RESEARCH AND CREATIVE ACTIVITY
In the case of my ongoing research, I’ve written 3 compositions for jazz orchestra, 4 for jazz quintet, and 15 arrangements for various groups.
As a performer in 2024, I have had 26 public performances regionally and nationally. I am a member and have already had the distinct pleasure of performing at JEN which is recognized as the most prestigious and largest jazz educational organization and conference in the world. I am also a member of the International Association of Jazz Arrangers and Composers. (ISJAC) I am a member of the International Trombone Association and hope to perform or present in 2025 or 2026. I am also a voting member of the Recording Academy. (Grammys) I am working on writing the music for my second big band album to enter the studio in April 2025.
I want to focus on some highlights of my creative and research efforts. I presented at TEDx KC in August 2024. I gave a talk about the parallels between hip-hop and jazz and my project “Brass and Boujee”. TEDx is an international conference that is respected all over the world. Before the talk, my big band performed a song to open the conference. The conference was also uploaded to TEDx’s YouTube channel which has 42.2 million subscribers.
Even though I am a professor I am very involved in modern culture. I have a feeling that hip hop will be studied widely at the university level. Performed as a headliner of the Prairie Village Juneteenth Festival. This was a very diverse crowd by race, gender and age. I think this is important for bringing together the community. Another performance that I want to highlight is at the Stifel Theater in St. Louis with multi-grammy award-winning rapper, Nelly. I arranged four of his songs for jazz orchestra and strings. We were also fortunate enough to be joined by the string section from the St. Louis Symphony. I also performed in that same concert with Grammy-winning producer Metro Boomin’, who has produced Future, Young Thug, 21 Savage, Gucci Mane, Migos, Post Malone, Kodak Black and the Weeknd to name a few.
I am very close to completing the first draft of my arranging book. I want to write this book because most arranging texts that I have read overly complicate the process. I will get some peer and student feedback and release this to the public in Fall 2025.
Nelly and. Metro Boomin’
TEDx KC
MLBB at Jay McShan Pavillion
MLBB Juneteenth Celebration
MLB Smoky Hill River Fest
MLBB at the Ship
Lindsborg Jazz Walk
MLBB at the Topeka Library
MLBB at Drake University
Lindsborg Jazz Walk
Fire Foundation Fundraiser
Just Like You Fundraiser
December 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
April 2024
April 2024
April 2024
February 2024
Spring 2023
Spring 2023
Spring 2022
spring 2022
Stifel Theater – St. Louis, MO
Kaufmann Center – Kansas City, MO
Prairie Village, KS
Salinia Kansas
The Ship – Kansas City, MO
Lindsborg Community Center, Lindsborg, KS
Topeka Public Library – Topeka , KS
Drake University – Des Moines, IA
Lindsborg Community Center, Lindsborg, KS
KC Convention Center – Kanas City, MO
Midland Theater – Kansas City, MO
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