www.aaronlington.com
News
January 20, 2008
It has been awhile since I have been able to update my news page, but here are some of my recent activities:
I was recently recognized in the 55th Annual Downbeat Magazine Critic's Poll as a "Rising Star" in the Baritone Saxophone Category. I am thrilled, honored, and humbled to have been selected for this award. Thank you to all of my family and friends for their unending support and inspiration.
Last March I was in the studio with the Count Basie Band recording an album for the fantastic vocalist Jamie Davis. The band was directed by pianist extraordinare Shelly Berg and the album was engineered by Grammy-winning engineer Woody Woodruff. The saxophone section was phenomenal: Marshall McDonald on lead alto; Charles McNeal on 2nd alto; the infamous Tom Scott on jazz tenor; Grant Langford on 2nd tenor; and yours truly on baritone. The rest of the band was out of sight with Mike Williams on lead trumpet and everyone propelled by the swinging Basie rhythm section with Butch Miles at the drum throne...what a great experience! The album should be out very soon - keep a lookout for it!
In the studio with Butch Miles (March 1, 2007)
Walrus Music recently published three more of my original compositions for big band: Cape Breton and Diffusion which are big band versions of the two charts I wrote for the late Maynard Ferguson, and The Syndicate which was commissioned by the University of Houston Moores School of Music Jazz Orchestra for a concert featuring jazz trombone great Conrad Herwig. If you are looking for some challenging yet accessible music for big band I encourage you to check out these charts.
Also, the Premiere Saxophone Quartet is continuing to be very busy. We recently received our new piece for saxophone quartet and piano from renowned French composer Lucie Robert. The composition is entitled Issos? which is Greek for "Perhaps?". We are very excited about this new piece and will be performing it for the internatoinal saxophone community at the North American Saxophone Alliance convention in South Carolina this April. In addition, the PSQ is almost finished with our first recording which we hope to have completed and released by the end of the summer. This CD will feature three compositions: Magheia, a tour-de-force composition for saxophone quartet and piano by Lucie Robert; Issos? our new Robert piece; and Sr. Miro's Suite by local Santa Cruz composer Jon Scoville. I will keep you posted as to the status of this exciting recording.
In mid-March, I will be premiering my newest composition for jazz quintet and wind ensemble at the California Music Educator's Association convention in Sacramento. The quintet will be Paul Tynan, flugelhorn; Murray Low, piano; John Shifflett, bass; Jason Lewis, drums; and myself on baritone saxophone. The wind ensemble will be the Chabot College Wind Symphony, directed by Timothy Harris. I am extremely excited to have this piece performed and I cannot wait to hear it live.
Finally, in late May I will be going back into the studio with my good friend Paul Tynan to record another album. This album will be all original compositions for ten-piece chamber jazz ensemble and will feature: Paul Tynan and John Worley, trumpets; Wayne Wallace, trombone; Bobby Selvaggio, alto sax; Tom Luer, tenor sax; myself, baritone sax; Kevin Brunkhorst, guitar; Stefan Karlsson, piano; John Shifflett, bass; and Stockton Helbing, drums. I will keep you all posted as to the status of this exciting project.
Please check back and consult my itinerary page often for updates as to when I will be playing, with whom, and where.
Best wishes to everyone--shoot me a line if you get a chance!