Congratulations to composer and band leader Darcy James Argue, who has been named the Frankfurt Radio Big Band's new Composer in Residence. "Taking on this legacy is a massive responsibility, one I accept with the very deepest gratitude. Over the past 16 years, Jim McNeely has honed this group into a world-class big band, filled with amazing players that take great personal pride in the ensemble, and who always put the music first. I love this band and the people in it, and I’m very excited to be embarking on a new adventure with them!"
Congratulations to composer and band leader Darcy James Argue, who has been appointed the Frankfurt Radio Big Band's new Composer in Residence.
"First off, I want to say what an unbelievable honor it is to be following in the footsteps of composer-in-residence Jim McNeely, one of my biggest compositional heroes," Argue says. "Taking on this legacy is a massive responsibility, one I accept with the very deepest gratitude. Over the past 16 years, Jim has honed this group into a world-class big band, filled with amazing players that take great personal pride in the ensemble, and who always put the music first. I love this band and the people in it, and I’m very excited to be embarking on a new adventure with them!
"When I was first offered the job, I knew right away the first musicians I wanted to invite as guest artists were Warren Wolf and Aaron Diehl. These are two of the most brilliant artists I have ever had the pleasure of working with—they each combine astonishing virtuosity with a depth of feeling and a generous, open-hearted spirit that elevates every musical situation. The band is going to love playing with them! For my part, I’m very excited to dive into writing for Warren and Aaron, taking their original compositions and other works from their repertoire and reimagining them for jazz orchestra."
Argue will conduct the Wolf concerts in Darmstadt on January 23, 2025, and Frankfurt on January 24 and the Diehl concerts June 5 in Frankurt and June 6 in Giessen.
Darcy James Argue, who was named Arranger of the Year at the JJA Jazz Awards last month, made his Nonesuch Records debut with the release of his and his Secret Society ensemble's new album, Dynamic Maximum Tension, last September. The album, which received a GRAMMY nomination for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, pays homage to some of Argue’s key influences with original songs dedicated to R. Buckminster Fuller, Alan Turing, and Mae West. Cécile McLorin Salvant joins the ensemble for “Mae West: Advice.” Dynamic Maximum Tension’s eleven tracks, on two CDs, also include a response to Duke Ellington’s “Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue,” titled “Tensile Curves,” among other originals. You can get the album and hear it here.
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