SGLJO’s Concert and Recording Session

A Weekend of Music, Creativity, and Collaboration: SGLJO’s Concert and Recording Session 

The weekend of September 13th was a whirlwind of creativity and celebration for the Socrates Garcia Latin Jazz Orchestra (SGLJO), as we wrapped up a thrilling chapter of music-making. Our journey started with an unforgettable concert and culminated in two intensive days of recording for our upcoming album, blending fresh compositions, stellar performances, and a deep connection with our artistic community and audience.

A Concert to Remember: Our concert at Campus Commons Performance Hall (CCPH) at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) marked the closing of the Through Lines series. We owe a huge thanks to Dean Cristina Goletti, whose support was instrumental in making this event possible. We also had an incredible production team behind the scenes: Mark Allwein, Brandon Ingold, and the dedicated team at CCPH who ensured everything ran smoothly. 

The evening opened with "Vantage Point" from our previous album, Back Home, setting the stage for a night filled with dynamic energy and intricate musical storytelling. The concert then shifted to all-new material, beginning with the three-part suite, Illusions, Delusions…A Glimmer of Hope, offering a journey through emotional contrasts, driven by the complex rhythms and lush harmonies of the pieces. A highlight of the night was "AG's Resting Face…Scary!!!," a piece I wrote for my daughter, Astrid. This composition blends many of my influences including heavy metal, Dominican music, and contemporary jazz, creating a fusion that is both intense and playful. Hearing it performed by such talented musicians was a deeply personal and rewarding experience. 

The night’s world premiere was "Brad's Dreamy Samana Night," written for our brilliant lead trumpet player, Brad Goode. His performance of this piece perfectly captured the emotions from relaxed to intricate with the vibe I had in mind, his tone soaring effortlessly over the orchestra. 

Brad Goode

The concert was a success thanks to the remarkable musicians who brought my compositions to life. Our rhythm section, anchored by Ivanna Cuesta on drums and Pablito "Drums" Peña on percussion, created the driving force behind every piece. The trumpet section—featuring Clay Jenkins, Jeff Jarvis, Shawn Williams, and Miles Roth—added a bright and powerful presence. Wil Swindler led the reed section, while Gary Mayne's bass trombone filled out the low end, giving depth and weight to the brass. The rhythm section was completed by SGLJO steady members an UNC faculty Dana Landry on piano, Erik Applegate on bass. We were fortunate to be joined by other UNC faculty and students—Dr. Javier Vinasco on Clarinet, Alfredo Balcacer on guitar, and saxophonists Andrew Janak, David Bernot, Eduardo Moncada, and Christian Longoria, along with Brazilian percussionist Diego DaSilva, and trombonists Jonathan Bumpus, James Standish, and Tom Call—all contributing to an evening filled with vibrant musical energy.

Adding a captivating visual dimension were Dominican dancers Mildred Rubirosa, Wileydy Contrera, and Jonas Padilla, whose performances intertwined seamlessly with the music, offering an enriching and encompassing cultural experience. 

 Two Days in the Studio: Recording the Next Chapter 

After the concert, we moved straight into two days of recording for the new album. We were joined by the phenomenal Don Aliquo (my dear friend and mentor), who added his signature sound on saxophone, the amazing trombonist Paul McKee, who delivered a stunning solo, adding his unique voice on the trombone to the recording, and by one of Colorado’s finest Zach Rich on trombone. 

       

                 Paul McKee                                             Don Aliquo  

Our recording sessions were expertly managed by recording engineer Greg Heimbecker, who captured every nuance with precision; and by another one of my mentors, David Caffey, who served as our booth producer, guiding the process with his vast expertise as a fantastic jazz composer. 

Recording is always a unique experience, balancing the focus required for technical perfection with the spontaneity that drives live performance. 

Pablito, Erik, Ivanna, Dana, Alfredo

The sessions were intense, but the result is a collection of music that I think captures the heart and soul of the SGLJO. Looking back on this incredible weekend, I am filled with gratitude for everyone involved, from the musicians to our production team. Their dedication and talent made this journey unforgettable.

Clay Jenkins                                       Jeff Jarvis

Our new album will be the next chapter of the SGLJO's story, showcasing fresh compositions and the powerful pulse of Dominican/Caribbean jazz. 

 I can’t wait for you all to hear what we’ve created. Stay tuned!

SGLJO

Peace,

SG

 

Nuestro Primer Libro Infantil, Del Otro Lado de la Calle, Esta Disponible!!!

Wanda se inspiró en mi composición "From Across the Street" (Del Otro Lado de la Calle) y creó un personaje, Pati, para nuestro libro, del mismo título, recientemente publicado. En este libro, Pati, una inmigrante estadounidense-dominicana, sirve como conducto para el diseminar conocimiento sobre la música de Palos, uno de los géneros más predominantes de la República Dominicana. El término Palos se refiere a un tipo particular de música folclórica, pero también se usa como un término general para muchos otras expresiones musicales. En el libro usamos el término como este último, lo que nos permitió fusionar diferentes expresiones y sus instrumentaciones. 

La historia refleja algunas de nuestras propias experiencias al crecer en la República Dominicana.

 

El flipbook fue publicado por fflat-books.com y al comprarlo te llevas, no solo una versión en PDF sino, todos los sonidos de los instrumentos, ensambles, narraciones, etc. Aprovecha el precio de lanzamiento por el resto del mes .

 

Este proceso fue un esfuerzo familiar. Wanda y Astrid grabaron las voces en off en español e inglés, respectivamente; yo grabé y mezclé el audio en nuestro estudio casero. Los instrumentos de percusión fueron grabados en República Dominicana en el estudio de Leo Pimentel, por el inigualable Edis Sánchez (el Gurú). Edis es antropólogo y uno de los percusionistas más destacados de la música folclórica dominicana.

 

Para el final del libro, tomé las voces pre-grabadas de la grabación original de la música (del álbum Back Home) y superpuse todas las nuevas grabaciones de percusión.

 

El libro viene en inglés y español. Puedes leer/escuchar el libro completo en un idioma o cambiar de idioma desde cualquier página. ¡¡¡Super chévere!!!

 

Este fue un trabajo de amor que también sirve como una forma de difundir el conocimiento de nuestra herencia dominicana a una nueva audiencia. Espero que ustedes, chicos y chicas, lo acepten y se lo muestren a los niños que los rodean.

 

Bendiciones para todos ustedes.

 

Paz,

 

S

 Our First Children Book, 

From Across the Street - Del otro lado de la calle, is OUT!!!!

                             

     

Wanda got inspired by my composition "From Across the Street" and created a character, Pati, for our recently published book of the same title. In this book, Pati, an American-Dominican immigrant, serves as the conduit to knowledge about Palos music, one of the most predominant genres of the the Dominican Republic.  The term Palos refers to a particular type of folk music, but it is also used as an umbrella term for many other musical expressions. In the book we used the term as the latter, which allowed us to fuse different types of folk musics and and their instrumentations together. 

The story reflects on some of our own experiences growing up in the Dominican Republic.

The flipbook was published by fflat-books.com and when you buy it you get, not only a PDF version but, all the sounds of the instruments, ensembles, narrations, etc. Take advantage of the release price for the rest of the month. 

This process was a family endeavor. Wanda and Astrid recorded the voiceovers in Spanish and English, respectively; I recorded and mixed the audio at our home studio. The percussion instruments were recorded in Dominican Republic at Leo Pimentel's studio, by the one and only Edis Sanchez (el Guru). Edis is an anthropologist and one of the most prominent percussionists of Dominican folk music.

For the end of the book, I took the pre-recorded voices from the original recording of the music (from the album Back Home) and layered all the new percussion recordings on top. 

The book comes in English and Spanish. You can either read/listen to the entire book in one language or flip languages from any page. Super cool!!!

This was a labor or love that also serves as a way to disseminate the knowledge of our Dominican heritage to a new audience. I hope you guys and gals out there will embrace it and show it to the kids around you. 

Blessings to all of you.

Peace,

S

MENTOR AND MENTEE

A couple of weeks ago I was honored to be part of a Jazz composers roundtable, organized by the Jazz Education Network. There were a few “older” (meaning established, hehehe) composers: Ryan Middagh, Greg Yasinitsky, Roxy Coss, and myself; and the younger composers, past Young Composer Showcase selectees Phillip Ryan Goss, Annie Booth, and Gabriel Severn.

The hang was great! A lot of insights and sharing. It made me reflect on the importance of the mentor/mentee relationship. 

Everybody needs somebody! All of us have had at some point people who helped us become who we are today.

For artists that relationship is very personal and meaningful because those people who become mentors help develop our artistic personality into the kind of artist and people we are today.

As influences, I could mention every teacher, student, and friend I have had over the years. I’ve learned a lot from so many people but today I want to mention a few souls that changed my musical life and helped me become the musician and person I’m today. Those mentors who helped me see the roads (or helped me paved them to make it possible to walk on them) when I needed it.

When I was beginning my musical studies I had the privilege to study with Sonia de Piña. She was the sub-director at the National Conservatory of Music of Santo Domingo. With her I learned how to read music and basic theory. She was also responsible for taking my hand into the Conservatory, which changed my musical path big time. I went from being only a heavy metal guitar player to becoming interested in other styles of music.At the Conservatory I was into classical guitar, and it was my first time playing jazz, big band jazz with the Conservatory Big Band. I like to call Sonia my “musical Mom.”

While I was doing that, I began working with a phenomenal singer, Junior Rodriguez (another rocker who also transitioned to Latin music). The musical director was Dante Cucurullo. A super musician who became my role model and best friend. Dante a classically trained pianist and composer, opened the doors for my professional career as guitarist/keyboardist. He is responsible for most of what I did in DR as an instrumentalist and I consider him my older brother.

In my quest for more jazz knowledge I met a great pianist/arranger l, who had studied at Dick Grove School of Music, Gustavo Rodríguez. A super kind person who got me deep into the world of Jazz theory and arranging. I remember waiting for him to come home (sometimes for hours, literally) to get that weekly lesson. Gustavo taught me Dick Grove’s methods, which showed me the path to pursue studying directly with Mr. Grove himself. 

Dick Grove (d. 1998) organized my musical thinking. He was one of the most inspiring persons I've known and I have to thank him for so much in my musical development. Grove was a super teacher and musician. I studied the CAP (Composing and Arranging Program) with him and still today, the way I think musically I owe to him.

In my first couple of years in the United States I emailed Fred Sturm (d. 2014). He invited me to come to Lawrence University in Appleton, WI., to take a lesson with him. It was supposed to be a 1 hour thing and $100.00. We ended up staying together for two whole days. He introduced me to everyone there and at the end, did not charge me for the lesson! After that, he checked every chart I wrote and gave me his comments, gave me his scores to study, and became the person who opened the doors for me to do my Master's Degree at MTSU. 

At Eastman, Fred had been the professor of Jamey Simmons, who at this point was the jazz composition professor at MTSU. He introduced me to Jamey who became a very close friend for me and my family. Jamey, a fantastic composer and trumpet player, soon became my next mentor and one of the greatest inspirations for both my personal and musical lives.

Just after graduation from MTSU, in 2008, Jamey and I went to a Jazz Composers' Symposium in Tampa, FL. There I met a person who changed my life in so many ways. Mr. David Caffey. He not only became my mentor, but also my jazz composition professor, friend, and boss at UNC. At the time David was the Director of the School of Music and he opened the doors for me to come to this amazing place to do my doctorate. He also gave me my job as Director of Music Tech at UNC. Now retired, he has been one of the biggest influences in the way I see and approach life and music.

As I have had the chance to be a mentor to so many students myself, I can see the relationship from both sides and appreciate the importance of those people in our lives. I'm looking forward to meeting more people and serve as mentor for them; at the same time I'm eager to meet the person(s) who will be next mentor(s) for myself. 

Everybody needs somebody to help them navigate the life turbulences and, for artists, help them grow and discover their own voice.

Peace,

SG

HELLO IN ISOLATION-A LOT GOING ON!

Hi!!!

I hope you are staying safe during these crazy times and that you and your family are healthy.

It's been hard for me to keep the blog updated but here I am today.

These last few weeks have been really busy online for me.

Strandberg Guitars

The Latino artists for Strandberg Guitars had a great .Stranded* live Zoom with the one and only Ola Strandberg. It was great sharing with the amazing Lore Paz Ampuero and Koke Benavides (Chile), José Macario (Mexico), and Liam (my son) and I. 

We had a fantastic conversation, which you can watch at the Strandberg Facebook https://www.facebook.com/strandbergguitars/videos/226677915296969/ and Youtube pages (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhRfy4ejdJI)

We own three of these amazing instruments now and love them all!!

Fun Challenge

Just for fun (and responding to a challenge from my friend Scott Burstein's from Little Kids Rock) I took a shot at Iron Maiden's "The Trooper" solo on the Classic Malta Blue (right on the picture above). Since he did the first solo, I took Dave Murray's and it felt really great to play it on a "strat-ish" type of instrument. I had't bent strings in a while, hehehe. Here it is:

Conversations in Isolation

I started a live conversation series online, "Conversations in Isolation" (Conversaciones en Aislamiento). I'm inviting a friend every Thursday to talk about music, life, or whatever else. This has been done through Instagram Live, so far. The first guest was the incredible saxophonist Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band, Bela Fleck, and too many others), then we had one of the greatest musicians coming out of the Dominican Republic, Waldo Madera (Ricky Martin, Ricardo Arjona, Juanes, and many, many others). These conversations have been super fun and we are open to questions from the audience. You can watch them on my Instagram and I will upload them to my youtube channel soon.I hope to have alternate between English and Spanish. We hope this helps alleviate the situation the entire world is going through.

Other guests will include many other friends, composers, producers, guitarists, etc. I have some already confirmed that will blow your mind. For next week I'll have the great composer Ron Jones (Star Trek, Family Guy, Fairly Odd Parents, and many others). This one will be on Zoom at the same time (8:00 pm Eastern; 7:00 pm Central; 6:00 pm Mountain; 5:00 pm Pacific). If you are a movie fan or composer, don't miss this one!

Mezclando en Casa (Mixing at Home)

My great friend Allan Leschhorn and I gave a mixing workshop for invited guests on Zoom. Allan is a great musician and one of the best engineers I know. We have worked together since our teens and are still doing things together. Multi Grammy winner, Allan owns a recording studio in Dominican Republic and is the recording and live monitor engineer for Dominican superstar Juan Luis Guerra. The clinic was incredible! Super fun! We had guests from the United States, Spain, Argentina, Chile, and many from the Dominican Republic. Thanks to everyone who attended!!! We hope to keep doing more in the future. 

Frank Gambale Online School

Recently I affiliated with the great Frank Gambale. Frank has been one of my biggest influences andd inspiration for many years and it is an honor to be affiliated to his amazing online school. You can check it out (and get discounted prices on his courses) at: 

https://www.frankgambaleguitarschool.com/link/skhtqh?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.frankgambaleguitarschool.com 

Well, that's it for today and I hope I can keep sharing more in the coming weeks. 

Blessings and stay safe,

SG

II V I ETUDE - Using a composed idea in a solo

Hi Everyone,

It's been a while. I have been very busy on this side, but here I am...

I've been getting a lot of questions on different topics and I decided to begin a series of videos in which I will cover a plethora of concepts such as jazz theory, music technology, recording and mixing, composition and arranging, etc.

On the first video (watch it here) I use a jazz-oriented idea on a II V I in major with the altered V7 and apply it in the context of jazz fusion. Although in this particular video I don't dive too deep into the theory and nuances of the material, it will give you an idea of how you can use an existing idea and incorporate it into a solo. In subsequent videos I will explain in detail this and many other topics.

Please subscribe to my blog (http://socratesgarcia.blogspot.com), my youtube channel, and my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/socratesgarciamusic/) so you can receive notifications when I upload new videos. And if you have any question, don't hesitate to contact me.

You can download the backing track, PDF, and Guitar 7 Pro file here:

Materials for II V I ETUDE 1

I hope you enjoy this first video and can apply these concepts to your own music.




Peace,
S

ESTUDIO II V I - Usando una idea compuesta en un solo.

Hola todos,

Me había desaparecido. Ha estado bien ocupado de este lado. Pero aquí de nuevo.

Me han llegado muchas preguntas abarcando diferentes temas y decidí comenzar una serie de videos en los que voy a explorar conceptos como teoría de jazz, tecnologia, grabación y mezcla, composición/arreglo, etc.

En este primer video (bajalo aqui) uso una idea de jazz (II V I en tonalidad mayor pero con el V alterado), aplicada en el contexto de jazz-fusión. Aunque en este video no explico cada detalle con profundidad, les dará una idea de lo que se puede hacer con una idea compuesta de antemano. En otros videos  voy a explicar con más detalle este y muchos otros temas.

Por favor suscribete a mi blog (http://socratesgarcia.blogspot.com),
mi pagina de youtube y mi pagina de Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/socratesgarciamusic/) para que recibas las notificaciones de futuros videos. Y por favor, cualquier pregunta no dudes en contactarme.

Pueden bajar el backing track, un PDF y el archivo de Guitar Pro 7 aqui.

Materiales para II V I ETUDE 1

Espero disfrutes este primer video y lo puedas usar en tu música.

Paz,
S

NAMM 2018 - ANAHEIM, CA

Hi!!
Next week I'll be at the NAMM Convention in Anaheim, CA with Strandberg Guitars.
Super happy with the opportunity to share my excitement about these amazing and innovative instruments. Also excited to get together with old friends and make new ones.

If you are there, please stop by and say hi.

Hope to see you around.

Peace,

S

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

A lot of things happened at the end of 2017 and many more are coming up.

Strandberg Endorsement: I became an Associate Artist for these amazing instruments. I'm loving playing them, which has changed some of my priorities, expanding what I want to do for this year. I'm super excited about the guitars! My plan is to record a new small group album before the end of the year, where, hopefully, you will hear why I'm so stoked with the instrument.

Strandberg Boden Original 6

Socrates Garcia Latin Jazz Orchestra at JEN 2018: I got together with many friends (old and new). Always a great place to hang.
On January 5, I was honored to share the stage with an all-star band for the SGLJO concert. It's always a pleasure to hear my music played by these group of musicians. If you want to read about each musician, please visit my Facebook page (facebook.com/socratesgarciamusic), where I shared the bios for each one of them.
I hope to share a video of the show soon, for now let's share some pics.

With the legendary John Clayton and Dafnis Pietro

Before the show

After the show

Pablito, Brad, SG, Helen, Adam Nussbaum, Daniel

The Dominican team after the show

Once again

Coming up:

NAMM Show with Strandberg: 
I'll be at NAMM in Anaheim, CA with Strandberg from January 25-27. If you are around, please stop by to say hi.

Vanderbilt University Concert: 
I received a commission to write a new piece for jazz orchestra for the Blair School of Music's big band. I'll be at Vanderbilt conducting a concert of my music, including this new piece, entitled The Wizard's Wicked Charm. This concert is on February 15th. It will be great to come back to Nashville and see many of our friends from the time we lived there.
I'm also giving a master class on Dominican Music and Jazz.

More things are coming up and I hope to see you and share my music with you soon,

Best of years in 2018,
S

Hi All,

Here's a compilation of three articles/videos I did for MakeMusic on jazz composition/arranging tips for Finale and the two-part article, "Natural Harmonization," I wrote for JazzEd Online.

If you haven't seen/read it hope you enjoy it.

Peace,
S


Hola Todos,

Aquí hay una compilación de los tres artículos/videos que hice para MakeMusic sobre algunas ideas para composición/arrreglo de jazz en Finale y el artículo en dos partes de "Armonización Natural" que escribí para JazzEd Online.

Si no lo has visto/leído espero lo disfrutes.

Paz,
S


Finale 1 - Ensemble Voicing 
https://www.finalemusic.com/blog/ensemble-voicings/

Finale 2 - Edit Filter/Paste Multiple
https://www.finalemusic.com/blog/jazz-composition-arranging-tips-edit-filter-paste-multiple/

Finale 3 - Drum Cues
https://www.finalemusic.com/blog/jazz-arranging-tips-drum-cues/


JazzEd 1 - Natural Harmonization (Part 1)
https://jazzednet.org/resources/natural-harmonization-part/

JazzEd 2 - Natural Harmonization (Part 2)
https://jazzednet.org/resources/natural-harmonization-part-ii/

Celebration of the Butterflies

Noviembre 25, 1960, fue un día oscuro para la República Dominicana y para las mujeres, en general. Fue el día que las hermanas Mirabal fueron asesinadas por el dictador Rafael Leonidas Trujillo y su régimen. Debido a este trágico día, hoy conmemoramos el Día Internacional de la Eliminacíon de la Violencia en Contra de las Mujeres. 
Las Hermanas Mirabal eran conocidas como las "Mariposas" y yo compuse una pieza para celebrar sus vidas y todo por lo que ellas lucharon. Esta pieza, "Celebración de las Mariposas", es parte de mi disco Back Home.
La publico hoy para celebrar el legado de las "Mariposas" y en apoyo a terminar la violencia contra la mujer.

November 25th, 1960, was a dark day for the Dominican Republic and women in general. It was the day the Mirabal sisters were murdered by the dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo and his regime. Because of that tragic day, today we commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. 
The Mirabal sisters were known as the "Butterflies" and I composed a piece to celebrate their lives and everything they stood for. This piece, "Celebration of the Butterflies," is part of my album Back Home. 
I post this piece today to celebrate the legacy of the "Butterflies" and as my support to end violence against women. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyxzS3Hi6Ok


Peace,

S

Theatre Production of A Midsummer Night's Dream 

I'm playing synth guitar on this modern take of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Pretty cool music in a Latin Jazz vein, on the Brazilian side. Composers Danny Strimer, Lena Arice Lucas, and Alan Miller did a great job! Well written and very catchy tunes.

Great cast and crew, both professionals and students!! Guest artists Andrea Runge and Henry Haggard are amazing! And, so are the students, Clara McGowan, Jill Engstrom, Austin McMains, Frankie Curry-Edwards, and everyone on and off stage. 

It's going to be a blast!

Peace,
S


Comedy
By William Shakespeare
Adapted and Directed by David Grapes
Aerial Choreography by Andrea Moon
Langworthy Theatre
November 16, 17, 18 at 7:30 pm
November 19 at 2:00 pm

Our modern take on this classic will transport audiences to the enchanted rain forest - where fairies live in trees and lines are blurred between fairies, musicians and a noble lord and lady, as we follow the interwoven storylines of four young lovers, a troupe of madcap auto mechanics turned actors and the fairies, who toy with all their fates. Our cast will features a talented mix of comedians, actors, improvisers, dancers, aerialists and musicians, making for a unique rendition of one of Shakespeare’s most captivating comedies. This production reinvents the Bard’s classic in an interactive, accessible and light way. It will appeal to the most avid Shakespeare fan, as well as to those experiencing a live play for the first time. We look forward to seeing you in the forest!"

Hi Everyone,

I hope everything is going well for you. With all the bad things happening around the world I find that we need arts and music a lot more these days.
That said...I'll try to play my part. 

New things coming up:

MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL CLINICS
On November 8-9, I'll be working with Kenyon Brenner, Mike Conrad, and Shawn Williams at the Thompson School District's Jazz Retreat in Loveland, Colorado. We'll be working with middle/high school students' big bands for two days. Super exciting!

SGLJO AT JEN 2018
The SGLJO is playing a concert at the Jazz Education Network Conference 2018, in Dallas, TX. Always exciting and fun to conduct my music with this incredible group of musicians. I have a new piece that will be premiered at this concert. The band for this concert is:

Saxes: 
Dave Pietro
Adam Blakey
Don Aliquo
Kenyon Brenner
Ryan Middagh

Trumpets:
Brad Goode
Ron Parton
Jeff Jarvis
Clay Jenkins

Trombones:
Mike Conrad
Paul McKee
David Caffey
John Matthews

Rhythm Section:
Dana Landry - Piano
Erik Applegate - Bass
Steve Kovalcheck - Guitar 

Helen de la Rosa - Drum Set
Pablito Peña - Percussion
Daniel Berroa - Percussion 

CONCERT AT VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
After this concert, I'm conducting a concert with the Blair Big Band and giving a clinic at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN. Thanks Dr. Ryan Middagh for having me there. We are also playing a new piece, commissioned for this occasion. More details to come.

ARTICLE ON HARMONIZING MELODIES
Part one of my article "Natural Harmonization" came out this month on Jazz Education Network online: https://jazzednet.org/resources/natural-harmonization-part/
This article offers the basics of one of the ways I use to harmonize definitive/functional melodies. This is a process I adapted from what I learned from the great Dick Grove (www.dickgrove.com)

Part two, coming in a few days, will apply these concepts to an actual melody.

I hope this series of articles will help you develop your own process to harmonizing melodies and creating more music.
Thanks to Steve Nigohosian for the opportunity to share this process.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any question,

Blessings and peace to all,
SG

SGLJO in Colorado

It was great to perform two concerts in Colorado this week! The first one at the MOXI Theater in Greeley, Colorado; the second at the prestigious Dazzle Jazz Club in Denver.

MOXI with the Boss and Brad

It is always a blast to share the stage with so many talented musicians. Thanks to each one of you for making it possible. It is always humbling and exciting to hear these guys and girls performing my music.

At the MOXI

After the Dazzle show

Helen, Pablito, and Daniel killed it on the percussion. They also did a great clinic on Dominican percussion at UNC.

Pablito, Erik, Helen, SG, Daniel after the Dazzle show

Wil, Bri, Kenyon, Darrel, and Joel were amazing! Including the sax soli on "Homage to Tavito" :-)

Having Greg Gisbert and Brad Goode on the same stage is like having Michael Jordan and Lebron James on the same team, Wow!!! Miles, Chris, and David were equally great.

Brad, Helen, SG, Greg

Paul McKee makes playing trombone look so easy! Mike Conrad always brings it! (And yes Mike, I do know your name!! hahaha). It was the first time with Zach and John, it won't be the last!

Dana and Erik, what can I say? Simply great!

Darrel, Erik, SG, Dana, Chris, David, Daniel

It's an honor to share the stage with you guys and to be colleagues at UNC with most of you!

I also had the opportunity of talking to Susan Gatsched and Arturo Gomez at KUVO, the Denver Jazz station. To top it off, at the Dazzle show, we had the privilege of having Arturo as the MC for the night. 

Thanks to Michael Schreier for the article he penned for Dazzle and for having us there.

This week, I also had the opportunity to talk to Trish Hennessey on her show Hybrid Jazz. Thanks Trish! It was great talking to you. To listen to the show and my interview (which begins at 1:00:00)

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hybridjazzfromtrishhennessey/2017/02/16/hybrid-jazz-from-trish-hennessey--with-socrates-garcia

THANKS TO EACH ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO CAME TO THE SHOWS. YOU MADE IT A GREAT MEMORY!

Hope to see you again soon.

Blessings,

S