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Pete McGuinness

Originally from West Hartford, CT, Pete’s been a fixture on the NYC jazz scene since 1987. Before that, Pete studied at New England Conservatory (1981-83), University of Miami (1986, BM is jazz studies) and Manhattan School of Music (MM in jazz studies). As a professional trombonist (now retired from playing), he performed with numerous well-known artists and groups including the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra, The Woody Herman Big Band (dir. by Frank Tibieri), The Lionel Hampton Orchestra, Jimmy Heath, Kenny Werner, Dave Pietro, the “Smoke Big Band” directed by Bill Mobley, and from 1997 - 2019 was a regular member of the New York BMI Jazz Composers Workshop Orchestra. He also is a three-time GRAMMY-nominated big band arranger, a multi- award winning jazz vocalist, and leader of his own big band The Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra. The PMJO has released three CDs since 2007, the latest being “Along For The Ride” (2018, Summit records) gaining a “4 stars” review in Downbeat magazine. Numerous jazz artists and both college and professional big bands have commissioned Pete to compose/arrange music, including commissions from Dave Liebman, The Lionel Hampton Orchestra, The Swiss Jazz Orchestra, The Westchester Jazz Orchestra and The University of Miami (Fl.). He appears on over 50 jazz CDs, either as either a trombonist, composer-arranger, vocalist, or producer, and has released a total of 5 CDs as a leader since 1998. He has appeared on the Downbeat Magazine critics poll six times since 2007 in either the jazz arranger or male jazz vocalist category (“Rising Star”). Since 2016, he has been the tenor vocalist/contributing arranger of a new NYC-based jazz vocal quartet, “The Royal Bopsters”. Pete is currently an Associate Professor of Music/Jazz Studies-Arranging at William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ.

Awards

-Nominated for 2008 Grammy Award - Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) for "Smile" on CD "First Flight" (Summit Records) -First prize - Jazzmobile vocal competition 2010. -Nominated for TWO 2015 GRAMMY Awards for his arranging work on the CD "Strength In Numbers" (Summit) (for the arrangements of "Beautiful Dreamer" and "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?"


Tags

2
Album Review

Scott Whitfield & Friends: A Bi-Coastal Christmas

Read "A Bi-Coastal Christmas" reviewed by Jack Bowers


If trombonist Scott Whitfield's A Bi-Coastal Christmas cannot quicken your inner holiday spirit, that will not be for lack of trying. Whitfield uses every ribbon in the packet and every tool in the shed to help make the season bright, from big band to quintet, from duo to solo (Whitfield's trombone all by itself). Two of the selections were recorded in 2004, four others in 2005, whereas Whitfield's brace of solo tracks was taped in 2020 as he cast off ...

1
Album Review

Mike Holober: Hiding Out

Read "Hiding Out" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Un decennio dopo Quake (Sunnyside 2009), l'arrangiatore e bandleader Mike Holober riporta sotto i riflettori la newyorchese Gotham Jazz Orchestra in uno scintillante doppio compact che raccoglie due ricercate composizioni ("Flow" in tre movimenti, “Hiding Out" in cinque) e tre brani medio-lunghi (tra cui il delizioso “Caminhos Cruzados" di Jobim in due versioni). Come è ovvio che sia, l'organico registra alcune sostituzioni. Tra i nuovi ingressi il trombettista Marvin Stamm, i sassofonisti Jason Rigby e Bill Drewes, il ...

2
Album Review

Mike Holober and the Gotham Jazz Orchestra: Hiding Out

Read "Hiding Out" reviewed by Jerome Wilson


Mike Holober is a celebrated composer and arranger who has worked for ensembles like the Westchester Jazz Orchestra in New York and the WDR and HR Big Bands in Germany. He is also the leader and founder of the Gotham Jazz Orchestra which here makes its first appearance on record in ten years. Holober makes this return a fruitful one, coming up with a 2CD set featuring two long suites, both with themes involving American landscapes. The first ...

3
Album Review

Mike Holober and the Gotham Jazz Orchestra: Hiding Out

Read "Hiding Out" reviewed by Jack Bowers


Mike Holober has been Hiding Out rather openly for the past ten years or so, waiting for the proper time to gather together his world-class Gotham Jazz Orchestra and record for the first time since 2009's widely acclaimed album Quake (Sunnyside), in which his picturesque compositions and arrangements were compared favorably to those of Duke Ellington and Gil Evans, to name only two. In the interim, Holober has hardly been sitting on his hands, serving time as director of New ...

3
Album Review

Mike Holober and the Gotham Jazz Orchestra: Hiding Out

Read "Hiding Out" reviewed by Dan Bilawsky


If musical polymath Mike Holober is hiding out, he's doing it in plain sight. Constantly in demand, his work as a pianist, conductor, arranger and composer has drawn plenty of attention. In the past 15 years alone he has served as the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Westchester Jazz Orchestra (from 2007-2013), the Associate Guest Conductor of the hr-Bigband (from 2011-2015), and the Associate Director of the BMI Jazz Composer's Workshop (from 2007-2015). In that same stretch of time, ...

8
Album Review

Mike Holober and the Gotham Jazz Orchestra: Hiding Out

Read "Hiding Out" reviewed by Karl Ackermann


Mike Holober's background as a classical pianist and conductor is just one thing that sets Hiding Out apart from the current crop of big band releases. Holober has worked in a variety of settings from solo, duo, and quintet to large ensembles. Two previous recordings with his Gotham Jazz Orchestra were the critically acclaimed Thought Trains (Sons of Sound Records, 2004) and Quake (Sunnyside Records, 2009), comprised of covers and original Holober compositions. On the ambitious double-disc Hiding Out, Holober ...

3
Album Review

The Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra: Along for the Ride

Read "Along for the Ride" reviewed by Jack Bowers


On the third album as leader of his superlative New York-based Jazz Orchestra, trombonist Pete McGuinness proves again that he is one of the more astute and resourceful composer / arrangers on the scene today. From “Put on a Happy Face" through “One for the Maestro," McGuinness' impressive charts are decorous models of warmth and perception. As a bonus, McGuinness sings (and scats), Chet Baker-style, on Michel Legrand's “You Must Believe in Spring" and Marvin Fisher / Jack Segal's lovely ...

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1

Recording

Jazz Composer-Arranger, Trombonist, and Vocalist Pete McGuinness Earns Two Grammy Nominations for "Strength In Numbers"

Jazz Composer-Arranger, Trombonist, and Vocalist Pete McGuinness  Earns Two Grammy Nominations for "Strength In Numbers"

Source: Michael Ricci

Pete McGuinness: Strength In Numbers (Summit Records) Grammy Nominated for “Best Arrangement Instrumental or A Cappella" and “Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals" Acclaimed jazz composer/arranger, trombonist and vocalist Pete McGuinness has earned two 2015 Grammy nominations for arrangements on his Summit Records CD Strength In Numbers. The nominations are for “Best Arrangement Instrumental or A Cappella” for his arrangement of “Beautiful Dreamer” and “Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals” for his arrangment of “What Are You Doing The Rest of Your ...

1

Recording

9 CD Discoveries of the Week

9 CD Discoveries of the Week

Source: JazzWax by Marc Myers

I've been traveling quite a bit lately, so my CD discoveries have been piling up. Finally, this past week, I had some time to write about the new albums I love... Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra—Strength in Numbers (Summit). A solid, tasteful big-band album arranged by McGuinness whose writing constantly wriggles the orchestra in and out of interesting places. The combination of flutes and bass clarinet matched against gorgeous trombones that sound like French horns make for a big band recording ...

108

Education

Pete McGuinness new professor at William Paterson University

Pete McGuinness new professor at William Paterson University

Source: Pete McGuinness

This past summer, GRAMMY-nominated arranger, trombonist and vocalist Pete McGuinness was selected to be the new Professor of Jazz Arranging at William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ. The William Paterson jazz studies program has been one of the strongest in the New York/New Jersey area for many years and is currently lead by legendary pianist and composer Mulgrew Miller and respected saxophonist David Dempsey. McGuinness will be the featured artist with the William Paterson Jazz Ensemble for the university's “Jazz ...

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Performance / Tour

The Pete McGuinness Jazz Orch. - 2/18 at Cachaca Sets at 9PM and 11PM

The Pete McGuinness Jazz Orch. - 2/18 at Cachaca Sets at 9PM and 11PM

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

2008 GRAMMY-nominated big band arranger (for “Smile" from his CD “First Flight" - Summit Records) Pete McGuinness leads his 16-piece Jazz Orchestra Monday night, February 18th at “Cachaca"jazz club, NYC (35 West 8th Street, between 5th and 6th Ave. Tel: 212-388-9099 Sets at 9pm and 11pm $10 music charge The music will feature Pete's big band compositions and arrangements, his jazz trombone ...

180

Performance / Tour

The Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra Tuesday, November 21st "The Garage" Restaurant/Jazz Club Sets at: 7pm and 8:45

The Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra Tuesday, November 21st "The Garage" Restaurant/Jazz Club Sets at:  7pm and  8:45

Source: Jim Eigo, Jazz Promo Services

Announcing: a performance of... The Pete McGuinness Jazz Orchestra Featuring Pete's work as jazz composer/arranger (former BMI student of Bob Brookmeyer), trombonist, and jazz vocalist (past semi-finalist of the Thelonious Monk competition). After years as a sideman, having performed with people such as Maria Schneider, the Woody Herman Big Band, and Jimmy Heath, and having co-lead several other projects, Pete now steps out in front of his own 16-piece modern jazz group. The great musicians/ soloists of the ...

"A musical multi-threat...McGuinness lays out music that is modern-minded, yet swinging." —The Newark Star-Ledger

"4-stars...stunning" -Downbeat magazine

Primary Instrument

Arranger

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Credentials/Background

Pete has been a member of the jazz studies faculty at New Jersey City University (Jersey City, NJ) since 1994. He teaches jazz arranging and composition, trombone, ensembles, and improvisation. Go to: www.njcu.edu for more information.

Clinic/Workshop Information

Because of Pete's wide range of experience and abilities (trombonist, jazz vocalist, composer, arranger, bandleader), he can work with students in a variety of capacities. Pete has given both college and high school level jazz clinics both in the US and in Europe

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Chet Baker
trumpet and vocals
Maria Schneider
composer / conductor
Bob Brookmeyer
trombone
Gil Evans
composer / conductor
Thad Jones
trumpet

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

A Bi-Coastal Christmas

Self Produced
2020

buy

Along for the Ride

Summit Records
2019

buy

Hiding Out

Zoho Music
2019

buy

Strength in Numbers

Summit Records
2014

buy

Voice Like A Horn

Summit Records
2013

buy

Quake

Sunnyside Records
2009

buy

Compelled

From: Hiding Out
By Pete McGuinness

First Flight

From: First Flight
By Pete McGuinness

Videos

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