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Michael Abene

Michael Abene is a composer, arranger, keyboard player and record producer and as of 2004 was Musical Director-Principal Arranger/Composer of the WDR Radio Big Band of Cologne, Germany considered by many one of the great big bands in Europe. In November, 2011 Michael accepted the position of Professor of Ensemble Conducting at the KUG Jazz Institute in Graz, Austria. Michael also served as the Associate Music Director of the BMI Jazz Composers Workshop and an Associate Professor of Jazz Composition at Manhattan School of Music. Michael produced the Grammy winning projects “Digital Duke” featuring the Duke Ellington Orchestra and “The GRP All-Star Big Band-All Blues.” He also produced the Grammy nominated “The GRP All-Star Big Band” and “The GRP All-Star Big Band Live” and received nominations in the arranging category for all three big band recordings. Michael was also nominated for his arrangement of “America” from “Dave Grusin Presents West Side Story.” Some artists Michael has arranged, composed and/or produced for are Maynard Ferguson, Maceo Parker, Take 6, Billy Cobham, Eddie Daniels, Bireli Lagrene, Chick Corea, Buddy Rich, Dick Oatts, Dizzy Gillespie, The Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, Dave Taylor, Patti Austin, The Metropole Jazz Orchestra, The Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, New York Voices, Ronnie Cuber, UMO Jazz Orchestra (Helsinki), Jazz Big Band Graz and the BBC Big Band. abene bioTwo works of Michael’s were premiered during the summer of 2000; a piece he arranged for the Metropole Jazz Orchestra for seven trombones in which each trombonist contributed an original and Michael composed opening and connecting sections allowing the piece to be played as a suite. This composition was performed at the International Trombone Festival in Utrecht, The Netherlands. The second composition was an original work commissioned by The Mancini Institute and written for bass trombonist Dave Taylor entitled “Heritage: New/Old and Then Some” and performed by The Mancini Institute Big Band and orchestra. This work has also been performed by the Manhattan School of Music Jazz Orchestra and in 2004 by the Amsterdam Conservatory Orchestra and Big Band. Two new compositions by Michael performed in 2003 were “Odyssey for Brass,” commissioned and performed by the Metropole Jazz orchestra and “Fragmentations” performed by the Slovenian Symphony and Radio Big Band. Michael composed a piece for the WDR Big Band to feature the clarinet artistry of Paquito D’Rivera entitled “PFP” (Piece for Paquito) which was premiered at the 2006 IAJE Convention and has since been re-orchestrated to include symphony orchestra.

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Album Review

Steve Gadd, Eddie Gomez, Ronnie Cuber, WDR Big Band: Center Stage

Read "Center Stage" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Mixed emotions must underline this review. Center Stage, featuring bassist Eddie Gomez, drummer Steve Gadd and baritone saxophonist Ronnie Cuber with Germany's superb WDR Big Band conducted by Michael Abene, was recorded in Cologne in January and February 2022. Sadly, Ronnie Cuber passed away in October, shortly after the album was released. If this was Cuber's last hurrah, it thunders loudly above the rooftops, as his solos (on each of the album's nine numbers) and melodic passages ...

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Recording

Michael Abene With the WDR Big Band

Michael Abene With the WDR Big Band

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

There are big bands, and then there are big bands. Among the best in the world now is the WDR Big Band in Germany. The band's roots date back to August 1946, a year after World War II ended. What a joyous feeling that must have been to play jazz after nearly a decade of misery, brutal terror and the horrors of Nazi cult rule and murderous insanity. WDR stands for West German Broadcasting (WDR), which is based in Cologne, ...

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Interview

Interview: Michael Abene

Interview: Michael Abene

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

Michael Abene has always been a double threat. In addition to being a gorgeous pianist and accompanist, he's a towering arranger of big bands, orchestras, singers and instrumental ensembles. Fans of Maynard Ferguson are probably most familiar with his piano playing and arrangements for the band's recordings for Roulette and Mainstream in the 1960s. These days, Michael has been keeping busy, as you'll soon read. I recently caught up with Michael for a JazzWax interview after writing about him in ...

1

Performance / Tour

Jelgavas Big Band Brings Latvian Music Arranged By American Pianist Michael Abene to DC on October 4th

Jelgavas Big Band Brings Latvian Music Arranged By American Pianist Michael Abene to DC on October 4th

Source: Liga Brige

On October 4, 2019, Latvia is presenting a jazz concert by the Jelgava Big Band at the Organization of American States on the on the Occasion of 130 years since the First International Conference of American States and in anticipation of the 25th anniversary in 2020 since Latvia is a Permanent Observer at the OAS. Venue Organization of American States 200 17th Street NW Washington, DC 20006 Date: October 4, 2019 Time: 6:30pm

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Performance / Tour

Judi Silvano with the Michael Abene Sextet March 21 at the Jazz Standard Sets 7:30 pm & 9:30 pm

Judi Silvano with the Michael Abene Sextet  March 21 at the Jazz Standard Sets 7:30 pm & 9:30 pm

Source: All About Jazz

March 16, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] MARCH 21, 2005 Monday Night Singer Series: Judi Silvano with the Michael Abene Sextet Sets 7:30 pm & 9:30 pm Judi Silvano - voice Michael Abene - piano, arranger Ingrid Jensen - trumpet Dan Silverman - trombone Newman Taylor Baker - drums Judi Silvano's 2004 Zoho release Let Yourself Go, arranged for “little big band" by pianist Michael Abene, was her sixth album as a leader ...

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Music Industry

Pianist Michael Abene and soprano saxophonist Bill Kirchner to perform at the Manhattan School of Music

Pianist Michael Abene and soprano saxophonist Bill Kirchner to perform at the Manhattan School of Music

Source: All About Jazz

Pianist Michael Abene and soprano saxophonist Bill Kirchner will continue their two-decade collaboration with a concert in Hubbard Auditorium at the Manhattan School of Music(W. 122nd Street and Broadway, NYC)on Thursday, January 25, at 5 p.m. There is no admission charge.

Both Abene and Kirchner, in addition to being world-class instrumentalists, are well-known composer-arrangers, producers, educators, and Grammy-winners. In 1989, the duo and Chick Corea's Akoustic Band were the first American jazz groups to play in Taiwan. Since then, Abene ...

Tobias M. Hoffmann
composer / conductor

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