Artist Blog
Writings by new and established artists
Featured This Month
Lauren Elizabeth Baba: Fundamental Freedoms – To Be Free to Create Without Fear
Lauren Elizabeth Baba walks through her compositional process through analyzing her award winning work Frankincense.
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An Interview with Danilo Pérez
In this video interview with Danilo Pérez, Pérez talks about why improvisers should compose, Wayne Shorter, "Global Jazz," and more.
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Andy Milne: The Culture of Building Community Through Composition
Looking at how the role of composition has been and continues to change, Andy Milne reflects on what he's seen and his own experiences.
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Managed and curated by trombonist and composer JC Sanford, the ISJAC Artist Blog is a collection of writings by some of the most visionary minds in the jazz composition and arranging community. Featuring articles by composers from all walks of the industry, the ISJAC Artist Blog is updated monthly with both new and archived pieces.
Our two most recent articles are always available on the ISJAC site, with the full archive accessible for our member community.
Not a member yet? Join today!
The Archive
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Fred Hersch: A Composition Exercise to Try Today
Fred Hersch shares an exercise involving a hat, a kitchen timer, and a pencil that you should try today.
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Asuka Kakitani: My personal perspective on composing
Asuka Kakitani reflects on her experience as a composer, the value of melody, and parenthood’s influence on composition.
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Terry Promane: Give Me 5
Terry Promane discusses his 5 favorite arranging topics dealing with preparation, practice, and process.
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Paul Read: Minor and Major Seconds, 1959, Transcribing, Score Study and other Reflections
Paul Read reflects upon 5 things he’s learned in his career so far and the process of his growth and development.
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Florian Ross: Cooking & Eggs
Pianist and Composer Florian Ross outlines a well-balanced metaphor about reconnecting with our roots.
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Rick Lawn: Lessons I’ve Learned
Rick Lawn outlines 4 lessons for process and art that he’s learned over his career thus far. Additionally, he offers a software tool to…
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Bill Dobbins and Concerto for Jazz Orchestra: the Use of a Twelve-Tone Row in a Large Scale Jazz Composition
(Click here to hear Concerto for Jazz Orchestra) From the time I became the principal director of the WDR Big Band in the fall…
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Rick Lawn: Remembering Manny Albam
Rick Lawn remembers his mentor, composer and educator Manny Albam.
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David Berger’s Answers to Common Jazz Arranging Questions
Inspired by an advice column, David Berger presents 10 questions that he had as a young arranger, and answers those questions in this excerpt…