band album, “Be In Today”, and had a very successful launch at the Vortex Jazz Club, on July 4th 2017.https://www.gilesthorntonmusic.com/

Cheese, Wine And Creatives!
Tom Ridout: Vegan Cheese, and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Cheese, Wine And Creatives!

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2020 61:20


This Episode: We eat Vegan Cheese, drink wine and Talk about NYJO, Practice, Composition, our favourite ECM recording and our love for George Martin, among other things! Tom Ridout GIGS : Tristan Malliot Quartet (18th Feb- Olivers Jazz Bar, 20th Feb- Karamel)Patchwork Jazz Orchestra- (21st Feb)"Handel On Jazz"- (12th March- Aylesbury)NYJO Nonet- (15th March- Barnes Festival)Tom Ridout: Award winning saxophonist Tom Ridout was predicted by Jazzwise Magazine in 2012 as an upcoming jazz musician to watch out for. A finalist in the 2016 BBC Young Musician Jazz Award, recent graduate from the prestigious Royal Academy of Music, recent winner of the Lancaster Jazz Festival Youth Jazz Commission 2018 and a recent member of NYJO (the National Youth Jazz Orchestra), Tom is a prolific composer who fronts his own bands playing his original compositions.Tom has performed at many venues across the country including Ronnie Scotts (both with his own Quintet and NYJO), The 606, Barbican Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Buckingham Palace, Sage Theatre in Gateshead and many others. He is also on NYJO's latest album, ‘NYJO Fifty'.As an in demand saxophonist, performing with many different musicians and bands, recent highlights have included; various Clark Tracey ensembles, Patchwork Jazz orchestra tour and the ‘Tribute to Jon Hiseman' gig at Shepherds Bush Empire followed by the ‘In Memory of Jon Hiseman' gig in Hamburg, both with the iconic prog rock band Colosseum.In 2018 Tom released his debut album “No Excuses”, which features a 13 piece band including traditional jazz instrumentation with a string quartet and brass trio.The album had a fantastic launch at The Vortex Jazz Club, London to a sold out audience on Jan 2nd 2018 which was followed later in the year with a successful small tour of the country. Tracks from the album have been played on Jazz FM many times, as well as on The Jazz Report, TNGC Radio, Sennhesier Sunday Jazz Session and Radio 3's ‘Jazz Record Requests' and ‘Jazz Now' show accompanying an interview with Tom. The album has a 4 star review in allaboutjazz.com, and Tom was featured in a 3 page interview in Recorder magazine in the Dec 2017/Jan 2018 issue; “His debut album is a fantastic showcase of the versatility of his writing, ability and imagination”.Whilst at RAM, Tom studied with revered musicians such as Stan Sulzmann, Martin Speake, Iain Ballamy, Jean Toussaint and Gareth Lockrane, and through being at the Academy and in NYJO has had the opportunity to perform with the likes of Gregory Porter, Nikki Iles, Gwilym Simcock and Dave Holland.Tom has been the recipient of The Craig Ball Award, the Richard Turner Jazz Fund Award, Lancaster Jazz Festival Youth Commission and the Essentially Ellington Outstanding Soloist Award.Giles Thornton: Giles is a composer/arranger based in London who has recently worked with as an arranger and musical supervisor for “Adventures In The American Songbook”, performed by postgraduate vocal studies students from the Guildhall School Of Music And Drama . He has also worked as in the music team for the Heritage Orchestra BBC Prom “New York: Sound Of A City”. Recently graduating from Guildhall School Of Music And Drama, studying Jazz Composition and Arranging, Giles released his debut big band album, "Be In Today" in July 2018.Giles' original compositions are influenced by Vince Mendoza, Maria Schneider, Gill Evans and Mike Walker, among others.He has performed in prestigious venues , such as The Royal Albert Hall, Sadler's Wells, LSO St Lukes, Milton Court Concert Hall and The Barbican Hall.Giles has worked with many artists, such as Jules Buckley, James McMillan, Liane Carroll and Evan Jolly, among others.https://open.spotify.com/album/2EqLKK40CAJc1eZ8uwxrtZ?si=-4TSuIPKQlCc14zj3bAn6Q

Cheese, Wine And Creatives!
Louise Balkwill: Quicke Cheddar, Caws Cenarth, St Giles, and Non-Alcoholic Wine

Cheese, Wine And Creatives!

Play Episode Play 60 sec Highlight Listen Later Jan 31, 2020 46:26


Louise Balkwill: Quicke Cheddar, Caws Cenarth, St Giles, and Non-Alcoholic WineTHIS EPISODE: We talked about Louise's influences, her love of New Orleans and the "Sit-in" culture that stands there. We talk about our new healthy lifestyle, Mental health and the importance of great musical relationships, among other things!Louise Balkwill:Louise Balkwill is a jazz singer living and performing in London. She was born in Tooting and raised in Leicester by her hard working single mum of three, Vanessa, who encouraged and inspired her to pursue her interest in music from a very early age. Born into a family of musicians, Louise has never been short of inspiration and was raised as a multi instrumentalist before turning her interests to singing at the age of 16.Louise formed her first jazz ensemble at the age of 17 and later obtained a scholarship at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance."Totally bowled over by Louise Balkwill's incredible vocals and engaging stage presence"- Sarah Chaplin, Jazzwise Magazine, 2015Since moving to London in September 2012, Louise has had the pleasure of learning from and working with musicians such as Leroy Jones, Barry Harris, Pete Churchill, Trudy Kerr, Brigette Beraha, Malcolm Earle-Smith, Ofer Landsberg, Simon Purcell, Liane Carroll, Sophie Bancroft, Sara Colman, Barry Green, Tina May, Nia Lynn, Anita Wardell, Nick Weldon, Martin Speake and Phil Peskett.Louise has performed in top venues all over London, such as Pizza Express Jazz Club, Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club, 606 Club, The Archduke, Charlie Wright's and Oliver's Jazz Bar to name a few. In addition to her UK ventures, Louise has performed overseas and has won the hearts of audiences in New York, New Orleans, Japan and all over Europe alongside household names such as Kermit Ruffins, Leroy Jones and Michael Kanan. Louise collaborates with trumpet prodigy Tim Quicke, with whom she can be found singing and playing in venues in London and beyond. Currently, Louise directs and sings with The Old Jelly Rollers, a New Orleans style second line band that she founded in 2016 whilst in her final year of studies at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. The group maintain an exciting blog and education resource that illustrates their pilgrimage to New Orleans and features interviews with some of the most celebrated jazz musicians in the western world.https://www.louisebalkwill.com/https://theoldjellyrollers.com/ Giles Thornton:Giles is a composer/arranger based in London who has recently worked with as an arranger and musical supervisor for “Adventures In The American Songbook”, performed by postgraduate vocal studies students from the Guildhall School Of Music And Drama . He has also worked as in the music team for the Heritage Orchestra BBC Prom “New York: Sound Of A City”. Recently graduating from Guildhall School Of Music And Drama, studying Jazz Composition and Arranging, Giles released his debut big band album, "Be In Today" in July 2018. Giles' original compositions are influenced by Vince Mendoza, Maria Schneider, Gill Evans and Mike Walker, among others.He has performed in prestigious venues , such as The Royal Albert Hall, Sadler's Wells, LSO St Lukes, Milton Court Concert Hall and The Barbican Hall.Giles has worked with many artists, such as Jules Buckley, James McMillan, Liane Carroll and Evan Jolly, among others. https://www.gilesthorntonmusic.com/bio https://open.spotify.com/album/2EqLKK40CAJc1eZ8uwxrtZ?si=-4TSuIPKQlCc14zj3bAn6Q  

Learn With Us
Capturing Computer Audio on macOS - Devin Roth - Author of Black Hole and Movie Composer

Learn With Us

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2020 45:08


Canadian composer and programmer, Devin Roth, has contributed to the music for a number of noteworthy films and television shows including Guillermo del Toro’s Netflix series Trollhunters, Hotel Transylvania 2, The Book of Life, Crazy-Ex Girlfriend, and Emmy nominated Elf: Buddy’s Music Christmas (NBC). Devin has collaborated with multi-Oscar winning composer, Gustavo Santaolalla; composer and co-founder of Devo, Mark Mothersbaugh; Emmy nominated composer and orchestrator, Christopher Guardino; and Grammy nominated composer and orchestrator Tim Davies. As a programmer Devin is active on Github contributing to open source audio applications and works as a freelance audio programmer. Devin earned a Certificate of Film Scoring from University of California Los Angeles, Masters in Jazz Composition from New England Conservatory and Bachelors in Jazz Piano performance from McGill University. In this show we discuss these toolshttps://github.com/ExistentialAudio/BlackHolehttps://github.com/ExistentialAudio/SwiftOSC

The Nikhil Hogan Show
80: Isaac Raz

The Nikhil Hogan Show

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2019 60:44


Hey everyone welcome back to the Nikhil Hogan Show, the show interviewing the best musicians in the world and what a treat today, I'm so thrilled to introduce my guest, Pianist, Composer, Arranger, and Teacher, Isaac Raz! Isaac Raz holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Composition and Music Synthesis from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA, and is a recipient of the Duke Ellington Award. He received his Master of Arts in Teaching degree in Music Education from Lehman College, Bronx, NY, and is a recipient of the Joseph Dellicarri fund award. In 1993 he composed the musical score for the Emmy Award winning documentary film “Pioneer Women”. In 2000 Isaac worked with jazz record producer Teo Macero, playing keyboards and programming tracks for his “Impressions of Miles Davis” album featuring Vernon Reid, David Leibman, Lew Soloff, and Lincoln Goinnes. His arranging skills have been utilized on many pop music recordings, including Zomba Record's gold selling R&B artist Joe. Isaac continues to work as a composer, creating music for film, TV, and educational applications. His Jazz and pop groups have played throughout the US and abroad featuring his own compositions as well as popular music of all styles. In the NY Jazz scene, Isaac is an 8 year veteran of Barry Harris' weekly tuesday workshop and a great proponent of Barry Harris' method. He is the founder of Whole Music LLC, and runs a fast growing Youtube channel. ----- 2:07 What's your musical background? 3:06 Do you have Absolute or Perfect Pitch? 3:57 What was your development like in Berklee leading up to the Barry Harris workshop? 5:26 Are you talking about chord scales and modes? 6:47 What was your first day like in the Barry Harris masterclass? 8:25 Do you remember your first interaction with Barry Harris? 9:45 What happened in that 2nd year of going to the workshop? 10:39 Talking about Barry Harris's identity 12:02 Does he include hard bop in his style? 13:51 What about the criticism of Barry Harris that he's old fashioned? 16:28 On there being a whole more music left for people to write 17:34 The breakdown of the 6 hour masterclass and the improvisation section of the class 20:17 How should we break up Cherokee into scales? 22:09 What scales do we need? What kinds of minor do we need to learn? 23:21 What about the major and minor 6th diminished scales? 23:59 Is that the same as the bebop scale? 26:06 Is it used more for a scale outline or for theory and harmony? 26:48 How does he break up a tune with different line building materials? 30:47 On Barry Harris' method having close parallels with Partimento 31:26 Are you able to listen to the classic bebop recordings and break them down? 32:17 On the criticism that Barry Harris is a Bud Powell clone 33:17 The diminished genealogy and the 4 related dominants 35:29 Altering the diminished chord to get different chords 38:08 How would you use these chords out of the diminished chord? 40:13 Would you thrown in the Dominant Diminished scale with 2 bars of a dominant chord? 41:17 How do you use these scale of chords? 42:52 Taking Cherokee as an example 43:35 Talking about 6th chord rules 45:31 Is this a framework to looking at Harmony? 45:59 What does Barry Harris think of the hard bop pianists like Bobby Timmons and Sonny Clark? 47:25 Funny jive moment at the Barry Harris workshop 48:15 On Barry Harris' Big Band compositions 53:07 How do you get good at Jazz? 56:12 Talking about discovering Partimento 57:46 On Barry Harris being impressed by Partimento 59:32 Wrapping Up

The Nikhil Hogan Show
79: Michael Abene

The Nikhil Hogan Show

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2019 61:51


I'm so happy to introduce my guest today, GRAMMY Award-winning Composer, Arranger, Keyboardist and Record Producer, Michael Abene! In a prolific career spanning decades, Abene has worked with the biggest names in music. He produced the Grammy winning projects “Digital Duke” featuring the Duke Ellington Orchestra and “The GRP All-Star Big Band-All Blues.” He also produced the Grammy nominated “The GRP All-Star Big Band” and “The GRP All-Star Big Band Live” and received nominations in the arranging category for all three big band recordings. Michael was also nominated for his arrangement of “America” from “Dave Grusin Presents West Side Story.” Some artists Michael has arranged, composed and/or produced for are Maynard Ferguson, Maceo Parker, Take 6, Billy Cobham, Eddie Daniels, Bireli Lagrene, Chick Corea, Buddy Rich, Dick Oatts, Dizzy Gillespie, The Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, Dave Taylor, Patti Austin, The Metropole Jazz Orchestra, The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, New York Voices, Ronnie Cuber, UMO Jazz Orchestra (Helsinki), Jazz Big Band Graz and the BBC Big Band. In 2008, Abene arranged produced and conducted the music for singer Patti Austin's album “Avant Gershwin”, celebrating the music of George and Ira Gershwin and picked up his first GRAMMY award for best Jazz Vocal album. From 2004-2014, Abene was the chief composer and arranger for the WDR big band of Cologne, Germany. He is the author of the book “Jazz Composition and Arranging in the Digital Age”, a book co-authored with Richard Sussman and published by Oxford University Press. ----- 2:24 Family background 3:20 Do you have perfect or absolute pitch? 3:29 What records did you grow up listening to? 4:26 Self-teaching sight-reading 5:05 Band experiences as a youth 7:19 Did you have any mentors? 8:25 What sort of advice would they give to you? 9:22 Did you have a sound you wanted to copy or did you strive early on for an original sound? 11:04 Did you see a lot of live music growing up? 13:15 Did you visit NYC to watch the music scene there? 13:51 Describe a vivid musical experience that was formative to your development 15:22 On replacing Jaki Byard in the Maynard Ferguson Band 16:46 On not being happy with the recordings except for the “Blues Roar” 18:22 Was there a compulsion to be a modernist in the 60's? 19:59 How did you self teach yourself harmony? 21:16 Would you test out your arrangements on the piano? 22:39 On transposed scores 25:09 What is the Michael Abene arranging process? 27:08 How do you grapple with form? 28:39 On integrating great players into your arrangements 30:34 How do you determine if something swings? 31:39 On Drums and the Rhythm section 33:36 What are the common mistakes for new arrangers in the modern age? 36:27 How do you get a Big Band to get the flexibility of a small group like Bill Holman? 39:18 How have you grown as arranger vs 10-20 years ago? 40:37 What is your compositional process? 42:40 Odyssey for Brass 45:20 On Orchestration 46:48 PFP, a Piece for Paquito 48:54 How would you balance an arrangement and a virtuoso player? 51:10 Avant Gershwin 52:24 How long did it take to put all those arrangements together? 54:00 Top 3 Trumpet Players 54:27 Top 3 Saxophone Players 54:46 Top 3 Drummers 54:58 Top 3 Guitar Players 55:05 Top 3 Keyboard/Piano Players 55:34 Top 3 Big Bands 55:51 Top 3 Big Band Arrangers 55:59 Top 3 Classical Composers 56:12 Top 3 Jazz Composers 56:38 Who are some arrangers who are not popularly known but should be known 57:29 Favorite instrument or section to write for? 57:37 Biggest regret in music and proudest musical moment 57:58 If you could work with anyone in history, who would it be? 58:32 What 3 albums should new listeners of yours check out? 59:29 Best advice for a new arranger 1:00:31 Wrapping Up

Bernie's Bootlegs Podcast
#20 — Steven Feifke: The Role Composing & Arranging Plays in Discovering Yourself as an Artist

Bernie's Bootlegs Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2019 39:10


In today’s episode, we’re speaking with pianist, composer, and arranger Steven Feifke. We discuss his early years, how he taught himself to arrange, what inspires him, his process for composing, and much more. The podcast is also available on YouTube in video format: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyzMfV8D7-eFEhbkamrqfobbP-_TIJyzISupport the Podcast: https://berniesbootlegs.com/supportConnect with Steven:Website: http://www.stevenfeifkemusic.com/aboutInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevenfeifke/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StevenFeifkeMusicConnect with Bernie's Bootlegs:Website: http://berniesbootlegs.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berniesbootlegsFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/berniesbootlegsTwitter: https://twitter.com/berniesbootlegsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/berniesbootlegs1Email: berniesbootlegs@gmail.comAppended biography, courtesy of StevenFeifkeMusic.com:"Steven Feifke is a prolific pianist, bandleader, composer and educator who has become a fixture on the New York scene. A regular at key venues including The Blue Note, Smalls, and Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, he also frequently works as a musical director, conductor, orchestrator and arranger and maintains his own big band, septet, and trio. His orchestrations for chamber ensemble, big band, and orchestra can be heard on numerous albums by artists like Veronica Swift, Santino Fontana, and Ulysses Owens Jr. Feifke has also written original works for television and film media, and his music can be heard on the hit Netflix TV show "Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee," produced by comedian Jerry Seinfeld. He holds a Bachelors Degree in Jazz Studies and a Minor in Economics from New York University (2013), along with a Masters Degree in Jazz Composition from Manhattan School Of Music (2018). Feifke serves on faculty at The New School in New York City, where he teaches private composition and arranging. His debut record is "Peace In Time," released independently in 2015."Support the show (http://berniesbootlegs.com/support)

VJC Q&T
Q&T with Pam Morita – Music and Love and Working on Ourselves

VJC Q&T

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2019 44:55


VJC Q&T podcast host Russell Schmidt has known jazz pianist, vocalist, composer, educator Pam Morita (The Nash Futures Workshop, Paradise Valley Community College) for more than a decade. Pam is the former Director of CityJazz (an outreach of Phoenix Center for the Arts) and currently leads the Nash Futures Workshop in downtown Phoenix. Additionally, she is on the faculty at Paradise Valley Community College.Just over a month ago, Pam sat down with Russ to discuss her initial transition from classical piano student to a working jazz musician, why she has been particularly motivated to work with music students at the beginning of their jazz journeys, and even how a more optimistic worldview has allowed her to find beauty in some interesting places.Learn more about Pamela Morita here: https://pamelamorita.wixsite.com/jazzLearn more about her innovative educational program, The Nash Futures Workshop, here: https://thenash.org/education/the-nash-futures-workshop/Learn more about some of the people, places, pieces, and concepts mentioned in the podcast here:J. S. Bach – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Sebastian_BachCount Basie – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count_BasieTony Bennett (performing artist) – https://tonybennett.com/music.phpTony Bennett (visual artist) – https://www.tonybennett.com/arts.phpMiles Davis (performing artist) – https://www.milesdavis.com/albumsMiles Davis (visual artist) – https://www.milesdavis.com/gallery/miles-artwork/Claude Debussy – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claude_DebussyMichael Kocour – http://www.michaelkocour.com/Paul-Eirik Melhus (on SoundCloud) – https://soundcloud.com/paul-eirikmelhusMulgrew Miller – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mulgrew_MillerMulgrew Miller (improvisation-as-language video) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyRGB_x7VSgLucas Pino – https://www.lucaspino.com/Maurice Ravel – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maurice_RavelDiana Ross – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_RossDennis Rowland – https://www.dennisrowland.com/George Shearing – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_ShearingMiyoshi Umeki – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miyoshi_UmekiJoe Williams – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Williams_(jazz_singer)Oprah Winfrey – http://www.oprah.com/index.htmlAc-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive (song) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate_the_PositiveThe Courtship of Eddie’s Father (series) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Courtship_of_Eddie%27s_FatherCrazy Rich Asians (film) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crazy_Rich_Asians_(film)Every Day I Have the Blues (song) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Every_Day_I_Have_the_BluesThe Nash – https://thenash.org/Paradise Valley Community College Music Department – https://www.paradisevalley.edu/musicRelocation/Internment Camps – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internment_of_Japanese_AmericansTempo rubato – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tempo_rubatoUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign School of Music – https://music.illinois.edu/Thanks for listening!PLEASE SUBSCRIBE & RATE THIS EPISODE!Website: https://www.valleyjazz.org/Social Media (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/ValleyJazzCooperative/About The Host: Pianist/composer/educator Russell Schmidt has performed with such celebrated artists as Carl Allen, Michael Brecker, Eddie Daniels, Joe Lovano, Gerry Mulligan, Lucas Pino, Arturo Sandoval, and Clark Terry. Among his recordings as a leader are Anachromysticism (2012), which highlights Russell’s wide-ranging efforts as a jazz composer, Jazz Triptych, Volume I – The Sacred (2018), a collection of hymns and spirituals reimagined in the jazz language, and his most recent recording, the companion album Jazz Triptych, Volume II – The Secular (2019).After a distinguished career in academia, Russell joined Music Serving The Word in June 2014 as Coordinator of Education, founding MSW’s Valley Jazz Cooperative program in 2016. Previously, he served as Director of Jazz Studies at Bowling Green State University and the University of Utah. He was also a member of the Eastman School of Music jazz faculty, where he co-conducted the Eastman Studio Orchestra. A student of Rayburn Wright, Russell holds two degrees from Eastman.Find music from VJC Q&T host Russell Schmidt here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuao1b7Ztc7JNpUTzyorXDQ?The Questions & Tangents podcast is produced by Caleb Kilian for the Valley Jazz Cooperative, an outreach of MSW Ministries, a 501(c)(3) organization.

Thriving Musician Podcast
Ep. 39: World-Class Composer Fills His Plate With Pragmatism

Thriving Musician Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2019 113:45


Richard DeRosa received a Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Composition in 2015 for his big band composition “Neil”. He is a tenured full professor and Director of Jazz Composition and Arranging at the University of North Texas. Mr. DeRosa’s most recent project was Joey Alexander with Strings where he served as conductor and arranger. The concerts premiered at Jazz at Lincoln Center in October 2018. Since 2012 he has conducted and arranged music for the West Deutsche Rundfunk (WDR) Big Band in Cologne, Germany, and served as its chief conductor from 2014 – 2016. Amongst those projects, Mr. DeRosa arranged and conducted the music of featured legendary jazz bassist Ron Carter on the CD recording My Personal Songbook (2015) and the CD Rediscovered Ellington (2017) that features Garry Dial and Dick Oatts. Together they created unique and modern arrangements of rare and unheard tunes by the Duke. Other projects with world-renowned artists with Patti Austin, Kurt Elling, Joshua Redman, Stefon Harris, the New York Voices, Richie Beirach and Gregor Huebner, Marvin Stamm and Bill Mays, Ola Onabulé, and Warren Vaché. Since 2001, Mr. DeRosa has arranged and conducted music for Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra featuring Renée Fleming, Norah Jones, Willie Nelson, Annie Ross, Abbey Lincoln, and Toots Thielemans among others. In 2005 he was a featured arranger for the Wynton With Strings concert. In November 2013, DeRosa contributed eight arrangements for Stephen Sondheim’s A Bed and a Chair: A New York Love Affair starring Bernadette Peters and premiered by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. His most recent project for the JLCO was Bernstein at 100. Other commissioned arrangements have been recorded by the Mel Lewis, Gerry Mulligan, and Glenn Miller big bands, vocalist Susannah McCorkle, rising trumpet star Dominick Farinacci and acclaimed solo violinist Anne Akiko Meyers. Commissioned arrangements for orchestra include the Kansas City Symphony, the Houston Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the New York Pops, the Portland Maine Pops, the Czech National Symphony, the Metropole Orchestra, and the Swedish Television and Radio Orchestra. His publications for public school jazz ensembles are available through Alfred Music (Belwin Jazz), Smart Chart Music, J.W. Pepper, Barnhouse Music, while several of his works for professional bands are available through Sierra Music. Mr. DeRosa remains active as an adjudicator and clinician for school programs and music festivals. Thanks for listening and keep thriving! Mastering The One-Person Business Course: bit.ly/MasteringTheOnePersonBusiness Show notes: www.SpenserLiszt.com/blog/TMP39 4 Simple Steps to Save an Emergency Fund (FREE PDF Download): www.SpenserLiszt.com/EmergencyFund Join the Thriving Musicians closed Facebook group: www.Facebook.com/groups/ThrivingMusician Email questions, comments or nominate a Thriving Musician to spenser@spenserliszt.com Follow Spenser online: Facebook: www.Facebook.com/SpenserLiszt Twitter: www.Twitter.com/SpenserLiszt Instagram: www.Instagram.com/SpenserLiszt

VJC Q&T
Q&T&T with Tito Carrillo & Paul Ferguson – The Back-to-School Edition

VJC Q&T

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2019 41:36


In this special Jazz Educators Panel episode, focusing on subjects of specific interest to music teachers and their students, VJC Q&T podcast host Russell Schmidt shared questions and tangents with artist-teachers Tito Carrillo (Associate Professor of Jazz Trumpet at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) and Paul Ferguson (Director of Jazz Studies at Case Western Reserve University).Shortly after the 2019 Highland/ASU Jazz Festival (at which Tito served as an adjudicator, clinician, and performer), they got together to discuss preferred pedagogical approaches and examine trends and tendencies found with their current students. Among the topics considered: the differences between a practice mindset and a performance mindset, the educational benefits of free improvisation, and even the value of a more tactile learning experience.Learn more about Tito Carrillo here: https://music.illinois.edu/faculty/tito-carrilloLearn more about Paul Ferguson here: http://paulfergusonmusic.com/Learn more about some of the artists mentioned in the podcast here:Count Basie – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Count_BasieWayne Bergeron – https://www.waynebergeron.com/Bob Brookmeyer – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_BrookmeyerMiles Davis – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miles_DavisSammy Davis, Jr. – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sammy_Davis_JrDuke Ellington – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_EllingtonQuincy Jones – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quincy_JonesThad Jones – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thad_JonesJoe Lovano – http://www.joelovano.com/Wynton Marsalis – https://wyntonmarsalis.org/Sammy Nestico – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sammy_NesticoBuddy Rich – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddy_RichMaria Schneider – https://www.mariaschneider.com/Wayne Shorter – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_ShorterHorace Silver – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horace_SilverThanks for listening!PLEASE SUBSCRIBE & RATE THIS EPISODE!Website:https://www.valleyjazz.org/Social Media (Facebook):https://www.facebook.com/ValleyJazzCooperative/About The Host:Pianist/composer/educator Russell Schmidt has performed with such celebrated artists as Carl Allen, Michael Brecker, Eddie Daniels, Joe Lovano, Gerry Mulligan, Lucas Pino, Arturo Sandoval, and Clark Terry. Among his recordings as a leader are Anachromysticism (2012), which highlights Russell’s wide-ranging efforts as a jazz composer, Jazz Triptych, Volume I – The Sacred (2018), a collection of hymns and spirituals reimagined in the jazz language, and his most recent recording, the companion album Jazz Triptych, Volume II – The Secular (2019).After a distinguished career in academia, Russell joined Music Serving The Word in June 2014 as Coordinator of Education, founding MSW’s Valley Jazz Cooperative program in 2016. Previously, he served as Director of Jazz Studies at Bowling Green State University and the University of Utah. He was also a member of the Eastman School of Music jazz faculty, where he co-conducted the Eastman Studio Orchestra. A student of Rayburn Wright, Russell holds two degrees from Eastman.Find music from VJC Q&T host Russell Schmidt here:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuao1b7Ztc7JNpUTzyorXDQ?The Questions & Tangents podcast is produced by Caleb Kilian for the Valley Jazz Cooperative, an outreach of MSW Ministries, a 501(c)(3) organization.

VJC Q&T
Q&T with Michael Kocour (Part II) – Dancer, Interrupted

VJC Q&T

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2019 47:53


VJC Q&T podcast host Russell Schmidt has known pianist/organist/composer Michael Kocour for more than a dozen years. A nationally-renown educator, Mike is the Director of Jazz Studies at Arizona State University. Additionally, he is a recording artist for Origin Records, releasing a solo piano album, East of the Sun, on that label’s OA2 imprint earlier this year. In early summer, Mike sat down with Russ to partake in spirited, engaging discussions on jazz, music education, and the nature of creativity. In this second of two podcasts together, they discussed the sometimes-random nature in discovering one’s passions and influences, the deeper truths revealed on vinyl records, and even the lengthy path to be travelled just to join a school’s “stage band”. Learn more about Michael Kocour here: http://www.michaelkocour.com/ https://herbergerinstitute.asu.edu/profile/michael-kocour Listen to Michael Kocour (solo piano) perform his composition Winter’s Spell here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3ceKy9Y0aU Listen to Michael Kocour (organ quartet) perform his composition Chunky here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SXXrTByxyI&list=OLAK5uy_nftb9Vv4HNX37Li27g2dv1_aiCC6ItNHw Purchase Michael Kocour’s recordings for the Origin Records/OA2 label here: http://originarts.com/oa2/artists/artist.php?Artist_ID=138 Learn more about some of the artists, authors, venues, and recurring sitcom characters mentioned in the podcast here: Jamey Aebersold – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamey_Aebersold Michael Brecker – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Brecker Tina Brooks – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tina_Brooks Jerry Coker – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Coker Chick Corea – http://chickcorea.com/ Joe Daley – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Daley_(musician) Keith Emerson – https://www.keithemerson.com/ Bill Evans – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Evans Joel Frahm – https://joelfrahm.com/ Benny Golson – https://www.bennygolson.com/ Herbie Hancock – https://www.herbiehancock.com/ Alfred Hitchcock – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Hitchcock Scott Joplin – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Joplin Wynton Kelly – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wynton_Kelly Gladys Kravitz – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Bewitched_characters#Gladys_Kravitz Brad Mehldau – https://www.bradmehldau.com/ Roger Miller – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Miller Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_Amadeus_Mozart Lewis Nash – https://www.lewisnash.com/ Herbie Nichols – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbie_Nichols Oscar Peterson – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Peterson Clarke Rigsby – https://tempestrecording.com/ Antonio Salieri – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Salieri David Sax – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Sax Craig Taborn – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Taborn McCoy Tyner – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCoy_Tyner Rayburn Wright – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rayburn_Wright The Nash – https://thenash.org/ Thanks for listening! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE & RATE THIS EPISODE! Website: https://www.valleyjazz.org/ Social Media (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/ValleyJazzCooperative/ About The Host: Pianist/composer/educator Russell Schmidt has performed with such celebrated artists as Carl Allen, Michael Brecker, Eddie Daniels, Joe Lovano, Gerry Mulligan, Lucas Pino, Arturo Sandoval, and Clark Terry. Among his recordings as a leader are Anachromysticism (2012), which highlights Russell’s wide-ranging efforts as a jazz composer, Jazz Triptych, Volume I – The Sacred (2018), a collection of hymns and spirituals reimagined in the jazz language, and his most recent recording, the companion album Jazz Triptych, Volume II – The Secular (2019). After a distinguished career in academia, Russell joined Music Serving The Word in June 2014 as Coordinator of Education, founding MSW’s Valley Jazz Cooperative program in 2016. Previously, he served as Director of Jazz Studies at Bowling Green State University and the University of Utah. He was also a member of the Eastman School of Music jazz faculty, where he co-conducted the Eastman Studio Orchestra. A student of Rayburn Wright, Russell holds two degrees from Eastman. Find music from VJC Q&T host Russell Schmidt here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuao1b7Ztc7JNpUTzyorXDQ? The Questions & Tangents podcast is produced by Caleb Kilian for the Valley Jazz Cooperative, an outreach of MSW Ministries, a 501(c)(3) organization.

Wake Up Hollywood
Mariel Austin

Wake Up Hollywood

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2019 55:00


At age seven, Mariel Austin began learning many musical styles and genres through the San Francisco Girls Chorus. After starting trombone lessons at age thirteen, she wrote pieces for her jazz combo at Berkeley High School, where she graduated from in 2007. Thereafter, she studied Jazz Performance at California State University, Northridge, where she composed for the school’s Jazz “A” Band and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in 2011. In 2015, Mariel graduated from New England Conservatory with a Master’s Degree in Jazz Composition. In that same year she was selected by the New York Youth Symphony to compose a commissioned piece, which was premiered at Jazz at Lincoln Center in March of 2016. Mariel is the most recent recipient of the Phoebe Jacobs Award, presented by the ASCAP Foundation. She has premiered her songs and compositions at venues around the country and has appeared on live television shows, including American Idol, The Voice, NBC’s Hollywood Game Night and EstrellaTV’s Noches Con Platanito. In 2016 Mariel recorded her first album, “Runner in the Rain,” featuring her big band compositions and arrangements. It was released in 2018.

VJC Q&T
Q&T with Michael Kocour (Part I) – São Paulo, Sapporo, Chicago

VJC Q&T

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2019 42:53


VJC Q&T podcast host Russell Schmidt (Director, Valley Jazz Cooperative) has known pianist/organist/composer Michael Kocour for more than a dozen years. A nationally-renown educator, Mike is the Director of Jazz Studies at Arizona State University. Additionally, he is a recording artist for Origin Records, releasing a solo piano album, East of the Sun, on that label’s OA2 imprint earlier this year. In early summer, Mike sat down with Russ to record a Q&T podcast. Their far-ranging discussion was engaging and abundant, so much so that the conversation has been split into two separate podcasts, the second of which will be made available later. But in this, the first of two podcasts together, Mike and Russ addressed the potential dangers a sabbatical can bring, talked about an unlikely mentor for the study of Brazilian music, and even found a point at which Oscar Peterson and Johnny Costa intersect. Learn more about Michael Kocour here: http://www.michaelkocour.com/ https://herbergerinstitute.asu.edu/profile/michael-kocour Listen to Michael Kocour (solo piano) perform his composition Winter’s Spell here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3ceKy9Y0aU Listen to Michael Kocour (organ quartet) perform his composition Chunky here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SXXrTByxyI&list=OLAK5uy_nftb9Vv4HNX37Li27g2dv1_aiCC6ItNHw Purchase Michael Kocour’s recordings for the Origin Records/OA2 label here: http://originarts.com/oa2/artists/artist.php?Artist_ID=138 Learn more about some of the artists and/or concepts mentioned in the podcast here: John Campbell – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Campbell_(jazz_pianist) Tony Caramia – https://www.esm.rochester.edu/faculty/caramia_tony/ Johnny Costa – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Costa Joe Daley – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Daley_(musician) Bill Evans – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Evans Red Garland – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Garland Don Grolnick – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Grolnick Ian Hobson – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Hobson Toninho Horta – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toninho_Horta Antonio Carlos Jôbim – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant%C3%B4nio_Carlos_Jobim Wynton Kelly – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wynton_Kelly Jim McNeely – https://www.jim-mcneely.com/ Nicole Pesce – http://www.nicolepesce.com/ Oscar Peterson – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Peterson Bud Powell – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bud_Powell Marlene Rosenberg – https://www.marlenemusic.com/ Akio Sasajima – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akio_Sasajima Wayne Shorter – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayne_Shorter Art Tatum – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Tatum McCoy Tyner – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McCoy_Tyner Rayburn Wright – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rayburn_Wright Schillinger System (or Schillinger Method) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schillinger_System Learn more about the Valley Jazz Cooperative and VJC Q&T host Russell Schmidt here: https://www.valleyjazz.org/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuao1b7Ztc7JNpUTzyorXDQ? Thanks for listening! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE & RATE THIS EPISODE! Website: Link - valleyjazz.org Social Media: Facebook - @ValleyJazzCooperative New Here? Pianist/composer/educator Russell Schmidt has performed with such celebrated artists as Carl Allen, Michael Brecker, Eddie Daniels, Joe Lovano, Gerry Mulligan, Lucas Pino, Arturo Sandoval, and Clark Terry. He has also served as a keyboard soloist with more than 30 professional orchestras, including performances with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center and the San Francisco Symphony. Among his recordings as a leader are Anachromysticism (2012), which highlights Russell’s wide-ranging efforts as a jazz composer, Jazz Triptych, Volume I – The Sacred (2018), a collection of hymns and spirituals reimagined in the jazz language, and his most recent recording, the companion album Jazz Triptych, Volume II – The Secular (2019). After a distinguished career in academia, Russell joined Music Serving The Word in June 2014 as Coordinator of Education, founding MSW’s Valley Jazz Cooperative program in 2016. Previously, he served as Director of Jazz Studies at Bowling Green State University and the University of Utah. He also held faculty appointments at Northern Arizona University, the University of North Carolina–Asheville, and the Eastman School of Music, where he co-conducted the Eastman Studio Orchestra. A student of Rayburn Wright, Russell holds two degrees from Eastman. The Questions & Tangents podcast is produced by Caleb Kilian for the Valley Jazz Cooperative, an outreach of MSW Ministries, a 501(c)(3) organization.

VJC Q&T
Q&T with Paul Ferguson: God, Football, and Country (in whatever order…)

VJC Q&T

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2019 41:24


VJC Q&T podcast host Russell Schmidt (Director, Valley Jazz Cooperative) has known jazz composer/arranger/educator/trombonist Paul Ferguson for 35 years and has recorded with him off and on for the past two decades. Paul is the Director of Jazz Studies at Case Western Reserve University. He is also the Artistic Director of the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, one of the leading professional big bands in the Midwest. Paul is a nationally-renown writer for large and small jazz ensembles, and is a former recipient of the Gil Evans Fellowship in Jazz Composition. In the midst of performing a series of concerts together in Arizona in mid-April 2019, Paul sat down with Russ to record a Questions and Tangents podcast. (Paul also recorded a second podcast, joined by trumpeter Tito Carrillo, which will be released at a later date.) Their free-flowing discussion encompassed the emotional heft of musical memory, the serendipity of finding the right teacher at the right time, and even consideration of the overriding cultural ethos permeating northeast Ohio. Learn more about Paul Ferguson here: http://www.clevelandjazz.org/About/Meet-the-Orchestra/Name-of-Person https://music.case.edu/faculty/paul-ferguson/ http://paulfergusonmusic.com/ Listen to the Paul Ferguson Jazz Orchestra perform his composition Fortune Teller here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS9BPgIpYHA&list=PLeGvpurj2XRDNOYHKUfBosheV9tpN8DPD&index=10&t=0s Purchase Paul Ferguson’s Encounter recording here: https://www.amazon.com/Encounter-Paul-Ferguson/dp/B00NR85C9G/ref=sr_1_6?qid=1558478876&refinements=p_32%3APaul+Ferguson&s=music&sr=1-6 Learn more about some of the artists and/or 19th century German philosophers mentioned in the podcast here: Bill Dobbins – http://sonsofsound.com/artist/bill-dobbins/ J.J. Johnson – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._J._Johnson Sergei Rachmaninoff – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SergeiRachmaninoff Jack Schantz – http://www.clevelandjazz.org/About/Meet-the-Orchestra/Jack-Schantz Maria Schneider – https://www.mariaschneider.com/ Arthur Schopenhauer – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ArthurSchopenhauer Gunther Schuller – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GuntherSchuller Igor Stravinsky – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IgorStravinsky Billy Strayhorn – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BillyStrayhorn Bill Watrous – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BillWatrous Rayburn Wright – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RayburnWright Lyric Opera of Chicago – https://www.lyricopera.org/ Porgy and Bess (review of 2014 LOC production) – https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-lyric-opera-chicago-porgy-bess-review-20141118-column.html Learn more about the Valley Jazz Cooperative here: https://www.valleyjazz.org/ Listen to music by VJC Q&T host Russell Schmidt here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuao1b7Ztc7JNpUTzyorXDQ? Purchase recordings by Russell Schmidt here: https://www.amazon.com/Russell-Schmidt/e/B001LHCGMG/digital/ref=ntt_mp3_rdr?_encoding=UTF8&sn=d Thanks for listening! PLEASE SUBSCRIBE & RATE THIS EPISODE! Website: Link - valleyjazz.org Social Media: Facebook - @ValleyJazzCooperative New Here? Pianist/composer/educator Russell Schmidt has performed with such celebrated artists as Carl Allen, Michael Brecker, Eddie Daniels, Joe Lovano, Gerry Mulligan, Lucas Pino, Arturo Sandoval, and Clark Terry. He has also served as a keyboard soloist with more than 30 professional orchestras, including performances with the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center and the San Francisco Symphony. Among his recordings as a leader are Anachromysticism (2012), which highlights Russell’s wide-ranging efforts as a jazz composer, Jazz Triptych, Volume I – The Sacred (2018), a collection of hymns and spirituals reimagined in the jazz language, and his most recent recording, the companion album Jazz Triptych, Volume II – The Secular (2019). After a distinguished career in academia, Russell joined Music Serving The Word in June 2014 as Coordinator of Education, founding MSW’s Valley Jazz Cooperative program in 2016. Previously, he served as Director of Jazz Studies at Bowling Green State University and the University of Utah. He also held faculty appointments at Northern Arizona University, the University of North Carolina–Asheville, and the Eastman School of Music, where he co-conducted the Eastman Studio Orchestra. A student of Rayburn Wright, Russell holds two degrees from Eastman. The Questions & Tangents podcast is produced by Caleb Kilian for the Valley Jazz Cooperative, an outreach of MSW Ministries, a 501(c)(3) organization.

Everything Band Podcast
Episode 109 - Omar Thomas

Everything Band Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2019 47:18


Composer Omar Thomas is one of the brightest new talents in the band community, using his jazz background to write powerful works with a social conscience. Topics: Omar’s background in his high school music program and a young trombonist and why he doesn’t remember his high school cafeteria. Some tips for teaching jazz and some advice for teaching the language of swing. The story about how Omar was commissioned to write his first large scale work for wind ensemble (“Of our New Day Begun”) to honor the victims of the shooting a the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. “When does an opportunity present itself when you’re ready? The answer is never.” Omar’s position at the Peabody Conservatory and the lessons that musicians can take from dancers. Links: Omar Thomas Thomas: Of Our New Day Begun Thomas: Come Sunday Thomas: A Mother of a Revolution! Maria Schneider Anita Baker Biography: Described as "elegant, beautiful, sophisticated, intense, and crystal clear in emotional intent," the music of Omar Thomas continues to move listeners everywhere it is performed. Born to Guyanese parents in Brooklyn, New York in 1984, Omar moved to Boston in 2006 to pursue a Master of Music in Jazz Composition at the New England Conservatory of Music. He is the protégé of lauded composers and educators Ken Schaphorst and Frank Carlberg, and has studied under multiple Grammy-winning composer and bandleader Maria Schneider. Hailed by Herbie Hancock as showing "great promise as a new voice in the further development of jazz in the future," educator, arranger, and award-winning composer Omar Thomas has created music extensively in the contemporary jazz ensemble idiom. It was while completing his Master of Music Degree that he was appointed the position of Assistant Professor of Harmony at Berklee College of Music at the surprisingly young age of 23. He was awarded the ASCAP Young Jazz Composers Award in 2008, and invited by the ASCAP Association to perform his music in their highly exclusive JaZzCap Showcase, held in New York City. In 2012, Omar was named the Boston Music Award's "Jazz Artist of the Year." He is currently on faculty in the Music Theory department at The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Omar's music has been performed in concert halls the world over. He has been commissioned to create works in both jazz and classical styles. His work has been performed by such diverse groups as the Eastman New Jazz Ensemble, the San Francisco and Boston Gay Mens' Choruses, and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, in addition to a number of the country's top collegiate music ensembles. Omar has had a number of celebrated singers perform over his arrangements, including Stephanie Mills, Yolanda Adams, Nona Hendryx, BeBe Winans, Kenny Lattimore, Marsha Ambrosius, Sheila E., Raul Midon, Leela James, Dionne Warwick, and Chaka Khan. His work is featured on Dianne Reeves's Grammy Award-winning album, "Beautiful Life." Omar's first album, "I AM," debuted at #1 on iTunes Jazz Charts and peaked at #13 on the Billboard Traditional Jazz Albums Chart. His second release, " We Will Know: An LGBT Civil Rigths Piece in Four Movements," has been hailed by Grammy Award-wining drummer, composer, and producer Terri Lyne Carrington as being a "thought provoking, multi-layered masterpiece" which has "put him in the esteemed category of great artists." "We Will Know" was awarded two OUTMusic Awards, including "Album of the Year." For this work, Omar was named the 2014 Lavender Rhino Award recipient by The History Project, acknowledging his work as an up-and-coming activist in the Boston LGBTQ community. Says Terri Lyne: "Omar Thomas will prove to be one of the more important composer/arrangers of his time."

Musicians On The Record
Henrique De Almeida On The Record (MOTR #19)

Musicians On The Record

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2019 52:53


Henrique De Almeida is an Associate Professor at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Professor De Almeida holds a Masters Degree in Music Performance from The University of Southern Mississippi. He is a graduate of The Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA., and graduated in Jazz Composition. Join us as we learn this incredible educator, author, and musician’s story. To learn more about Henrique, visit www.TheDrumSetCoach.com   Thanks for listening! The MOTR Show is the audio podcast for Musicians On The Record with David Ward.  Subscribe now to be updated on the latest episodes! See the MOTR Music and Tech Gear I Use and Recommend.   http://bit.ly/MOTRGear You can also watch all our interviews on our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/c/MusiciansOnTheRecord?sub_confirmation=1 and our website at www.MusiciansOnTheRecord.com See More MOTR! -On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MusiciansOnTheRecord/ -On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/MusiciansOnTheRecord?sub_confirmation=1 -On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musiciansontherecord/ -On Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidwardMOTR -On the Web: www.MusiciansOnTheRecord.com See all my drum covers on my Dave Damage Drums YouTube channel  http://bit.ly/DaveDamageDrums Never miss another MOTR Interview again!  Sign up for our free newsletter at http://bit.ly/MOTRNewsletter   ************************************** Music: http://www.purple-planet.com    

AirCampus Graz
Time to say Goodbye

AirCampus Graz

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2018


After seven years as chair for Jazz Composition and Arrangements at KUG Jazz Institute, the renowned pianist, composer and arranger Michael Abene says good-bye to Graz with a concert tonight at WIST. Der Beitrag Time to say Goodbye erschien zuerst auf AirCampus.

Pete's Percussion Podcast - Pete Zambito
Pete's Percussion Podcast: Episode 101 - Andrés Espinoza

Pete's Percussion Podcast - Pete Zambito

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2018


University of La Verne (CA) Music History and Percussion Professor Andrés Espinoza talks about his current teaching and performing activities (01:40), being considered Latinx upon arriving in the U.S.A. (11:45), his dissertation on Salsa Music (23:40), the 2016 PASIC Race Panel he participated in (30:20), his years as an adjunct teacher in New England (37:25), growing up in Chile and the arts and music scene there (48:00), doing his first undergrad degree in performance in Cuba (01:03:00), his second undergrad in Jazz Composition at Berklee (01:13:10), his Master’s in Jazz Studies in the United Kingdom (01:21:15), and takes the time for Random Ass Questions (01:28:20).Finishing with a Rave on the book Attempting Normal (01:40:15).Links:Andrés Espinoza's La Verne pageMatt HenryNeeraj MehtaMarvin Sparks, Jr.Michael TaylorAugusto Pinochet"Show Me Your Soul" - Red Hot Chili PeppersArgentine Rock"Cuando Pase El Temblor" - Soda Stereo"Rock Box" - Run D.M.C."Fight the Power" - Public EnemyChilean Hip Hop"El Juego Verdadero" - Tiro de Gracia"Contact" - The Police"Xiomara" - Irakere"Margaritaville" - Jimmy BuffetFitzcarraldo trailerDo the Right Thing trailerJohn CageRaves:Attempting Normal - Marc Maron

Hempresent
Use Of The Internet For Education And Organizing In Drug Policy Reform

Hempresent

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2018


Today on Hempresent David Borden joins our host Vivian Mcpeak. David Borden is founder and Executive Director of StoptheDrugWar.org. Borden played the leading role in pioneering use of the Internet for education and organizing in drug policy reform after founding DRCNet in late 1993. Borden oversaw the organization's work on the Higher Education Act Reform Campaign, an effort to repeal a federal law that denies students financial aid because of drug convictions, and has initiated programs including the John W. Perry Fund scholarship program and the Out from the Shadows international conference series. Borden has written over 160 editorials on drug policy, and publishes DRCNet's Prohibition in the Media blog. He earned an A.B. with honors in Astrophysical Sciences from Princeton University in 1988, and completed an M.M. in Jazz Composition from New England Conservatory in 1990. He is a native of Englewood, New Jersey, one of the first communities in the state to achieve racial integration in its school system. Borden is also a member of the Boards of Directors of Common Sense for Drug Policy and the Flex Your Rights Foundation, and of the Students for Sensible Drug Policy Council of Advisors.

Jewish Songwriter
1.5 | Noah Aronson - "Anneini"

Jewish Songwriter

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 15, 2018 22:13


My guest this week, NYC based Jewish Songwriter Noah Aronson talks about his song "Anneini." After earning a degree in Jazz Composition and Piano from Berklee College of Music, he held the position of Composer-in-Residence at Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley, MA where he produced 4 albums of Jewish communal music with his mentor Cantor Jodi Sufrin.  As a solo musician, Noah has released three full-length albums and songbooks entitled 'Am I Awake,' 'Left Side of the Page,' and his latest 'More Love' including his 4 member all Israeli-Berklee alumni band. Music from these albums are now sung in progressive communities and summer camps worldwide and has been included as part of the Cantorial curriculum at the Hebrew Union College's Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music in New York City.  Renowned for his unique and engaging style of prayer leadership, he had the distinct honor of leading over 5,000 people in Shabbat worship at the 2013 URJ Biennial in San Diego, CA.  Noah serves on the faculty of the annual Hava Nashira and Shabbat Shira workshops in Oconomowoc, WI and the Shirei Chaggiah workshop in London, England.  In 2015, Noah partnered with Behrman House, the largest distributor of Jewish educational materials, to create an innovative, music-based curriculum entitled Hebrew in Harmony. His music has also been featured on two compilations from the PJ Library series.  Noah lives in New York City and is currently serving as the Creative Director of Sacred Music NY, a non-profit organization that organizes concerts and events around New York City bringing together spiritual musicians from diverse backgrounds to inspire interfaith dialogue and social change. Noah's YouTube Page    Noah's Spotify    Noah's Facebook   Noah's Website

The Working Artist Project
Money Talk with Ian Duerr

The Working Artist Project

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2017 60:22


Ian Duerr was born July 10, 1981, in Waupaca, Wisconsin into a musical family. His parents and grandparents are still active performers. Ian began on guitar and between the ages of 6 and 7 was playing rock in his mother's band. In high school he played in a Jimi Hendrix cover band, Jimi being his first pro inspiration until he found jazz and Wes Montgomery. Ian studied jazz guitar at Cardinal Stritch University in Wisconsin and Jazz Composition at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music where he began to learn some piano as well. In 2005 he got a job as the pianist in a trio hired by Carnival Cruise Lines. This lasted through 2008. In 2009 Ian made up mind to try New York. A first he stayed at Jazz On Lenox, a youth hostel in Harlem for $13 a night. Then it came to sleeping on friends' floors. Finally, he hooked up with a trumpeter he had met on the scene and moved into the other's Brooklyn apartment. The rest is history Support this podcast

Lions of Liberty Network
Felony Friday 077 - David Borden Leads the Fight to End Drug Prohibition Worldwide

Lions of Liberty Network

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2017 44:44


Today on Felony Friday David Borden joins host John Odermatt to discuss his long fight to put an end to the global war on drugs. David is founder and executive director of StoptheDrugWar.org. David played the leading role in pioneering the use of the Internet for education and organizing in drug policy reform after founding DRCNet in 1993. Borden earned a degree with honors in Astrophysical Sciences from Princeton University in 1988, and completed a Master of Music in Jazz Composition from New England Conservatory in 1990. StoptheDrugWar.org works to end to drug prohibition worldwide, and an end to the “drug war” in its current form. The organization believes that much of the harm commonly attributed to “drugs” is really [...] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lions of Liberty Network
Felony Friday 077 - David Borden Leads the Fight to End Drug Prohibition Worldwide

Lions of Liberty Network

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2017 44:00


Today on Felony Friday David Borden joins host John Odermatt to discuss his long fight to put an end to the global war on drugs. David is founder and executive director of StoptheDrugWar.org. David played the leading role in pioneering the use of the Internet for education and organizing in drug policy reform after founding DRCNet in 1993. Borden earned a degree with honors in Astrophysical Sciences from Princeton University in 1988, and completed a Master of Music in Jazz Composition from New England Conservatory in 1990. StoptheDrugWar.org works to end to drug prohibition worldwide, and an end to the “drug war” in its current form. The organization believes that much of the harm commonly attributed to “drugs” is really [...]

Behind The Note Podcast
63: YouTube Marketing, Skype Lessons, & Composing For Major Brands

Behind The Note Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2017 34:08


NOTE: I mistakenly called this episode 62 throughout the episode. It is indeed episode 63. Jeff Schneider wants to share with you everything he knows about making music. His greatest fear is dying before uploading to the internet all of the things he’s learned over the past 20 years. Jeff hates the word talent. It downplays the power and necessity of hard work. It wasn’t until the summer after his freshman year in high school that Jeff showed any real promise or progress on the saxophone. It was in that summer that he started practicing eight hours a day, transposing Charlie Parker solos in all 12 keys. By the way, Charlie Parker practiced 15 hours a day. When he’s not making YouTube videos, Jeff teaches Skype lessons to people in time zones all over the world. It makes scheduling a welcomed challenge. He also composes music for film, television, and advertising with a client list that includes NASA, CNN, Google, Gatorade, Ferrari, and many more. Jeff is a DownBeat Magazine award winner and three-time recipient of the ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award. A graduate of New England Conservatory of Music (‘09), Jeff also holds a Master of Music degree in Jazz Composition and Arranging from UMASS Amherst (‘13). His teachers over the years include Jerry Bergonzi, George Garzone, Will Vinson, John McNeil, Bob Moses, and the late, great Charlie Banacos.

Seriously…
Laura Mvula's Miles Davis

Seriously…

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2017 30:24


Singer-songwriter and composer Laura Mvula meets jazz musicians Jason Yarde and Laura Jurd, and music broadcaster journalist Kevin Le Gendre, to discuss her musical inspiration, the visionary American jazz musician Miles Davis. 'He has always been and will always remain one of the greatest inspirations of my musical life. To me he was and is an icon, a pioneer, the unique innovator. He never held himself back - maybe that's what first attracted me to him and his sound'. Picking up on these opening remarks, and in the company of three contributors with contrasting perspectives on the man and his music, Mvula and her guests consider the impact and legacy of Miles Davis, a unique musician who repeatedly reinvented himself musically, and single-handedly shape-shifted the language of jazz, for nearly half a century. With glimpses of music from Miles Davis's vast discography, the programme paints a unique and personal portrait of one of the 20th century's greatest musical creators and iconclasts. Laura Mvula is one of the most exciting music talents to emerge in Britain in recent years. Growing up in Birmingham's Kings Heath to parents from Jamaica and St Kitts, Mvula cut her musical teeth singing in and directing local church and gospel choirs, and performing with soul group Judyshouse, before going on to Birmingham Conservatoire to study composition with, among others, composer Joe Cutler. After working as a music supply teacher in Birmingham schools, she sent demo recordings of her songs to record labels; the result has been spectacular international success that ranges from touring the world with her band, to composing for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Laura Mvula cites Miles Davis as one of her greatest influences - first urged by her father to watch documentaries about him, then given albums by a relative, her initial puzzlement grew into unbounded admiration for a black musician who refused utterly to be bounded by musical style or social position. His appetite for musical innovation and experiment, his dismissal of the idea of musical mistakes, his vision for successful creative collaboration - all of these characteristics and more combined to create a template for the sort of musician Laura Mvula has aspired to become. In this documentary feature, Laura sounds out her thoughts in the company of three guests, all of whom are equally great admirers of Miles Davis, but who approach him from different perspectives. Mvula's guests are: Kevin Le Gendre is a journalist and broadcaster with a special interest in black music. Deputy editor of Echoes, he contributes to a wide range of publications that include Jazzwise, MusicWeek, Vibrations and The Independent On Sunday and also appears as a commentator and critic on radio programmes such as BBC Radio 3's Jazz On 3 and BBC Radio 4's Front Row. Laura Jurd is a British award-winning trumpet player, composer and bandleader and BBC New Generation Jazz Artist for 2015-2017. Highly active throughout the UK scene, Laura has developed a formidable reputation as one of the most creative young musicians to emerge from the UK in recent years. In 2015 Laura received the Parliamentary Jazz Award for 'Instrumentalist of the Year' and in the past has been shortlisted for a BASCA British Composer Award, received the Dankworth Prize for Jazz Composition and the Worshipful Company of Musician's Young Jazz Musician of the Year award. Her band Dinosaur is one of the most vital and creative new ensembles in the UK today, and in September 2016, the band's debut album 'Together, As One' was released on Edition Records. Jason Yarde is a saxophonist, composer, arranger, producer, and musical director who writes music across various styles including jazz, classical, hip-hop, fusion, free improvisation, broken beats, R&B, reggae, soul, song writing and for a variety of media: his BBC Proms compositional debut 'Rhythm and Other Fascinations' won the first ever BASCA award for 'Contemporary Jazz Composition' in 2010. Yarde began playing alto and soprano saxophones with the Jazz Warriors while a teenager, and went on to MD this landmark orchestra. He is a longtime sideman of Louis Moholo, and has appeared in the big bands of Sam Rivers, Hermeto Pascoal, McCoy Tyner, Manu Dibango, Roy Ayers, and Andrew Hill. Producer: Lyndon Jones for Music Department, BBC Wales.

Cantor Azi Schwartz
Hayom T'amtzeinu

Cantor Azi Schwartz

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 19, 2016 2:00


Hayom t’amtzeinu, Amen. Hayom t’varkheinu, Amen. Hayom t’gad’leinu, Amen. Hayom tidr’sheinu l’tovah, Amen. Hayom tikht’veinu l’hayim tovim, Amen. Hayom tishma shavateinu, Amen. Hayom titm’kheinu bimin tzidkekha, Amen. Today may You strengthen us, Amen. Today may You bless us, Amen. Today may You exalt us, Amen. Today may You grant us well-being, Amen. Today may You inscribe us for a good life, Amen. Today may You hear our cry, Amen. Today may You sustain us in Your righteousness, Amen. Noah Aronson, arr. Eldor, vocal arr. Raymond Goldstein Noah Aronson (1983–) Noah Aronson’s music is sung in Jewish communities and summer camps worldwide and has been included as part of the cantorial curriculum at the HUC-JIR Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music. Noah appears and his music is featured in Hebrew in Harmony from Behrman House as well as on two compilations from PJ Library. Noah currently serves as the Creative Director of Sacred Music NY, a non-profit organization that brings together spiritual musicians from diverse backgrounds to inspire interfaith dialogue and social change. He holds a degree in Jazz Composition and Piano from Berklee College of Music. He was Composer in Residence at Temple Beth Elohim in Wellesley, MA, where he produced four albums with his mentor, Cantor Jodi Sufrin. Noah has released two solo albums and songbooks entitled “Am I Awake” and “Left Side of the Page” He serves on the faculty of the annual Hava Nashira and Shabbat Shira workshop in Oconomowoc, WI, and the Shirei Chagigah workshop in London, England.

Todd Rundgren Talk Radio
Rundgren Radio with special guest Paul Ferguson

Todd Rundgren Talk Radio

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2015 121:00


Paul Ferguson is the composer that is creating the charts for the 14 new songs Todd has never performed with an orchestra but will be this Labor Day weekend with the Akron Symphony Orchestra in Akron, OH (RundgrenWithASO.com).  Paul has been director of Jazz Studies at Case Western Reserve University since 1988. A graduate of the University of Akron and the Eastman School of Music, Paul has traveled with the Tommy Dorsey and Glenn Miller bands as lead trombonist and arranger and currently fills those functions with the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra. Paul was principal trombonist of the Canton Symphony from 1989-98 and at various times has also performed with the Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Opera, the Ohio Chamber Orchestra, Apollos’s Fire, the Cleveland Chamber Brass, the New Hampshire Festival Orchestra and various groups across Northeast Ohio. In 1995, Paul was the recipient of the Gil Evans Fellowship in Jazz Composition.  He has two recordings–”Blue Highways”, recorded with the RIAS Big Band of Berlin, and “Friends”, recorded with his own orchestra. Last summer, Paul taught at an International Jazz Seminar in Zarautz, Spain, wrote three arrangements for the Glenn Miller Orchestra and wrote three arrangements for the Cleveland Pops for use on the Drew Carey show.

Casa Valdez Studios
The Pocket Herb- the genius of Herb Pomeroy

Casa Valdez Studios

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 31, 2015


The teacher who had the biggest influence on me during my time at Berklee was Heb Pomeroy. I was quite fortunate to play in his Concert Jazz Orchestra for three years, as well as a few semesters in his Line-Writing band and his small combo. Herb was a true master composer, arranger, educator, improvisor and band leader. His influence of how modern Jazz harmony, composition and arranging can not be overstated. For instance, for many years the Altered Dominant scale was called the Pomeroy scale. Unfortunately I never took any of Herb's composition and arranging classes, which I have always regretted. Herb taught an arranging class called Line Writing, a Duke Ellington arranging class and a Jazz composition class. He never published any books.  An All About Jazz article on Herb says this:During Pomeroy's long tenure at Berklee, many people asked him to write a book. His detailed answer was “I could, but I find that this [Line Writing] course changes a little bit every semester as I try to fine-tune it with new rules and principles to match relevant musical needs." Pomeroy was an excellent musician, not only as a trumpeter, but as an educator. His teaching was the music itself, not any particular personal beliefs or stylistic preferences. By not writing a book, he demonstrated the ultimate trust for the future of jazz education, and music as an ever-changing, dynamic art form.In an interview with Forest Larsen from 1999 Herb talked about some of the things he learned while studying at Schillinger House (which later became Berklee College of Music): "Well this fellow, Richard Bobbitt, who was the dean, he had studied with Stefan Wolpe. I hope my memory is accurate. Bobbitt learned from studying with Wolpe about voicing not through choosing notes because they are the root, the 3rd, the 5th, the 7th, the 9th, but making most – I don’t want to say all – most of the vertical structures structures that are created because of the intervallic relationship between the notes, not because they are a function… So, certain intervals – you know, there are consonances, there are dissonances. If we want to get richer, or we want to get darker, or we want to get brighter, the choice of interval between notes is more important than the function that the note is in the chord.Which will also – I sort of based a whole course on this later on, when I started to teach – also will take away from the obviousness of the chords that have the root in the bass, from the chords that have the 3 – 7 tritone that announce “I am this chord” and there’s very little you can do about it. Instead of taking the notes because they are these very important – vitally important in certain areas of sound. But if you’re looking to broaden, whether you’re a classical composer or a jazz composer – this approach to intervallic choice of notes rather than function choice of notes I got originally from Bobbitt… I learned a great deal from this man about this, the intervallic approach to vertical writing as opposed to the function.Even then I was saying to myself, “This is going to be valuable.” I tell you, so many students that I had at Berklee, and I don’t mean to wave the flag here, have come back to me – two, five, ten years after, not while they’re taking the course, after they’ve absorbed it – and said that this course was one of the most opening things that they studied in a school or classroom situation…Most jazz ensembles – whether they be three or four horns and a rhythm section or a whole band – the instrumental sound is pretty similar. I don’t mean the harmonic sound. I don’t mean the style of the player’s vibrato. The purely instrumental sound when you hear whether it’s 4 horns in like an octet or you hear the 12, 13 horns of a full jazz orchestra – the instrumental sound, the layered effect of color of trumpets, color of trombones, color of saxes in this function kind of harmony that we’re talking about – is the same. Whether you listen to Basie of ’35, or you listen to Woody of ’54, or you kind of listen to Mel and Thad of ’85 – whichever of these bands. Nothing to do with rhythmic style, harmonic style, era – was it swing, was it bebop, was it whatever. This layered, as I call the layer-lit colors, each layer really separated from each other, not entwined like this getting a richer sound instrumentally, is the same.Whereas if you use this non-function, this intervallic work, and put the instruments together so you rub color against color – put a reed between two brass, rather than put four brass and then four trombones and then five saxes, or maybe one or two overlapping – but I can hear a typical big band and it almost sounds like there are just the three primary colors, so to speak. I don’t hear any sense of rainbow effect going on there. So these are some of the things that I learned from these teachers which were not jazz tools, but they were music tools.I knew then, and in hindsight I even thanked them even more. Because so many students – I mean, I’ve had many people who are professional writers in their home lands, directors of radio / TV studio bands, conductors of symphony groups who wanted to get into the jazz thing, leaders of big bands all over Europe, who came and studied at Berklee and would take this course. And I could watch, I could see in their faces while I was saying these things, I could see these looks, this opening. That was very gratifying, to know that you had…I did not invent this, I merely organized the thinking. People say “oh, you created it.” No! Maybe that mathematical mind from back in my teens and all that allowed me to organize. When you teach as long as I did, and stand in front of the thousands and thousands, literally, hours I have stood in front of bands and rehearsed them, and developed an eye-ear relationship. I do not have a God-given eye-ear relationship; I have a developed eye-ear – see the score and hear it in my head. The number of hours that I was able to do that – and I feel very blessed with my own professional band, with the Berklee band, and with the MIT band, and then clinics all around the country and the world and all that – I don’t think it’s exaggerating to say it’s thousands of hours that I’ve stood there and heard it and seen it. It’s allowed me to perceive things about scoring techniques for jazz orchestras that I don’t think many people have had the opportunity to know.The only person that I’ve been able to have a close association with who – we’ve talked about it some, but I just knew it from observing him – was Bob Brookmeyer. I think Brook has this same sort of ability, and he’s a marvelous writer.I don’t know what kind of thoughts and things Gil Evans had in his head. I don’t know about Duke – I tried to find out from Duke, I played with the band and would question him. (Laughing) He’d be terrible – I’d say, if we were in a room and it was casual, I’d say “Duke, come here – on this tune, in the first two measures you do this”, and I’d play on the piano, “but I can’t figure out what you do in the next two measures.” And he’d say, “Oh, you’re doing it better than I could do it anyway” and just walk away. He wouldn’t show me anything!"I recently got my hands on a document called The Pocket Herb, which is basically outline notes from Herb's Line Writing, Duke Ellington and Jazz Composition courses. For someone totally unfamiliar with Pomeroy's curriculum there may be many things that are unintelligible, but I think that any experienced arranger will find much of value in the document. For anyone who actually took these courses these notes will be pure gold.  The Pocket Herb- notes from Herb Pomeroy's Line Writing, Duke Ellington and Jazz Comp courses Notes for Pomeroy's Line Writing and Ellington classes (SECOND SET OF NOTES!!!!!)Abbreviations used in Pocket Herb:A Alto SaxAV Adjacent Voice ViolationAVOID Avoid NotesB Baritone SaxBNV Blue Note VoicingsC ConsonantCD Combination DimishedCh T or CT Chord ToneD DissonantDBL DoubleH Harmonized (as Opposed to writing melodic lines in each part)HP Herb PomeroyLIL Low Interval LimitsNIS Not in ScaleP PerfectPC Primary ClimaxPD Prime Dissonance / Planned DissonanceSC Secondary ClimaxT Tenor Sax