The Creation, Care, and Feeding of a Jazz Band Chart
We’re fortunate to have a terrific non-profit in town, JazzFresno, that sponsors a lot of great events and programs. One of these is Jazz at the Library, a monthly performance/lecture presentation that features many outstanding performers from across the country, along with a lot of local jazz performers. Here is a recent presentation I did for the series. It’s called under the hood, and it is a look into the creative mind and processes of a jazz composer. Where does the original idea come from? How does a composer decide on the form and structure of a piece, and what instruments or sections to feature? If it’s an arrangement of a standard, how does one decide which standard to select, and what style to arrange it in?
This is what we explored in this performance/lecture, and I was so fortunate to have the FCC Jazz Composers Orchestra there to demonstrate, for a standing room only audience. The charts you’ll hear include many of my most popular titles:
- Hardly
- True North
- Song of Orpheus
- Shenandoah
- Bad Dog!
- Poinciana
- Beware The Moose In Love
- El Mercador de Groove
I hope you’ll take some time to check this out…AND, please like and subscribe to JazzFresno! They’re doing fantastic work!
Thanks also to partners KFSR 90.7, Fresno County Public Library, and Fresno Arts Council Measure P. Your support is very much appreciated!