Jared Schonig - Two Takes Vol. 1: Quintet & Vol. 2: Big Band

In the music of drummer/composer Jared Schonig there is a life-force, a vibrant affirmation that there are numerous great reasons to get out of bed in the morning and embrace it all. His music percolates with sincere optimism for the future, enthusiasm for the present and reverence and erudition of the past. The music on Schonig’s intrepid debut recording(s) as a leader, Two Takes Vol. 1: Quintet & Vol. 2: Big Band, is meticulously-crafted, played with the freedom, abandon, joy and excellence that only top New York City players seem to truly capture simultaneously. With this debut as a leader we experience a musician who dreams big, makes those dreams come true, and thrives as a percussive force in many dimensions: primal and raw, shimmering and playful, pounding and exhilarating, tumultuous and brutal, complex, unpredictable and exhilarating. And, with these recordings, Schonig now joins the growing fellowship of drummers fronting their own bands, from Brian Blade to Johnathan Blake to Tyshawn Sorey, and many others. 

Perhaps most importantly, the music on this adventurous two-CD offering rings true to the person who created it. Its captivating, mighty fabric is woven with Schonig’s experience as a drummer for touring and studio projects across multiple genres, working with Nicholas Payton, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Donny McCaslin, Tim Hagans, Fred Hersch, Wycliffe Gordon, Tom Harrell, Joe Locke, Ernie Watts, Kurt Elling, as co-leader of the critically-acclaimed trio, The Wee Trio (which released five albums over its eight year existence), and many others. The Grammy-award winning drummer formerly held the drum chair for the revival of the Tony, Grammy and Emmy-award winning Broadway musical, "The Color Purple,” and currently holds the drum chair, and is co-orchestrator, for the Broadway hit, “Moulin Rouge.”

Two Takes Vol. 1: Quintet, features eight Schonig compositions, interspersed with three “Drum Interludes.” The Quintet features none other than Marquis Hill on trumpet, Godwin Louis on alto saxophone, Luis Perdomo on piano and Matt Clohesy on bass – a family of players who display a wonderful simpatico throughout the album. Schonig first met and played with Marquis Hill on a Laurence Hobgood Quintet Tour with Ernie Watts, before Hill won the Monk Competition. Schonig elaborates that, “I truly loved how he played and he reminded me of Freddie with his lines and feel. He ended up moving to NYC, living really close to me, so we were trying to make something happen and it finally did. My favorite trumpet player playing today!” Schonig started playing with Godwin Louis at St. Peters Church with Ike Sturm, and, “we really loved the experience,” said Schonig. “When we were on a Melissa Stylianou gig at the 55 Bar the magic really happened and I knew I had to have him for my record. He and Marquis had never played together and they just sounded so beautiful and amazing.” Pianist Luis Perdomo was a favorite of Schonig’s from checking him out on Miguel Zenon’s recordings. “The first time we played together was also at the Jazz Church at St. Peters. We had a bunch of fun, and then The Wee Trio ended up inviting him to be a guest at one of our shows at Birdland. He really learned and internalized our music and sounded amazing, so I knew he would be a great fit for my music,” said Schonig. Bassist Matt Clohesy and Schonig go way back as he was one of the first bass players the drummer played with when moving to NYC. “We have been on countless gigs, tours and recordings together. He’s a great player and a great dude. I also just love his sound and percussiveness on the bass. I think we have a great hookup and approach a lot of music in a similar way. He was a no-brainer for my debut recording,” Schonig says. The Jared Schonig Quintet is such a thrill to experience, and will hopefully stay together for a long time, for the listener’s benefit!

Two Takes Vol. 2: Big Band – in an audacious creative endeavor, Schonig enlists eight of themost acclaimed big band arrangers/composers working today (whom Schonig has musical relationships and friendships with) – Alan Ferber, Jim McNeely, Mike Holober, Miho Hazama, Darcy James Argue, John Daversa, Laurence Hobgood and Brian Krock – to exercise free reign with his Vol. 1 compositions. The two all-star big bands performing the pieces are comprised of a “who’s who” of jazz artists on the scene. “My idea for the two records to be released together stemmed from the fact that a few people suggested that my music would be perfect in a big band context. I figured a few would, but never imagined that eight different tunes could work. My love for large ensemble and big band music goes deep to early high school when I started listening to jazz. A lot of these arrangers were initially heroes to me and then became colleagues and ‘bosses’ long before this project. The arrangements of my music sound like pieces of music from the arranger’s pen while staying faithful to my original ideas. They are all artists of the highest nature; this process only magnifies it. I wanted to involve as many people as I could in this familial setting. Longtime musical associates from college, more recent collaborations with great artists; the whole nine yards,” said Schonig. For more information on the arrangers please contact Red Cat Publicity.

The NYC scene is chock-a-block with outstanding improvisors, dozens who Schonig has close ties with, so what’s a composer/bandleader to do with such a surfeit of amazing artists? Two different big bands! Schonig explains, “I have a connection with so many bass players but wanted to include some of my closest friends and rhythmic partners in Matt Clohesy, Ike Sturm, and my Wee Trio bandmate Dan Loomis. I had two different pianists, Dave Cook, and Adam Birnbaum, both of whom I have played a great deal with in many contexts. They both contributed so much to this project. Nir Felder is the lone guitarist on the record, and he is featured on a few tracks. He plays so amazingly on some many tunes whether soloing or comping and is such a unique voice on the instrument. I have a lot of saxophonist friends who I wanted to include, so there are nine!, including the great Donny McCaslin whom I’ve played with a bunch here in NYC, Troy Roberts who I first met playing with Kurt Elling, the great lead alto players Dave Pietro and Jon Gordon, wonderful soloist and doublers Ben Kono and Charles Pillow, tenor men Quinson Nachoff and Jason Rigby who take burning solos on Sabotage and Climb, respectively, and the lone low-reed member, Carl Maraghi. For trumpets I knew I had to have Tony Kadleck on lead, one of my favorite musicians and people. We’ve played countless gigs together from his own big band to a Broadway show with Patti Lupone. The great Scott Wendholdt, Brian Pareschi and Jonathan Powell contribute some fantastic solos and Jon Owens plays some great lead and in the section as well. The great Mike Davis plays lead trombone throughout, and the lone trombone solo on the record is from the amazing Marshall Gilkes. Keith O’Quinn, Alan Ferber, and Jeff Nelson on bass trombone round out the section. Astonishingly, there was only one rehearsal for each band prior to heading into the studio. Schonig said, “What we came up with was beyond my expectations. I get goose bumps hearing what the arrangers and musicians have done with my original charts.”

White Out - My most recorded composition, this burner was written the first time I was in a crazy blizzard in New York City. The rhythmic pattern which initially tricks the listener was something I heard in my head walking around while clapping and singing groups of 5. Climb - One of my newer compositions written for the last Wee Trio record featuring Fabian Almazan. The title represents the climb to the top that we all inevitably face in daily life. NUTS - A really old tune that hadn’t really been played since college. I decided to dig this up as I always loved playing this in college. It was always a fun and difficult challenge for everyone. Written during a time when I was listening to a lot of Herbie Hancock. Eight Twenty - A dedication to my beautiful wife and mother of our child, Eight Twenty is the day we got married. I wanted to write a beautiful melody reminiscent of her and the way Marquis and Godwin interpret the melody is perfect. Sabotage - Sabotage was written for the Wee Trio’s live recording at Jazz At The Bistro in St. Louis, and was done when the trio noticed their mic cables had been cut the night before the 2nd day of recording. A favorite to play, it was also recorded by one of Marquis’ idols, Nicholas Payton. Tig Mack - My tribute to the Pacific Ocean, specifically Santa Monica, where I grew up going to the beach. The hope is that is captures both the waves and stillness of Mother Earth’s seas. Sound Evidence - Initially a trio composition that was written in Los Angeles on my mother’s piano on a tour one year. I was hearing a pattern that seemed like it was missing a beat, and it actually was, so it turned out to be an odd meter pattern which is fun to play over. Gibbs St.- My homage to the Eastman School of Music in downtown Rochester, NY. I hope to encapsulate all the feelings and experiences one has in college, especially in an intensive and competitive musical environment. An oldie, but a goodie.