Wrap-Up!
Greetings!
What an amazing year it has been! Here’s a little retrospective before I jump into the new year.
The winter of 2011 included performances with Brian Adler’s Helium Project, Anna Webber’s New York Quartet, several premières at the Ecstatic Festival at Merkin Hall, and performances of the New York Youth Symphony’s Jazz Band Classic with guest trumpeter Alex Sipiagin. In addition, I hit up a ton of schools with the supercool environmental arts organization called Bash the Trash.
During the spring and summer months months I had recording sessions with Kerong Chok, Asuka Kakitani’s Jazz Orchestra, and Eujiu Cheong’s Quartet. I performed with my own re-vamped group Matt Holman’s Diversion Ensemble at Barbès in Brooklyn in addition to directing Jazz Band Classic at the Allen Room at Jazz @ Lincoln Center with guest Paquito D’Rivera. In addition, the summer brought the debut performance of Kenneth Salter’s Haven, another performance with the Latin pop group Los Amigos Invisibles, and a fantastic Canadian Tour with Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society performing in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal. I finishing the school year of teaching with the Brooklyn Arts Council and taught again at the Manhattan School of Music’s Summer Camp.
In the fall I had performances with Noriko Ueda’s band at the Blue Note, Kenneth Salters, a new collective band called Sketches at Smalls (watch the video online!). Perhaps the musical highlight of the year was performing in Darcy James Argue’s multimedia masterpiece Brooklyn Babylon at the Brooklyn Acadamy of Music. Costumes, a great band, and amazing compositions! A couple of weeks ago, I recorded with Brian Adler’s group in the studio on a piece that Brian and I collaborated on called Up For Air. I continue to teach through my company Brooklyn Trumpet Studio. Jazz Band Classic just had stellar December performances with Jazz Band Classic at Symphony Space with our guest trumpeter Marcus Printup. I continue to compose via the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop under the direction of Jim McNeely and Mike Holober.
Other great musical events this year included gigs with Andrew Rathbun, JC Sanford, Dan Jamieson, and Andrew Rose Gregory. In addition, for the past several months I’ve been playing a weekly steady private duo gig at the SOHO House in Manhattan with a variety of great pianists.
I conclude the year by getting married in California on December 28th and after an Indonesian honeymoon, it’s back to work! I’m looking forward to a great 2012. Happy New Year!