I'm excited to announce that I signed a deal with Summit Records to release my album "Back Home."
I know it's been a while since we recorded it and mixed it but the CD will be coming soon and I sincerely hope it is worth the wait.
On this post I'm presenting a video I made for a clinic I gave at the UNC Jazz Fest 2015, "Recording a Big Band Chart: From Conception to Final Mix." The video shows portions of the recording and mixing sessions, and also a bunch of pictures. At the end there's the complete performance of one of the pieces on the album, "Vantage Point."
I hope you enjoy it. The album will be released during the first trimester of 2016.
Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments.
Estoy super emocionado y honrado de anunciar que la "Socrates Garcia Latin Jazz Orchestra" ha sido invitada a tocar en la conferencia nacional del Jazz Education Network (JEN) en Louisville, KY (Enero, 2016). Tocaremos la música que escribí para orquesta de jazz con géneros de la Republica Dominicana incluyendo merengue, bachata y palos, y además otros piezas Afro-Caribeñas. Es un ensamble extraordinario y estoy seguro que va a ser super divertido. También me invitaron a presentar una clínica de la música en donde hablo de la manera en que estoy fusionando my herencia dominicana con la orquesta de jazz. La clínica se titula "Latin Jazz with a Dominican Tinge" (Latin Jazz con tinte dominicano). Ya mencioné que estoy super emocionado de tocar allí y de presentar la clínica?
El cuarteto de la facultad de UNC también estará tocando. Dana Landry en piano, Erik Applegate en bajo, Jim White en la bateria y Steve Kovalcheck en guitarra.
El Vocal Lab de UNC dirigido por Kerry Marsh también estará presentándose en la conferencia.
Ven y disfruten de estos conciertos, va a ser bien divertido!!! Agregaré más información mientras las cosas se vayan desarrollando. Paz a todos, S
I'm super excited and honored to announce that the Socrates Garcia Latin Jazz Orchestra have been invited to perform at the 2016 Jazz Education Network conference in Louisville, KY (January, 2016). We'll be performing the music I wrote for jazz orchestra using genres from the Dominican Republic including merengue, bachata, and palos, in addition to other Afro-Caribbean pieces. It is a great ensemble and I'm sure it will be a lot of fun. I was also invited to present a clinic on the some of that music and the way I'm fusing my Dominican heritage with the large jazz ensemble. The clinic is entitled "Latin Jazz with a Dominican Tinge." Did I mention that I'm super excited about doing this performance and also the clinic? The UNC Jazz Faculty Quartet will also be performing. This is Dana Landry on piano, Erik Applegate on bass, Jim White on drums, and Steve Kovalcheck on guitar. UNC's Vocal Lab, directed by Kerry Marsh will also be performing at the conference. Come and check these performances out, it will be a lot of fun!!! I will be adding more information as it develops. Peace to all, S
Monday, January 26, 2015
Happy New Year!
I'll try to keep you posted on what I will be doing this year (more often than last year, hopefully!).
So far, it's been great! The JEN Conference in San Diego was amazing! Great musicians, lots of fun, lots of learning, and hanging out with friends (old and new).
My album is almost ready for release. In fact, the music is mixed and mastered. We are working on the CD cover now. I'll post a sample soon. Meanwhile, here are some pictures from the rehearsal and recording session.
Going to the CMEA (Colorado Music Educators Association) Conference 2015 this week. I'll be presenting a clinic, Finale: Tips and Tricks. Super excited!
The following week I'll be presenting the same clinic at the TI:ME (Technology Institute for Music Educators) / OMEA (Ohio Music Educators Association) Pre-conference in Cleveland.
I'll keep you posted!
I wish everybody the best of years!
S
The rhythm section: Manuel Tejada, Helen de la Rosa, Pengbian Sang
Rehearsal
Getting ready!
Here we go!
In action 1
In action 2
Consulting with David Caffey
Manuel, Socrates, Pengbian, Brad Goode
The band!
Manuel Tejada, Helen de la Rosa, Guillermo Rivera, Pengbian Sang
Monday, December 9, 2013
Hola todos.
Aqui hay una pequeña muestra de el recital que tocamos a mediados de año. Incluye UNC Lab I y en la percusión a Edis Y Osvaldo Sánchez. La pieza es el primer movimiento de la "Suite Dominicana para orquesta de jazz" y se titula "Homage to Tavito" (Homenaje a Tavito), inspirada en el gran saxofonista Dominicano Tavito Vasquez, pionero de la fusión de merengue y jazz. Este movimiento está enmarcado en un merengue y decidí incluir un solo de Tavito pero rearmonizado para los 5 saxofones de la orquesta de jazz. La transcripción de este solo me la facilitó otro gran saxofonista nuestro, Juan Colón. Ambos son un gran ejemplo de lo que se puede hacer con la fusión de merengue con jazz, meren-jazz.
Esta pieza, con sus tres movimientos (merengue, bachata y palos), está incluida como parte de mi disertación de doctorado. La pieza completa fué recientemente publicada por UNC Jazz Press.
Ahora me encuentro en la fase de preproduccion de mi próximo disco que va a incluir esta Suite entre otras piezas para orquesta de jazz. Espero que el disco este listo antes de terminar el 2014. Ya los mantendré informados de los detalles de grabación.
Para mi es una gran satisfacción poder aportar un poco de mi dominicanidad al mundo del Latin-Jazz a través de mi musica.
Bendiciones a todos y espero la disfruten
SG
Hello everyone.
Here is a small sample of the concert we played this summer, which includes UNC Lab I and the great Dominican percussionists Edis And Osvaldo Sánchez . The piece is the first movement of the "Dominican Suite for jazz orchestra" entitled " Homage to Tavito." It is inspired by the great Dominican saxophonist Tavito Vasquez, a merengue and jazz fusion pioneer. This movement is framed in the merengue genre and I decided to include one of Tavito's solos but reharmonized for the 5 saxophones of the jazz orchestra . The transcription of this solo was provided by another great merengue-jazz saxophonist, Juan Colon. Both, Vasquez and Colón–among others–, are a great example of what can be accomplished with the fusion of merengue and jazz.
This piece, with its three movements (merengue, bachata and palos), is included as part of my doctoral dissertation. The piece in its entirety was recently published by UNC Jazz Press.
I am now at the stage of pre-production of my next album which will include the "Suite" among other pieces for jazz orchestra. I hope the album is ready before the end of 2014. I will keep you informed of the recording details as it develops.
For me it is a great pleasure to bring some of my "dominicanidad" to the world of Latin-Jazz through my music.
Comenzé el año en la Conferencia del Jazz Education Network (JEN) en Atlanta, GA. Fué un evento impresionante.
Maravillosos conciertos y clínicas. Fué grandioso reconectar con viejos amigos y conocer algunos nuevos, entre ellos Shawn y Darden Purcell, Don Aliquo, Mike Jenner, Gene Perla, Rubén Alvárez, Dave Stamps, y muchos más.
Mi familia y yo manejamos desde Colorado a Tennessee. Ellos se quedaron en TN mientras yo iba a Atlanta con mi gran amigo y fenomenal guitarrista Steve Kovalcheck. El viaje entero (CO-TN) toma unos dos días (20 horas de manejo), pero valió la pena cada minuto.
Volviendo a Atlanta y el JEN... UNC estuvo bien presente:
Un concierto impresionante por la Lab 1, dirigida por Dana Landry.
Jim White tocó increible con el trio de Mike Pope.
Otro concierto impresionante fué el de 7 on 7 (con los profesores de UNC Dana, Steve, Jim, y Erik más Don Aliquo, Clay Jenkins y Paul Mckee)
Entonces, (REDOBLE)... mi clínica: Me fué super bien!!! El Learning Center se llenó y la gente disfrutó lo que yo enseñé. Aquí hay una cita del blog de Earl McDonald, director de Jazz Studies de la Universidad de Connecticut:
"Effective Tools for Composing/Arranging
Using Finale. Socrates Garcia, clinician.
Aunque me considero un usuario experto de Finale, aprendí un numero de valiosos trucos (que voy a usar esta semana mientras termino un chart!) Esta clínica fué puro oro."
Durante la clínica (Foto cortesía de Dana Landry)
Aquí hay más fotos de la Conferencia:
Con el extraordinario trombonista Wycliffe Gordon
Guitarristas: Shawn Purcell, Steve Kovalcheck, y yo.
Con la leyenda del jazz Jamey Aebersold
Con el compositor/arreglista Gordon Goodwin
Con los ganadores del concurso de composición de este año. I a D: Dave Stamps, myself, Rubén Alvárez, José Gurria-Cardenas y Carter Brodkorb
Leyenda del jazz David Liebman
MAS NOTICIAS!!!
En nuestro camino de vuelta me enteré que mi participación del año pasado en la Conferencia del JEN había sido seleccionada como una de las "Noticias Positivas de 2012" en la República Dominicanda, por la prominente personalidad de la televisión Alicia Ortega. Eso fué super 'apero!!! Mis más sinceros agradecimientos a la señora Ortega y su equipo!
Bueno...hasta la próxima. Les deseo lo mejor en 2013 y los mantendré informados de las muchas cosas que tengo en planes mientras se vayan desarrollando.
I began the year at the Jazz Education Network (JEN) Conference in Atlanta, GA. It was an amazing event! Great performances and clinics. It was great reconnecting with many friends, among them Shawn and Darden Purcell, Don Aliquo, Mike Jenner, Gene Perla, Rubén Alvárez, Dave Stamps, and many more.
We (my family and I) drove from Colorado to Tennessee. They stayed there while I rode to Atlanta with my great friend and phenomenal musician Steve Kovalcheck. The entire trip (CO - TN) takes about 2 days, but worth every minute.
Back to Atlanta and the JEN...UNC was very present:
An amazing performance by Lab 1, conducted by Dana Landry
Jim White played with Mike Pope's trio. Incredible!
Another astounding performance by 7 on 7 (Dana, Jim, Steve, and Erik from UNC plus Don Aliquo, Clay Jenkins, and Paul McKee)
Then, (DRUM ROLL)... my clinic: It went really well!!! The Learning Center was packed and people really enjoyed what I taught.
Here is a quote from the blog of Earl McDonald, Jazz Studies Director at the University of Connecticut:
"Effective Tools for Composing/Arranging
Using Finale.
Socrates Garcia, clinician.
Although I consider myself an experienced/expert user of the Finale music software notation programm I learned a number of valuable, time-saving shortcuts (which I will put into practice this week as I finish up a chart!) This clinic was pure gold."
Presenting the clinic (photo courtesy of Dana Landry)
It was a blast!!
Here are some more pictures from the Conference:
With trombone extraordinaire Wycliffe Gordon
Guitar Summit: Shawn Purcell, Steve Kovalcheck, and myself
With jazz legend/educator Jamey Aebersold
With composer/arranger Gordon Goodwin
With the winners of last year's Composition showcase. L to R: Dave Stamps, myself, Rubén Alvárez, José Gurria-Cardenas, and Carter Brodkorb
Jazz legend David Liebman
MORE NEWS!!
On our way back I learned that my participation on last year's JEN Conference had been selected as one of the "Positive news of 2012" in Dominican Republic by prominent TV personality Alicia Ortega. That was really cool!!! My deepest gratitude to Ms. Ortega and her work team.
