Jared Schonig - Two Takes Vol. 2: Big Band (September 24, Anzic Records)

Jazz soars with rhythmic, harmonic and melodic luminosity in a variety of settings—solo, duo, trio, quartet, quintet and so on— but there’s nothing like being swept into the frothy tides of an instrumental community in which upwards of 18 members assemble to embrace and exchange notes.

Today’s jazz scene flourishes with upstart big bands propelling the tradition forward. For his Two Takes Vol. 2: Big Band album, Jared taps into the deep well of renowned New York- and Miami-based arrangers and composers—Alan Ferber, Jim McNeely, Mike Holober, Miho Hazama, Darcy James Argue, Laurence Hobgood, Brian Krock and John Daversa explore where they could take his compositions. (He also showcased these tunes with his smaller band on Two Takes Vol. 1: Quintet.)

1. Sabotage

2. White Out

3. Climb

4. Sound Evidence

5. Tig Mack

6. NUTS

7. Eight Twenty

8. Gibbs St.

Reeds: Jon Gordon, Charles Pillow, Dave Pietro, Ben Kono, Donny McCaslin, Donny McCaslin, Troy Roberts, Quinson Nachoff, Carl Maraghi

Trumpets: Tony Kadleck, Jon Owens, Brian Pareschi, Jonathan Powell, Scott Wendholt

Trombones: Michael Davis, Marshall Gilkes, Keith O’Quinn, Alan Ferber, Jeff Nelson

Bass: Ike Sturm, Matt Clohesy, Dan Loomis

Piano: Adam Birnbaum, David Cook

Guitar: Nir Felder

Drums: Jared Schonig

Conducted by Matt Holman

Recorded by James Farber at Oktaven Studios, Mixed by Brian Montgomery, Mastered by Mark Wilder

Produced by Mike Holober and Jared Schonig

Jared Schonig - Two Takes, Vol. 1: Quintet (September 24, 2021 Anzic Records)

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Jared Schonig - Two Takes, Vol. 1: Quintet (September 24, 2021 Anzic Records)

When at home in New York City, Schonig is a fixture in both the jazz and Broadway scene- he recently held the drum chair for the critically acclaimed Tony, Grammy and Emmy-award winning Broadway Revival of The Color Purple and is currently playing drums and percussion for Moulin Rouge! The Musical. He also is an in-demand drummer/percussionist for studio recordings, jingle sessions and other commercial music recordings. 

Jared is releasing not one but TWO impressive solo albums - his first as a band leader - featuring his own compositions. One in a quintet setting, the other with big band realizations penned by some of today’s leading arrangers including Jim McNeely, Darcy James Argue, John Daversa and Miho Hazama. This is a stunning, ambitious debut.

Jared Schonig

1. Intro to White

2. White Out

3. Climb

4. Nuts

5. Drum Interlude #1

6. Eight Twenty

7. Drum Interlude #2

8. Tig Mack

9. Sound Evidence

10. Drum Interlude #3

11. Sabotage

12. Gibbs St.

Marquis Hill - trumpet

Godwin Louis - alto saxophone

Luis Perdomo - piano

Matt Clohesy - acoustic bass

Jared Schonig - drums & compositions

Recorded by Owen Mulholland at Sear Sound on September 17-18, 2019 Assisted by Grant Valentine Mixed by Chris Allen at The Mud Room on February 4-5, 2020 Mastered by Mark Wilder at Battery Studios in May, 2021 Artwork and Graphic Design by Madeline Sturm Band Photo by Amy Crawford

Produced by Jared Schonig and Amy Crawford

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Amy Cervini - No One Ever Tells You (AMZIC RECORDS 2018)

I'm really excited to share this music with you and I hope you like it. I hope you'll consider giving it a rating and review on your favorite site. It's very helpful and lets people know that they should check it out.  Hope to see some of you tonight at SubCulture in NYC.

AMY CERVINI vocals

JESSE LEWIS guitar

MICHAEL CABE piano

MATT ARONOFF bass

JARED SCHONIG drums 

Special guest: 

GARY VERSACE Hammond B3 Organ (1, 2, 8, 9) 

1. I Don't Know 05:10

2. God Will 03:22

3. No One Ever Tells You 06:38

4. Surrey With The Fringe On Top 06:44

5. Please Be Kind 03:47

6. A Good Man Is Hard To Find 05:15

7. You Know Who 05:24

8. Country Boy 05:37

9. One For My Baby 04:02

10. Hit The Road Jack 03:47

Recorded and Mixed by James Farber

Recorded December 2016 at Sear Sound NYC – Assistant Engineer

Owen Mulholland, Mixed at Shelter Island Studios NYC – Assistant Engineer Myles Turney, Additional recording by Oded Lev-Ari at Wooden Bird Productions NYC

Edited by Brian Montgomery | Mastered by Mark Wilder at Battery Studios NYC Photography by Shervin Lainez, Hair and makeup by Lakesha Charles

Graphic Design by Christopher Drukker

Jared Schonig proudly endorses Vic Firth Sticks, Paiste Cymbals and Protection Racket Cases

Jesse Lewis plays D’Addario Strings

Produced by Oded Lev-ArI

Meg Okura & The Pan Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble (feat. Tom Harrell) - IMA IMA (May 13, 2018)

“PACJE has no peer in melding classical and jazz within an ethnically informed chamber setting.”

- Elliot Simon, The New York City Jazz Record

The ensemble’s self-titled debut album “Meg Okura’s Pan Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble” was one of the “2006 Best Albums” of the Independent Music Awards. The Pan Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble has since released Naima (2010), Music of Ryuichi Sakamoto (2013), and the forthcoming Ima Ima (2018) to critical acclaim. The group has performed over 50 concerts and festivals nationally and internationally, including NYC Winter Jazzfest, Lincoln Center, Levitt Pavilion (CA), KL International Jazz Festival in Malaysia and sold-out concerts in Japan.

​A native of Tokyo, Ms. Okura moved to New York after making her solo debut at Kennedy Center as at 19. She studied at the Juilliard School as a classical violinist, only to switch to jazz upon graduation. Since then, she has performed and recorded with jazz masters including Michael Brecker, Steve Swallow, Lee Konitz, and Tom Harrell, earning her place as “the queen of chamber jazz.” (All About Jazz) She has appeared on several dozens of albums and soundtracks as a violinist and erhu player.

Her composer credits appear on films such a documentary, The Congregation, or TV Series, Louie, among others.  She has also written for C. Eule Dance, the New York Symphonic Ensemble, Sirius String Quartet, the J-Orchestra (18- piece jazz orchestra), and the Pan Asian Chamber Jazz Ensemble.  She has received numerous grants and awards including Metlife Creative Connections Grant (Meet The Composer), Brand Personality Award (Asia Pacific Brands Foundation), Manhattan Community Arts Fund (Lower Manhattan Cultural Council), Jerome Composers Commissioning Program (American Composers Forum), and most recently, New Music USA Project Grant.

1. Ima Ima

2. A Summer In Jerusalem 10:27

3. A Night Insomnia 08:42

4. Birth of Shakyamuni 09:33

5. Blues In Jade 08:46

6. Black Rain 07:06

7. Tomiya 07:38

Tom Harrell (trumpet)

Meg Okura (violin, vocals, erhu)

Anne Drummond (flute, alto flute, piccolo)

Sam Newsome (soprano sax)

Sam Sadigursky (bass clarinet, clarinet)

Brian Marsella (piano, Wurlitzer electric piano)

Riza Printup (harp)

Pablo Aslan (bass)

Jared Schonig (drums)

Rez Abbasi (guitar)