New download-only bonus track album

Click album cover for more info & to download track(s)

Here are 9 never-before-released studio recordings from a pair of sessions in 2008 (jazz sextet) and 2010 (big band). 

On the three sextet tracks you can hear young lions Billy Test, Aaron Kimmel, and Greg Johnson just as they were on the cusp of breaking through to national recognition. This was a working band so it was tight!

On the six big band tracks you can hear an all-star consort that includes pianist Steve Rudolph, trumpeters Eddie Severn and Barry Long, trombonist Paul Leskowicz, and saxophonists Jonathan Ragonese and Tim Powell.

You can purchase individual tracks or the entire collection in high-quality downloads.

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300-strong, oh yeah

For each of the past 15 football seasons I have written at least one arrangement for the Penn State University Blue Band. Some years I'll write two or three arrangements, depending on what shows they program.

Anyhow, I love writing for them. And it's always a thrill to show up at their dress rehearsals to hear this year's arrangement played by humans for the first time (contrasted with playback by the Finale All-Stars on my computer).

Anyhow, I got to write the closer to the first halftime show of this year, a no-holds-barred power-ballad treatment of Journey's Open Arms.

Here's the no-holds-barred part:

Here's the whole arrangement:

Big Ol' Band — live gig!

This Monday, July 18 is the warm-up gig for our CD recording session.

And, here's a great preview/write-up from LanasterOnline.com:

Strings everywhere!

One of the 'firsts' for me this year was the opportunity to compose an original piece for string orchestra. This was commissioned by the wonderful educator Matt Shaffer for his orchestras at Park Forest and Mount Nittany middle schools, where he's the strings teacher.

Here's the (most of) the first performance of it by the Mount Nittany group.

Would you like to help us make a CD?

A Little Pocono Git-Down will...

. be a fun album of modern big band jazz.
. feature a 20-piece, hand-picked band.
. be recorded in the world-class Red Rock recording studio, by top-flight engineers.
. present 9 originals and arrangements by yours truly.

Join our Kickstarter campaign today and...

. get backer-only behind-the-scenes access to videos from the recording session, interviews with the musicians, and unreleased bonus tracks from previous studio sessions.
. get the album before it is released.
. choose from a wonderful array of rewards and gifts.
. be a part of our grass-roots arts council!

This is a limited-time campaign — check it out today.

"Hit It" on the air

The Cheverus HS Jazz Combo from Portland, ME recorded my tune Hit It for a local radio commercial.

Not only do they sound great on it — dig the guitar player — but, they dropped the tempo by about 25%, making the pocket much deeper. I'm totally into it.

The video is embedded in FaceBook, but I don't believe you have to be logged in to view it.

Many thanks to these fine musicians—and their ultra-hip teacher, Chris Humphrey!

Metroliner: honorable

My 2015 composition Metroliner just received honorable mention in the 2016 Ithaca College Jazz Ensemble Composition Contest.

About this contest

The winning composition this year is For the Rise of a New Day by Cassio Vianna of Greeley, CO.

The IC Jazz Ensemble will perform the winning and honorable mention pieces in a concert March 8. They will feature guest soloist Tony Kadleck, a NYC-based trumpeter who has performing and recording credentials out the wazoo: Maria Schneider, Buddy Rich, New York Pops, etc...

» Ithaca College's FULL PRESS RELEASE 

Incidentally, my composition Mirage was the winning composition in 2015's contest.

About Metroliner

I wrote Metroliner last spring for Chris Vadala's excellent University of Maryland Jazz Ensemble. It is a musical portrait of a high-speed train in it's hey-day.

If you're interested, here are the score and an audio recording. This bootleg was made on our monthly reading-band gig, so it is not without mistakes. After a few more play-throughs the band is going to sound dyn-o-mite on it.

» VIEW SCORE «

Metroliner

Zeropoint - live sightread

IUP Sparkles

I just received this recording from Keith Young, saxophone professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. It's his saxophone studio ensemble performing my sax choir piece Sparkle, live in concert on the bi-centennial of Adolphe Sax's birthday.

Sparkle!

IUP Saxophone Studio

Rudresh plays Rick

It always tickles me to hear recordings of other folks performing music I've written, no matter the experience level of the musicians. But, there is a certain thrill when the person playing the music is one of the leading musicians in the world. 

Here's a recording I just received of progressive alto saxophonist RUDRESH MAHANTHAPPA performing my jazz ensemble composition Mirage. When I submitted this piece to the Ithaca College Jazz Ensemble Composition contest, I knew that Rudresh would be performing the winning piece(s). And, I was familiar with Rudresh's musical milieu, which includes vocabulary from Indian and other 'exotic' world musics. I had a strong hunch that, should Mirage happen to be selected, Rudresh would soar, taking the music to places beyond my imagination. Which he did. And then some.

Here he is in performance with Professor Mike Titlebaum's Ithaca College Jazz Ensemble. 

    »»  You can view the score and more info on this piece HERE.

Video overview:
0:00   Prof. Titlebaum discusses evaluation process for selecting Mirage as contest winner.
1:00   Music begins
2:00   Rudresh begins interpreting melody
3:30   Pace picks up
5:20   IC student trombone solo (nicely done!)
7:25   Rudresh begins his (fairly mind-blowing) improvisation

Goin' to Chicago

I'm attending the Midwest Clinic for the first time since the late 1990's. I have many fond memories of attending several times during my years living in IL and WI.

I can't wait to catch up with old friends and make some new ones.

And I'm looking forward to presenting my session Get Everyone Improvising—and Your Rhythm Section Grooving—in 10 Minutes a Day.

It should be fun!