I’ve been reading Alex Stewart’s Making the Scene: Contemporary New York City Big Band Jazz. This has coincided with my recent VJO listening binge. I don’t know exactly when or if I’ll be living in New York, but part of me wants to try it.
I’m a good player and a good writer, but that only goes as far as my time here at UNT. I’ve managed to make it to the middle-top of the food chain, here, which is nice. Once I graduate, though, it’s on to a whole new set of challenges that will probably kick my ass so much harder than UNT has these past five years.
I’m excited about the prospect of entering into a new musical community, be it in Minneapolis, Chicago, New York, or some other place that I haven’t even considered yet. Succeeding in any of these places will take a lot of perserverence and patience. It takes time to build relationships and reputation. At the same time, first impressions are crazy important. I’m going to practice being as professional as possible during my last few months at UNT.
I recently recieved Monday Night Live at the Village Vanguard, the newest recording from the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. I’ve been listening to it a lot.
I’ve become increasingly interested in this band since the beginning of college, and even more so now that I’ve seen them live. I saw the band this past St. Patrick’s day, only a week after the passing of their longtime bassist and UNT Alum Dennis Irwin.
I’d like to make another trip to New York next year, and seeing the Vanguard Orchestra again will need to happen.
School got into full swing and I neglected this webpage. I’m insanely busy, but here’s what I’ve been doing lately.
On Monday, September 22, Peter Brewer, Mike Shields and I did a trumpet night at the Greenhouse in Denton. We played all manner of trumpety tunes (”Milestones,” “A Night in Tunisia,” etc.). Highlights of the night included an open jam on “Cherokee” with about a half dozen trumpet players (and Prof. Brad Leali on alto sax) sitting in, my arrangements of “Theme From Shaft” and “Feels So Good,” and the ultimate: Peter’s arrangement of “Gonna Fly Now” (the Maynard version) arranged for 10 trumpets. We actually had maybe 14 trumpets and flugelhorns playing at the same time. It was momentous.
I’ve been writing again. I did an arrangement of “Ritual” by Chick Corea for the UNT Zebras and an original work for big band entitled “Collapse of the Moon,” which was commissioned by friend and former roommate Jeremy Stones.
More to come soon. Hopefully I’ll post more frequently.