Music

I have always enjoyed composing for a variety of mediums and have on occasion written for film and television. The tracks here were written for the 2006 CBS Master's Golf Tournament and represent some of my writing for orchestra.

Film & TV:

GROUP THERAPY emerged from my time in Joe Gallant's Illuminati, an avante-garde, improvisational "big band" that I performed and toured with in the late 1990's. The members of Group Therapy were all part of Illuminati, and we would get together in my mid-Manhattan recording studio to play and jam while not touring. Out of these informal sessions this project developed and also my writing and recording these tracks for the band.

GROUP THERAPY is:

Rob Henke - Trumpet

Jody Espina - Alto Saxophone

John Isley - Tenor Saxophone

Diana Herold - Vibraphone

Rolf Sturm - Guitar

Takashi Otsuka - Bass

Grisha Alexiev - Drums

Group Therapy:

I really enjoy writing and arranging in a variety of styles and for a variety of purposes, whether it's for a client or for my own personal projects. Here are a few things I have written and arranged for myself just for fun

LONG WAY HOME

This was written while in LA for two months on the Movin Out tour. It's based on the idea of being a long way from home - home being New York - and the fact that LA's a LONG way from where I consider home to be...

SOUTHERN HALFTIME

There truly is no greater thrill for me than perfrming with a tight, funky horn section. This track is a play on that, in the tradition of a great southern college football half-time show. Recorded with my trumpet playing "brother," Chris Anderson

HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS

Doesn't really need an explanation... I did all the programming, recording, mixing, etc.,...

MISC Tracks:

NEW YORK HORNS was formed in 1997 with my trumpet playing friend and business partner, Chris Anderson. After a couple of years of gigging around New York as a "live" horn section, we decided we should become a writing, recording and performing team and New York Horns was born.

TUNNEL VISION

In 1999 we released our debut EP "Tunnel Vision" and simultaneously released it on the fledgling music site, MP3.com. New York Horns quickly became one of the most listened to and downloaded artists on MP3.com, which eventually led to more than 3 million copies of our tracks being distributed worldwide. Our single "Miles From Chicago" was the number one acid jazz track on MP3.com and ranked 18th in total plays for 1999.

TUNNEL VISION:

Chris Anderson: Trumpet

John Isley: Tenor & Soprano Saxophones

Chris Fischer: Drum and Bass Programming, Keyboards, Co-Producer

Baron Raymonde: Alto Saxophone

Joey Stann: Baritone Saxophone

Wayne Avers: Guitar

Mixed and Mastered by Frank Fagnano

Marion Recording Studios, Fairview NJ

PRODUCTION MUSIC VOL1 & VOL 2

The exposure we received on MP3.com led to many opportunities for NYH to write, record and perform with a diverse number of artists, producers and musicians. One of our affiliations was with Beach Street Music, who asked us to provide music for film, television and radio. These tracks are from that material...

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Chris Anderson: Trumpet, Flugelhorn

John Isley: Saxophones, Flute, Clarinet, EWI, Recording and mix engineer

Chris Fischer: Bass and Drum programming, keyboards

Dan Levine: Trombone

Tony Ormond: Guitar

With New York Horns:

Production Music Vol 1:

Production Music Vol 2:

Michael Brecker died on Saturday, January 13, 2007 at age 57 from leukemia and I feel like a little piece of me has died as well. Funny, in that I knew Michael only from afar, having met him on several occasions at his gigs and through mutual friends. I knew (and know) his music on a much more intimate level. I have spent the better part of 25 years trying to figure out what the hell he was doing. And more pressingly, HOW the hell he was doing it! As a saxophonist, he was unequalled and truly was the logical extension of ‘Trane. I think there are few that would argue the technical genius of Michael’s saxophone or EWI playing. I can’t imagine many would argue his melodic lyricism or his poignant, cryingly vocal sound. He was certainly unmistakable and everything he touched seemed to take on a mysticism and magic. He definitely had “that” gift, however it is defined...

I wrote and recorded this piece in honor of Michael.

Remembrance: Song for Michael