Press

“There was no mistake about that at this concert as the orchestra was the beating heart of the performance.”

After taking the weekend to reflect, I wanted to share a few personal thoughts about last Friday’s concert at The Music Center at Strathmore. On February 13, I had the profound honor of conducting the inaugural performance of the Strathmore Jazz Orchestra featuring Kurt Elling. This project has been four years in the making, and opportunities of this scale centered around a large jazz ensemble are rare in the United States today. Joi Brown, Artistic Director of Strathmore,

The Washington Examiner featured the Strathmore Jazz Orchestra with Kurt Elling in advance of its inaugural performance. Read the full article by Mark Judge here: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/community-family/4443363/strathmore-jazz-orchestra-kurt-elling-washington/

There is a major new chapter unfolding for the DC/Baltimore music community, and I am honored to be part of it. I’ve partnered with Strathmore to launch the Strathmore Jazz Orchestra, which will be the first in-house big band in Strathmore’s history. I’ll be serving as conductor and creative partner, shaping the artistic direction and helping build this big band from the ground up. Our debut performance is set for February 13, 2026, featuring the legendary Grammy winning voc

It is with a heavy heart that I share my reflections on the passing of Jim McNeely, a giant of jazz and one of the most important figures in my life. Jim was a teacher, a mentor, a friend, sometimes even a therapist. Some of my fondest memories of private lessons are of bringing in lead-sheet style tunes and playing them duo with him. I remember thinking, “Pinch me, is this really happening? I’m playing duo with Jim McNeely!” We all know he was an extraordinary composer, bu

🎟TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW!🎟 Celebrating Jim McNeely – Career Retrospective Join us for a special concert honoring one of jazz’s most influential composers. Celebrating Jim McNeely, a retrospective concert, pays tribute to Jim’s singular body of work, featuring performances of some of the most iconic compositions from across his career, performed by an 18-piece jazz orchestra stacked with key McNeely associates. 📅 Wednesday, September 10, 2025 – 7:00 PM EDT 📍 The DiMenna Cent