Artist Blog
Writings by new and established artists
Featured This Month
Paul Read: Spotlight on Phil Nimmons
Paul Read shines a spotlight on Canada's pioneering Composer, Arranger, Clarinet Player, Band Leader, and Educator Phil Nimmons in this multi-media post (including a 40+ min interview, audio…
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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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Rick Lawn: Remembering Manny Albam
Rick Lawn remembers his mentor, composer and educator Manny Albam.
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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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Omar Thomas: SIXTEEN YEARS IN THE MAKING: The Realization of “Griot Songs”
Omar Thomas reflects on the process he took in making his latest Big Band album talking logistics, advice, and the process itself.
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John Hollenbeck: Composing a Better World
John Hollenbeck explores how the decisions during the composition process change the composer themselves and why that is important today.
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Greg Ward: Growth Through Collaboration
Greg Ward discusses various project that grew out of collaboration with other disciplines, the process, the impact, and how it continues to impact him.
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Tracy Yang: What It Takes to Lead a Big Band and Record an Album
The process of recording a big band and everything that comes after – Tracy Yang discusses the process of her album “OR” from writing…
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Bruno Råberg: Composing for a Ten-Piece Band – tone sets, counterpoint, motivic development, form and more
Bruno Råberg talks about translating tone sets, how he orchestrated for a 10-tet, and balance in composing with tone sets through his analysis of…
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Sarah Jerrom: Writing For 4 Voices – The Magpie Suite
Sarah Jerrom analyzes her work talking about instrumentation, orchestration, lyric writing, and the process of combining 17 instruments with 4 voices.
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Ryan Truesdell: Creative growth through self-imposed challenges
Ryan Truesdell reflects on some words from Jim McNeely, his current project, and advice for composers – should you write for big band?
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Neal Kirkwood: Composing With The Mind’s Eye – Translating Image Into Sound
Composer and Pianist Neal Kirkwood dissects his work “Paddy Harmon’s Dreamland Ballroom” looking at imagery and his technical approach to the piece.
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Vanessa Perica: My First Dive into the Symphonic World
Vanessa Perica reflects on adapting material from her big band album for her first symphonic commission.