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Dave Slonaker has worked in Hollywood for over thirty years and is highly regarded as one of the top arrangers and orchestrators in film and television. His first two albums as a leader, including his Grammy nominated 2013 debut, received stellar reviews and wide airplay. He continues to explore the seemingly endless possibilities of large jazz ensembles on his new disc, “Shifty Paradigms,” with his intricate yet accessible compositions performed by A-list studio musicians from the L.A. scene.
With “Blues in Blueprint,” bassist and composer Clovis Nicolas releases his fifth album as leader and takes on a singular artistic challenge: to perform an entire program of blues—or blues-related—music, exploring the many ways this foundational form continues to shape jazz. He deliberately emphasizes diversity of form, groove, tempo and stylistic lineage, drawing from multiple jazz eras to create a coherent, flowing, and engaging program. For the project, Nicolas assembled an exceptional trio featuring Larry Goldings, heard in a rare appearance on acoustic piano, and the ever-swinging Carl Allen on drums.
Also this week, saxophonist and composer Chris Madsen returns with “Threefold,” a compelling showcase of original music written specifically for his chordless trio featuring Grammy Award-winning bassist Clark Sommers and drummer Dana Hall; pianist and composer Monika Herzig takes an in-depth exploration of what it means to parent through a child’s gender reassignment on “Transparent”; and vocalist Kurt Elling teams up with the WDR Big Band “In the Brass Palace.”